THUNDER BAY — For survivors of historic sexual abuse by someone elevated to a position of trust by two organizations, the recent approval of a settlement in a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit is one of the final chapters in a long journey, but a journey that remains ongoing.
“It’s been a long journey for all of us here. It’s very stressful. It’s like a nightmare, being a survivor. There’s bad days and good days but you still try to get through,” said survivor Terry Ostamus of Kingfisher Lake First Nation.
“I’m happy with the settlement. It’s not going to solve our problem, it’s not going to take the pain away or whatever we lost, but I am okay with it.”
Ostamus, along with several other survivors, was speaking outside the Thunder Bay Courthouse on Friday, where Justice Bonnie Warkentin approved a proposed settlement agreement in the class action lawsuit against Ralph Rowe, Scouts Canada, and the Anglican Synod of the Diocese of Keewatin.
The class action was first filed in 2017 and sought $110 million in damages relating to numerous incidents of sexual abuse committed by Rowe between 1975 and 1985 when he was a priest and Scout leader in the geographic boundaries of the Anglican Diocese of Keewatin in Northern Ontario.
“This guy had a plane and everybody trusted him,” Ostamus said. “He was a minister. He was giving sacrament. Everybody trusted him.”
Since 1988, Rowe has been convicted of nearly 60 crimes relating to sexual assault and abuse involving dozens of victims and served less than five years in custody.
The settlement reached will see Diocese of Keewatin, Scouts Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada collectively paying $13.25 million into an interest-bearing trust account that will then be used to pay legal fees, administrative costs, and compensation to class members.
The amount of compensation to be paid to class members ranges between $30,000 and $350,000 based on an allocation system relating to the abuse suffered and ongoing physical and mental trauma.
The class action was first launched by survivor Alvin McKay and Warkentin commended him for his courage in coming forward publicly and standing up for all the other survivors.
“Today I didn’t even want to come because I was scared. But I thought about all the work that has been done,” McKay said. “We feel we are still fighting. It’s never going to go away, the pain and suffering. I’m just glad it’s over.”
Other survivors speaking on Friday thanked their families, friends, and all those involved in the class action for their ongoing support throughout the entire process.
“It seems unreal now that it’s finally over. It’s just slowly sinking in I guess,” said Robert Koostachin. “I just want to say thank you to everyone close to us. Our families, partners, NAN, supporters, and everyone involved who helped out.”
“The outcome of this has made a huge impact on my life,” added Patthew Quequish of North Caribou Lake First Nation. “I hope everything goes well for everyone else. I think we will be okay.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum said ever since the first survivor came forward it has been a trying and traumatic journey for all involved.
“This particular decision is very significant in terms of acknowledging and validating the journeys of these men and the pain and the trauma that was inflicted by this man who was an Anglican priest and also employed by the Boy Scouts of Canada,” she said.
Achneepineskum added that no dollar amount will take the pain away for the survivors, nor will it bring back the many young men who have been lost through violence or suicide after being subject to such abuse.
“But the dollar amount also represents an acknowledgement of their pain. I am grateful that it has reached this point now where it has come to a certain stage of the journey for these men,” she said. “We will continue to walk with them, to support them, with the compensation part, but also our role and responsibly to ensure they are on a good path.”
One of the proposals in the settlement was that a healing foundation be set up to assist survivors of sexual abuse. Achneepineskum said it is important to have those supports in place because there are so many people impacted, including former students of the Residential School system.
Warkentin, who will provide written reasons for her decision at a later date, noted that this is an historic case and one that should be known across all of Canada, not just within Northern Ontario.
Achneepineskum agrees that more awareness of the survivor’s journey is needed and she hopes this case and the important message of their shared journey will reach more people across the country.
“The messaging is that the journey of these men is validated by the court and that Canada also needs to recognize and validate and acknowledge that sexual violence has impacted many, not only in this case, but in other cases throughout Canada,” she said.
With the settlement approved, class action members can now come forward to make compensation claims. Achneepineskum said it is important that individuals who do come forward feel supported throughout the process, and she commended the hard work that has already been done by survivors like McKay.
“We must ensure that as we move forward with the compensation process for these men that we are always assessing, are we doing a good job, ensuring that the claimants are taken care of and provided the services they need in order for them to come forward with their claims,” Achneepineskum said.
Class action members had an opportunity to reject the proposed settlement prior to Warkentin’s approval, but Achneepineskum said no one did.
“To us that means they are all supporting each other for them to proceed and close the chapter on this particular part,” she said.
McKay called his fellow survivors his brothers and going through this journey together has helped them reach this chapter.
“We are together, one way or another,” he said. “We are survivors through it all. I’m just happy we are here together.”
