'Get at the truth': Judge to study handling of sex allegations against former Nunavut priest

A retired Quebec judge is to lead a review into how the Oblateshandled past allegations that a former priest sexually abused Inuitchildren in Nunavut.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI Lacombe Canada and theOblates of the Province of France said Monday they have appointedformer Superior Court justice Andre Denis to lead the OblateSafeguarding Commission.

They said it will aim to understand how allegations againstJohannes Rivoire were addressed within the Catholic congregation andto identify improvements to Oblate policies and governance to betterprotect minors and ensure accountability.

A final written report is to be made public no later than April1, 2024.

"We recognize that ... there's no healing, there's noreconciliation without truth. And so we're trying to get at thetruth of what happened," said Rev. Ken Thorson with OMI LacombeCanada.

Thorson said the commission meets a commitment the Oblates madeto many Inuit, including to review the circumstances under whichRivoire left Canada.

He said he hopes the findings "contribute to the truth of thehistory" of Inuit communities, help with ongoing healing andprovide an opportunity for the church to learn from the brokenrelationship with Indigenous communities across Canada.

Refusing to answer to charges

Rivoire, who is now in his early 90s and lives in a retirementhome in Lyon, France, was a priest in Nunavut from the 1960s until1993, when he returned to his home country.

He has long faced allegations that he sexually abused Inuitchildren during his time in the territory. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., agroup representing Nunavut Inuit, has claimed up to 60 children mayhave been abused. Rivoire has never faced the allegations in courtand denies any wrongdoing.

A Canadian warrant was issued for Rivoire's arrest in 1998 butcriminal charges related to the sexual abuse of children were stayedin 2017.

Following a fresh complaint in 2021, Rivoire was charged with onecount of indecent assault of a girl in Arviat and Whale Cove between1974 and 1979.

A 10-member delegation of Nunavut Inuit travelled to France inSeptember to seek his extradition and raise awareness of the case.

They met with government and church officials as well as Rivoire.

The Public Prosecution of Canada announced in October that Francehad denied its request to extradite Rivoire and said it hadexhausted all legal means to do so. It said it was working with RCMPfor Interpol to issue a notice allowing for Rivoire to be arrestedin any other country if he leaves France.

Thorson said the Oblates have urged Rivoire to return to Canadaand face the charges. Oblate leadership in France said they decidedto dismiss Rivoire because of his refusal to return to Canada.

Another former priest charged anew

Rivoire is not the only former Oblate priest who has been accusedof sexually abusing children in Nunavut and fled the country.

Eric Dejaeger, 76, was arrested in Kingston, Ont., last week oneight charges for the alleged sexual abuse of six people inIgloolik, Nunavut, between 1978 and 1982. He is currently in custody inIqaluit.

Dejaeger served part of a five-year sentence, beginning in 1990,for sexual offences against children in Baker Lake, Nvt., between1982 and 1989. Following his release, as RCMP were investigating hisactivities in Igloolik, he fled to his home country of Belgium. Hewas extradited back to Canada in 2011 over immigration violations.

In 2015, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison for 32 offenceshe committed in Igloolik. He was granted statutory release in May2022.

Thorson said the commission is to focus on allegations againstRivoire, as he has never been extradited to Canada.

"I hope and I expect that the lessons that we learn aboutgovernance, about what leadership did or didn't do, will offer us lessons in regard to (Dejaeger) as well," he said.

The retired judge is known for presiding over Canada's firsttrial involving the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. Itresulted in the 2009 conviction of Desire Munyaneza, a Rwandancitizen living in Canada, for his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.Munyaneza was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parolefor 25 years.

Denis was also hired by the Archdiocese of Montreal in 2020 toreview allegations of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adultsin nine Quebec Catholic dioceses dating back to 1940 and to find anypeople accused of abuse who were still serving the diocese. Hisaudit, released last year,identifiedconfirmed or well-foundedallegations of sexual abuse involving 87 employees, fewerthan fiveof whom were still working for the church.

"I appreciate the opportunity to lead this commission and expectthat my findings will contribute to greater understanding of thishistory, while positioning the Oblates to set a higher standard ofaccountability and safety," Denis said in a statement.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Metaand Canadian Press News Fellowship, which is not involved in the editorial process.