Yukon has spent $2.5M settling sexual assault cases, since 2000 - Action News
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Yukon has spent $2.5M settling sexual assault cases, since 2000

The Department of Justice has faced questions about the settlement of historic sexual assault cases since a newspaper investigation this month revealed abuse suffered by several Indigenous children, at the hands of a former school principal and foster parent.

Justice Minister says about 40 cases were launched against Yukon and 'a variety of other parties'

In a statement, Justice Minister Tracy McPhee says the $2.5 million spent on settlement payments by the Yukon government and government insurers includes the payment of plaintiff's legal costs in some cases. (Wayne Vallevand/CBC)

Yukon and its insurers have spent $2.5 million settling historic sexual assault cases launched against the government and other parties, including the federal government, since 2000.

The amount was revealed on Monday, in a statement from the territory's Justice Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee.

In the statement, McPhee says approximately 40 sexual assault cases were launched against the Yukon Government "and a variety of other parties including the Government of Canada"over the last 17 years.

Most of those cases have been settled, some were dismissed or discontinued.

The $2.5 million spent on settlement payments by the Yukon government and government insurers includes the payment of plaintiff's legal costs in some cases.

McPhee and the Yukon Department of Justice have faced questions about the settlement of historic sexual assault cases sincea recent Toronto Star investigation revealed abuse suffered by several Indigenous children, at the hands of a former school principal and foster parent, between the late 1960s and the late 1980s.

The story describes how the man, identified only as "J.V." due to a publication ban, was convicted in 1987 of sexually assaulting five children, and sentenced to five years for each charge, to be served concurrently.

It also says that since 2007, another six people have sued the Yukon government and J.V. for sexual abuse, and some of those civil cases have been settled.

After the Toronto Star published its story, McPhee said she couldn't sayhow many civil cases have been settled against J.V. and therefore couldn't say how much money the government has spent on settlements.

Her statement on Monday does not indicatehow many of the cases settled by the government since 2000 are related to J.V.

Yukon never insisted on non-disclosure clauses, McPhee says

Yukon NDP leader Liz Hanson raised the issue in the legislature on Oct. 16, saying that silencing victims through the gag orders of settlement agreements or bullying them into not testifying (as described in the Toronto Star's story) only serves to re-victimize people who've already been horribly scarred by abuse.

In herstatement, McPheeasserts that the government has not silenced any victims.

"To the best of our knowledge, the lawyers representing the Government of Yukon have never insisted on non-disclosure clauses that would prevent a victim from disclosing their personal circumstances, including any details about any abuse they suffered,"the statement reads.

"Our focus has always been on ensuring that the actual settlement negotiations and settlement details remain confidential. This is not to deter victims from coming forward but to encourage settlement by allowing for detailed discussions about the merits of each case by all parties. We believe that coming to a settlement is always a better alternative for those involved but in particular for the victim."

McPhee declined to be interviewed, referring instead to the written statement.