$15M church abuse settlement to proceed

A $15-million class-action settlement involving Roman Catholic priests accused of abusing young boys in Nova Scotia will proceed.

John McKiggan, the lawyer handling the historic settlement, said both sides of the class action the Diocese of Antigonish and lead plaintiff Ron Martin agreed to go ahead with the dealnow thatthe deadline for opting out has expired.

"This is a historic day," McKiggan said in a news release. "This is the first time that the Catholic Church has acknowledged its responsibility to survivors of sexual abuse."

Alleged victims had until Dec. 4 to opt out of the settlement and ifany did so,the diocese had the right to pull out of the class action. Similarly, if more than 70 people came forward before Dec. 4 indicating they wanted to pursue a claim against the diocese, Martin had the right to pull out.

Although some people informed thecounsel for thediocese of their desire to opt out of the settlement, McKiggan said the group decided not to exercise their right to pull out.

The settlement was the result of a class-action lawsuit spearheaded by Martin, a Cape Breton man who said he was sexually abused by a priest as a boy. Martin said his brother, David Martin, killed himself in 2002 and left a note stating that he, too, had been abused by a priest in the diocese.

The settlement, for peoplealleging they suffered sexual abuse going back more than 50 years by priests in the diocese, marks the first time a compensation package has been set up before any of those charges were proven in court.

"This is also an important day because Ron Martin has finally been able to fulfil the promise that he made to his brother to ensure that he, and everyone else who was sexually abused by a priest of the Antigonish diocese, would be able to receive accountability for what happened to them," said McKiggan.

The settlement was announced in August by Martin and Bishop Raymond Lahey, who is now charged in an unrelated case ofpossessing and importing child pornography.