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Alleged sex-abuse victims meet AG 
Last Updated: Nov 30 2004 10:43 AM EST 

CORNWALL, ONT. - Cornwall residents who say they were sexually abused
 as children got a private meeting with Ontario's top law enforcer, Monday. 
Attorney General Michael Bryant was there to get 
advice on the upcoming public inquiry into allegations of sex abuse, and 
subsequent complaints of a covered-up in the city. 

FROM NOV. 29, 2004: AG prepares way for sex-abuse inquiry
"We heard again and again about the dark cloud hanging over this community, 
and the deep-seated concerns that we get to the truth, and get to the bottom of 
what happened, and come up with recommendations to 
prevent what happened from ever happening again," Bryant says.

Bryant signaled that the inquiry will have the budget and the time to get to the 
truth. Men who claim they were abused have one question in particular they 
want answered. 

"Who pulled all the strings at the top? Who covered up? Who was instrumental 
in damaging all the evidence that was brought forth?" That's what alleged victim 
Steven Parisien wants to know. 

Another alleged victim, Alain Seguin, asks, "How could so much abuse happen 
in one place, and how could so much cover-up be applied?"

Their questions are not surprising. Over the years, police investigations have 
been plagued with controversy. A special task force was eventually set up. More 
than 100 charges were laid against high-profile residents, including lawyers 
and clergy. But nearly all the cases became bogged down with technicalities 
and delays. Some observers say the role of the courts should be a prime focus 
of the inquiry. 

A victims' advocate, Sylvia MacEachern, says, "The courts have been an 
absolute disaster and, if this inquiry doesn't tap into the role of the judiciary, 
then it's got no teeth, and it's going nowhere."

Bryant still has to set the terms of reference for the inquiry, but he says they 
won't be restrictive.

"The inquiry will go where it has to go to get to the truth," he says.

The government is now searching for someone to head up the inquiry. It will 
almost certainly be someone from outside Cornwall. If all goes as planned, 
the inquiry will get underway soon.