Pending Arrest Of Pedophiles

Expected To Implicate Bishop

[The Wanderer, 17 August 2000]

By Paul Likoudis

CORNWALL, Ont. – The pending arrest (slated for August 9) of former Justice of the Peace Keith Jodoin by officers of the Project Truth team of the Ontario Provincial Police on charges of  pedophilia  – he was informed he would be charged last week – is expected to trigger an explosion of sexual abuse revelations involving some of the most prominent public figures in the community, including Bishop Eugene LaRocque of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

For seven years, LaRocque, originally a priest of the Diocese of London (Ontario) has fought with every legal tool available to him to keep his name out of lawsuits filed against diocesan priests, even as a building stream of depositions name him as a frequent participant in sexual rituals involving young boys and girls, some of which were satanic.

At one point in her excruciatingly gruesome statement, Shelley McDonald testified: “…We were in a church, I saw a cross. A few people were around my brother, they were doing something. I was saying, ‘what are they doing to my brother,’ it was traumatic, only men were there. I knew what they had done to him was wrong. The priest came and kissed me on the cheek, he was the one in the picture. He wore a large solid gold ring with some engraving on it. He had other jewelry, an expensive cross on a necklace. When he came into the room people went ‘oooh’ they revered him like a God. The priest was Bishop LaRocque….”

Later McDonald testified that LaRocque had forcible intercourse with her during another satanic ritual, assisted by Dr. Arthur Peachy, who committed suicide before his trial after being charged with sex crimes.

The expected exposure of LaRocque will undoubtedly draw more attention to the Diocese of London and priests ordained at roughly the same time as LaRocque (including Bishop James Doyle of Peterborough) who rose through the ranks of the Canadian Church establishment and conducted the post-conciliar Church, especially in the crucial areas of liturgy and sex education. Bishop Doyle, for example, is a past-chairman of ICEL, the International Commission for English in the Liturgy and a principal in the development of the Ontario Bishops’ AIDS curriculum.) It may also lead to renewed interest in the death of former Alexandria-Cornwall Bishop Adolphe Proulx of Hull, who was found dead in the water at his cottage, castrated.

Jodoin’s arrest, and the anticipated arrest of another prominent citizen on child pornography charges, are the most recent developments in the ongoing exposure of a pedophile clan whose members consisted of the top echelon in this poor, struggling city of 40,000 on the St. Lawrence River: bishops, priests, judges, police, probation officers, businessmen and others who committed at least a half-century of crimes with impunity.

Jodoin’s arrest is a spin-off of charges initially made by  Ron Leroux, who was molested as a boy and then became a part of the pedophile ring himself. In a signed affidavit dated May 13 1996, he named fifteen men whom he alleged are part of a pedophile “clan” operating in the Cornwall area.

Since Leroux filed his charges, and years of public trials, the list of named pedophiles has grown, and includes most of the highest officials of the region’s Knights of Columbus, doctors and other notables.

All of the depositions filed by the sexual abuse victims appeared on an Internet site, projecttruth.com, in late June, which was suddenly shut down two weeks later because the sex abuse victims were suffering harassment, but which will be resuscitated by Cornwall resident Richard Nadeau on a new web site, which he expects to have up and running by the time this article is published.

Of the fifteen named by Leroux in 1996, three are laymen:

1. Claude Shaver, was a member of the local police and was Chief of Police in December 1992 when the allegation against Fr. Charles (Charlie) MacDonald was first reported;

2. Ken Seguin was a probation officer who was also accused of sexual molestation when the allegations against Fr. Charlie were reported to police in 1992. He committed suicide on December 6, 1993;

3. Malcolm MacDonald, now deceased, was a Roman Catholic lawyer and former Crown Attorney. According to Nadeau, 60, who was sexually abused by four members of the clan, including two priests, and who is now the leading private investigator of the pedophile ring, MacDonald committed suicide.

(Much of the information in this article was provided by Nadeau, who told The Wanderer he has known many of the perpetrators “all his life,” and has personally spoken with many of the priests named below, and with some 60 of their victims, obtaining written statements from about half.)

The remaining twelve names are clergy, four of whom are now deceased:

4. Bishop Eugene LaRocque (DOB March 27, 1927; ordained June 7, 1952 in the Diocese of London, Ontario, named Bishop of Alexandria June 24, 1974);

5. Fr. Charles MacDonald (DOB January 23 1933; ordained June 14, 1969);

6. Fr. Donald B. McDougald (DOB unknown; ordained 1951);

7. Fr. Bernard Cameron (DOB  April 15, 1933; ordained May 30 1958);

8. Fr. Gary Ostler (DOB April 5 1946; ordained September 9, 1972);

9. Fr. Kevin Maloney (DOB June 22, 1946; ordained February 11,1972);

10. Fr. David Ostler (DOB September 121960; ordained May 16 1987);

11. Fr. Ranald (Rory) MacDonald (DOB August 24, 1960; ordained May 16,1992);

12. Late Msgr. R.J. MacDonald (Ordained July 25, 1929; died 1978);

13. Late Fr. John McPhail (Ordained 7 June 1941; died 1979);

14. Late Fr. John Donihee (Ordained 1940; died 1989);

15. Late Fr. Norman Loney (Ordained 1948; died 1995).

With the exception of Bishop LaRocque, the clergy all spent time at St. Columban’s Church in Cornwall, either as pastor or associate pastor, i.e, Donald McDougald was pastor at St. Columban’s 1968-1979; Bernard Cameron was pastor 1979-1983; Gary Ostler was pastor 1983-1993; Kevin Maloney was named pastor in 1993.

In The Nest

According to Leroux, this “clan” met on a regular basis in various locations in the Cornwall area and in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In Cornwall, the group met at Cameron’s Point, Ken Seguin”s home in Summerstown; Malcolm MacDonald’s summer residence on Stanley Island and at St. Andrews Parish house. In Fort Lauderdale, they met in areas frequented by young male prostitutes, such as Birch Avenue “a pick-up point for minors, who were prostitutes” and the Marlin Beach Hotel which “was also a well known haven for male prostitutes, mostly minors.” He states that the clan called this “Gaff.”

Leroux claimed he “witnessed sexual improprieties, molestations, fondling, oral sex, intercourse (anal) between the above-named ‘clan’ members and minors through the period of 1957 or 1958 to 1993″ which occurred at the clan’s regular meeting spots and at Malcolm MacDonald’s law office.

He also declared  that Malcolm MacDonald had a stash of pornographic pictures in his office drawer, most of which were polaroids he had taken himself. He also had another stash of “kiddy porn” tapes, magazines and sex toys which he kept at his home and at his summer residence on Stanley Island. He talks of a raft of pornographic tapes belonging to Ken Seguin which were seized by police.  (The tapes seem to have disappeared since their seizure.)

Leroux lists the names of those present at parties held at Ken Seguin’s house, Malcolm MacDonald’s summer residence and St. Andrew’s Parish house. The names include those of “male prostitutes both adults and juveniles, altar boys” several young boys, including four brothers, and the following:

• Bishop Eugene LaRocque;
• Malcolm MacDonald;
• Ken Seguin;
• Chief of Police Claude Shaver;
• Murray MacDonald (Crown Attorney);
• Milton MacDonald (Murray MacDonald’s Fr., cousin of Malcolm MacDonald);
• Ron Wilson (a policeman and chairman of the police commission for a period of time while the investigation was going on. He owns funeral home.);
• Fr. Gary Ostler;
• Fr. Kevin Maloney;
• Fr. David Ostler;
• Fr. Rory MacDonald;
• Fr. Charles MacDonald;
• Gino (friend of Fr. Charlie MacDonald who occasionally accompanied Charlie in the courtroom during Charlie’s preliminary hearings);
• Stuart McDonald (policeman);
• Joss VanDeepen (probation officer)

At another point in his affidavit, Leroux states:

“ I also observed Bishop LaRocque in the late 1950”s or early 1960”s, as a Fr., performing inappropriate, illegal and perverse sexual acts with minors, Altar Boys, at Cameron’s Point. In fact, Eugene Larocque committed illegal, inappropriate and perverse sexual acts against myself while I was a minor. I also observed him fondling and molesting other Altar Boys at a cottage at Cameron”s Point. I attended with Stan Legalais and was dropped off by an adult as we were both too young to drive. During this party, I observed a ceremonious ritual of candles in the Altar Boys’ rectums with sheets over them. These Altar Boys were walking around with the candle in the rectum and the sheet over them with no clothes on, during this ceremony, several members of the clergy were fondling these young boys, and molesting them. I specifically remember Bishop Larocque (who was then a priest), Fr. Cameron and Fr. McDougald molesting and fondling these Altar Boys. In fact, all of the aforementioned priests also committed illegal, inappropriate and perverse sexual acts against myself as a minor. The place, Cameron’s Point, was occupied by a priest that drowned in his boathouse in the mid-sixties. This ritual went on on a weekly basis.”

Leroux alleged that he personally witnessed both Claude Shaver (Chief of Police in Cornwall) and Bishop Eugene LaRocque, who was then a priest, talking to young male prostitutes between the ages of thirteen and fifteen in Fort Lauderdale. He states that he witnessed “sexual improprieties” between Malcolm MacDonald and minors at a particular hotel in the area, that Ken Sequin and Malcolm MacDonald and Ken Seguin went to the “Gaff” area every year, and that he saw Ron Wilson (policeman), at Birch Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.

Ron Leroux lived next door to, and knew Ken Seguin very well. He recounts Seguin’ and the clan’s response to former police officer Perry Dunlop’s attempts to see the allegations against Seguin and Fr. Charlie MacDonald investigated, the clan’s plans to kill the Dunlops, and the events leading up to Seguin’s suicide.

(Dunlop, his wife and three daughters, left Cornwall in July.)

Insight Into The Cover-Up 

In his affidavit, Leroux describes a plot to squelch the investigation by murdering Officer Dunlop.

“From March, 1993 to end of August,” stated Leroux, “1993, I am privy and present during several conversations between Malcolm, Ken Seguin and Fr. Charles MacDonald. Malcolm advises Ken Seguin not to worry as he was going to take care of the allegations against him and Fr. Charles MacDonald. I remember a heated discussion between Malcolm and Ken Seguin on or about May, 1993 in which Malcolm stated that he had the connections to take care of the allegations and that he was the person to do it. He also stated that he was going to talk to the Chief and would settle things. He told Ken to stop being so paranoid about things.

“On or about June or July, 1993, Ken Seguin advised me that ‘Heidi’ was in charge of the case and that it wasn’’t going to go anywhere. He appeared happy about this.

“On or about June or July, 1993, I started to hear the name Stuart McDonald being discussed by Malcolm and Ken Seguin. Ken advised that the allegations against him and Fr. Charlie were not going to go anywhere as Stuart McDonald was now looking into it. I continued to hear the name Stuart McDonald frequently from Ken during the months of June, July and August 1993.

“On or about a Friday evening in late August, 1993-early September, 1993, I was told by Ken Seguin that there is going to be a gathering a Malcolm’s summer home on Sunday. He stated that Bishop LaRocque, Claude Shaver, Ron Wilson, Malcolm, Fr. Charlie, and others would be in attendance. He said they were having a get together on the Island.

“On the Sunday morning at approximately 8:30 a.m., myself and Ken are having a coffee in Ken backyard. Malcolm arrives and states that he has steaks, beer and booze for an army. Malcolm states that a lot of important people are showing up for dinner today. Malcolm stated that Ron Wilson, Claude Shaver, Bishop LaRocque, Stuart McDonald, Brunet, a Judge from his drinking days, and Fr. Charlie would be in attendance.”  Leroux then describes in detail the comings and goings of the meeting’s participants, and then the anguish suffered by Ken Seguin once the plot was set.

“Approximately two weeks before Ken’s death, Ken advises me on a planned hit against Dunlop and family. I would go over to his house daily during this two-week period. Ken would violently throw-up, was losing weight and was extremely sick. Ken was in this state of mental disarray because a family (Dunlop’s family) was going to be killed. In fact, I was present at a meeting between Malcolm, Ken and Fr. Charlie, for a brief period, where they openly discussed the killing of Dunlop the Cop and his family. Fr. Charlie was the most vocal and enraged, stating that he hated Perry Dunlop, and that Dunlop and family will be disposed of. Malcolm stated that Dunlop is not going to let it go. Malcolm said that he had inside information from the Chief that Dunlop was not going to let it go. They continued to discuss the planned attack and I left to go home. Approximately two days later, at Harrv’s Diner, Malcolm and Ken are sitting across from each other and talk about Dunlop. Ken seems to want to discuss it, but Malcolm says not here. Ken then says ‘where are we going with this now’ and Malcolm responds, ‘I don’t want to talk about it here and now, it’ll be taken care of, stop being so paranoid. I keep telling you about your paranoia.’

“The next day, I arrive at Ken’s home in the evening and he is a total mess. Ken is on the couch wrapped in a blanket and he is shaking. Ken refuses to do anything. He says that he does not deserve to live anymore, all queers are scum bags. Ken also states ‘I feel bad for this poor cop and his family. They want to get rid of them. They are going to rub them out.’ Ken says ‘I don’t deserve to live. I just want to die.’ Ken proceeded to cry and lay on the couch. I sat with him for thirty minutes or so, and went home as he fell asleep.”

Ken Seguin committed suicide on the night of November 24, 1993.

The Unraveling

When Ron Leroux signed the affidavit on 13 November 1996, Fr. Charlie MacDonald was the only member of the clan charged. Charges against Fr. Charlie were laid 11 March 1996, nearly four years after the victim, D.S., first told Church officials he had been molested by Fr. Charlie MacDonald, and about three and a half years after D.S. reported allegations of sexual molestation against Fr. Charlie and Ken Seguin (the probation officer) to the local police.

In those intervening years, the diocese paid “D.S.” $32,000 in hush money, which entailed a gag order, brokered by Fr. Charlie’s lawyer, Malcolm MacDonald, assisted by the diocesan lawyer and canon lawyer Jacques Leduc. When news of the gag order broke out, it was initially denied by Bishop LaRocque and Jacques Leduc.

Once that gag order, which was proof positive, was produced, Malcolm MacDonald was charged with obstruction of justice. He pled guilty and received an absolute discharge.

Meanwhile, on Sept. 30, 1993, police officer Perry Dunlop, who bravely pushed an investigation despite antagonism from his superiors, and knowledge of death threats against him and his family, was charged with discreditable conduct by his own police force for leaking the D.S. victim impact statement to the Children’s Aid Society after he had inadvertently stumbled on the allegations against Fr. Charlie, and realized the Cornwall police weren’t investigating.

Due to the persistence of Perry and Helen Dunlop, the Ontario Provincial Police opened their Project Truth investigation in August 1997. On several occasions Project Truth announced it had completed its task and was wrapping things up. Each time the Dunlops insisted there were a number of pedophiles still on the loose who had not been charged. The Dunlops did not make the charge lightly. They had personally talked to numerous men who alleged they had been sexually molested by individuals who were members of the ring. They passed documentation of the allegations on to the Cornwall Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the solicitor general and the attorney general. That information in turn was passed on to the Project Truth team. Despite this information, no charges were laid against a number of those who figured prominently in the “clan.”

To date, starting with Ken Seguin who committed suicide in 1993, there have been a total of six deaths (four of which were said to be suicide, two presumed suicides) and numerous charges have been laid against 19 men by Project Truth and the Cornwall police.

A number of individuals who were charged over two years ago have yet to stand trial and are still at large. Fr. Charlie MacDonald, whose initial charges were finally laid four years ago, has yet to stand trial and is still at large. Of the four who have proceeded to trial, one was deemed unfit to stand trial, two were found guilty, and one was let off because the judge found him not guilty enough. Those charged to date are:

1. Malcolm MacDonald (Roman Catholic lawyer, former Crown Attorney and Knight of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem): charged. Found dead in Fort Lauderdale Hotel in 1999; according to Nadeau, a suicide.

2. Nelson Barque: probation officer. Worked with Ken Seguin. Charged. Tried. Found guilty. Served four months in jail. Committed suicide shortly afterward in 1998.

3. Dr. Arthur Peachy (Roman Catholic physician, former coroner, acting physician for Cornwall police and team doctor for the Cornwall Royals Hockey team): charged. Died in 1999 before he could stand trial; according to Nadeau, a suicide.

4. Brian Dufour: worked in Laurencrest, a facility for troubled youth, sort of a halfway house for boys. Charged. Committed suicide by hanging himself this year, days after he was charged.

5. Richard Hickerson: Worked for Manpower. Friend of Ken Seguin and Nelson Barque. Charged. Committed suicide last year after charged.

6. Harvey Latour (owner of a popular diner): charged. Tried. Judge found him innocent in a trial described by Nadeau as “the most stupid trial I’ve ever seen.”

7. Garth Pelkey: operated a car wash. Charged. Tried. Found guilty. Received a conditional discharge.

8. Milton MacDonald: Fr. of Crown Attorney, Murray MacDonald, and cousin of Malcolm MacDonald. Charged. Tried. Found guilty.

9. Lionel Carrier (Brother George Edmond, former teacher): charged. Deemed unfit to stand trial because of health and age.

10. Fr. Rene Dube (DOB December 22, 1944; ordained June 7,1969): Charges were laid in the Province of Quebec. Trial pending.

11. Fr. Romeo Major (DOB January 29, 1938; ordained June 21, 1964): Charged. Trial pending.

12. Fr. Ken Martin (DOB July 9,1931; ordained May 31, 1958): Charged. Trial pending.

13. Fr. Paul Lapierre (DOB September 13, 1928; ordained March 29, 1959): Charged. Trial pending.

14. Jacques Leduc (lawyer and canon lawyer. Married. Legal counsel for the diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall): Charged. Trial pending.

15. Marcel Lalonde (a teacher): Charged. Trial pending.

16. Jean Luc Leblanc (bus driver, former school teacher): charged. Trial pending.

17. Bernrad Sauve (entrepreneur): Charged. Trial pending.

18. Roche Landry (former butcher): Charged. Trial pending.

19. George Sandy Lawrence: Charged. Trial pending.

In Public View

During its short run on the Internet, projecttruth.com posted a number of newspaper clippings on the investigation, Ron Leroux’ affidavit and six signed depositions, with the names of the sex abuse victims deleted.  The depositions describe in graphic detail the abuse suffered by the victims of the “clan.” (These depositions will be back on the Internet by this publication date)

Other Indictments

In addition to the affidavit and the six statement, the site also featured an article recounting a man’s experiences at the Classical College in Cornwall which was run by the Clercs St. Viateur. The College initially catered to students from the Cornwall area who attended as day students. The brightest students from the local elementary schools were selected, tested, and those who passed were admitted.

In 1955, the College relocated to Windmill Point in the city’s East End. In a very short time, the student body grew from its count of 80 in 1953, to four hundred, with some 200 of those students boarding at college. The boarders came from across Ontario. The majority of teachers were clergy who said Masses at parishes throughout the diocese. Most graduates of the college became teachers or priests. A smaller number became doctors or lawyers.

The author notes a strong connection between the College and the large ring of pedophiles in Cornwall. He alleges that many boys who were boarding were molested in the dorms and priest’s rooms and elsewhere while at the College. He claims he was personally molested by Fr. Hector Cote at St. Francis de Sales presbytery. He also claims that there are witness statements against 44 men who were either priests at the College, associates or graduates (i.e., Dube, Major, Jacques Leduc, Gary Ostler are all graduates of the College).

The Diocese Today

According to the latest diocesan directory, for 2000, some of those publicly named as pedophiles continue in positions of responsibility:

• Fr. Kevin Maloney: Diaconate formation (English Sector); Cursillo; Spiritual animator for the Joy of the Lord Prayer Group; Chaplain to KOC Council
• Fr. Bernard Cameron, 4th Degree Assembly KOC
• Fr. Gary Ostler, Vocations; Chaplain for the Cornwall County Jail; Episcopal Vicar (English Sector); Clergy education (English Sector); SD&G Highlanders; Chaplain to KOC Council;
• Fr. David Ostler, chaplain to KOC Council;
• Fr. McDougald Vicar General; Director of the Maison Shalom House, a retreat centre; Chaplain to KOC Council;
• Fr. Rejean Lebrun, Ecumenism; Clergy Education (French Sector); Chaplain to KOC Council;
• Fr. Romeo Major, scouts and guides; Chaplain to KOC Council;
• Bishop Eugene LaRocque, Jews and Christians; Diocesan Chaplain KOC;
• Fr. Rene Dube advisor to the Health Care Ethics and Values, Audit Committee, Diaconate formation (French Sector); 4th Degree Assembly KOC;
• Jacques Leduc, Diocesan Marriage Tribunal.

Over the years, most of those clergy charged or named have been active in the diocese, variously charged with Cursillo, youth groups, Marriage Encounter, Engaged Encounter, vocations, scouts, guides, catechesis and liturgy. Many are appointed or elected to the diocesan Council of Priests. Some have served as Chancellor (i.e., McPhail), Vice-Chancellor (i.e., Lebrun), and on the Health Care Ethics Committee (i.e., Gary Ostler). Some have been responsible for diocesan Public Relations and Communications (i.e., Loney). A number have been active with the Knights of Columbus.