Chronology of Events

in the Cornwall Cover-Up 

(From The Orator, Vol. 10 No. 1, Jan.-March 1999)

February 1992:  

D.S. tells Church officials he was molested by Father Charles MacDonald [this date seems to be inaccurate.  D.S. definitely told Church officials in December 1992.  I have been unable to verify an earlier reporting] 

09 December 1992:  

D.S. reports his allegations to Cornwall Police. 

28 January 1993:   

D.S. is interviewed by Cornwall Police.   

16 February 1993:  

D.S.’s victim’s statement is turned in to Cornwall Police. 

02 September 1993: 

The gag order brokered by Malcolm MacDonald is signed.  D.S. receives $32,000.    

23 September 1993:  

Constable Perry Dunlop learns of the D.S. allegations. 

25 September 1993:  

Dunlop talks to Richard Abell of the Children’s AID Society.  

30 September 1993:  

Copy of D.S.’s victim’s statement is given to the Children’s Aid Society.    

07 October 1993:  

Police Chief Claude Shaver goes to Papal Nuncio.  

12 October 1993:  

Perry is told he is going to be investigated by his police force.  

16 October 1993:  

Local media report that Malcolm MacDonald was knighted into the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.    

02 November 1993:  

Police Chief Claude Shaver announces his early retirement.  

25 November 1993:  

Ken Seguin, the probation officer accused by D.S. commits suicide.  

06 January 1994:  

D.S.’ victim’s statement is leaked to the media.     

11 January 1994:  

Ottawa Police are called in to investigate Cornwall Police handling of the D.S. allegations.   

15 January 1994:  

Jacques Leduc and Bishop Eugene Larocque deny the monetary settlement contains a gag order. 

24 January 1994:  

Bishop Larocque admits the D.S. payoff contains a gag order.  

February 1994:  

Ontario Provincial Police investigates allegations against Father Charles MacDonald and later that year announces it has no grounds to lay charges against him. 

01 March 1994:  

Children’s Aid Society concludes that Father Charles MacDonald molested D.S. as a child   

14 May 1994:   

Dunlop is charged with discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.   

23 September 1994: 

A Board of Inquiry is held in Ottawa.   

31 January 1995:  

All charges against Dunlop are stayed.  The Police Complaints Commission appeals the decision. 

07 February 1995:  

Malcolm MacDonald is charged with obstruction of justice. 

12 October 1995:  

Malcolm MacDonald pleads guilty and receives an absolute discharge. 

07 December 1995:  

Divisional Court dismisses the Police Complaints Commission’s appeal with costs and upholds the Board of Inquiry decision to stay all charges against Dunlop. 

11 March 1996: 

Father Charles MacDonald is charged with seven counts of indecent assault against three former altar boys. 

13 November 1996:  

“Richard” (Ron Leroux) signs an affidavit outlining his first-hand account of a pedophile ring. 

08 April 1997:  

Perry Dunlop deposits documents with the Attorney General and the Office of the Solicitor General, Ontario Civilian Commission on Policing Services.      

August 1997:  

 Ontario Provincial Police launch Project Truth.   

27 January 1998:

Father Charles MacDonald is charged with six more counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency.  

11 June 1998:  

Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall attempts to gag Perry Dunlop and his family. 

22 June 1998:  

Jacques Leduc, former legal counsel for the Archdiocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, is charged with twelve counts of sexual assault. 

09 July 1998:  

Project Truth charges seven men with sexual offences which date back thirty years.  

Superintendent Fougere says Project Truth is scheduled to wrap up in September. 

31 July 1998:  

Perry Dunlop gives Project Truth the missing documents. 

18 September 1998:

Garry Guzzo sends first letter to Ontario Premier Mike Harris. 

05 January 1999:  

A 54-year-old male is charged with 16 counts of sexual assault against males and females between 1986 and 1998. 

23 February 1999:  

Garry Guzzo writes second letter to Ontario Premier Mike Harris. 

11 March 1999: 

Malcolm MacDonald is charged with three counts of sexual assault.  One other man is charged. Jacques Leduc has four more charges added to the previous 12.                                   

Detective Inspector Grassman says he thinks the investigation will wrap up in the summer 

21 March 1999:

Garry Guzzo’s letters to Premier Harris are in the public domain.  

03 April 1999:

Ottawa Sun reports that a couple claim their son was molested by one of the Dunlop’s prime suspects 

December 19, 2007 — Carol Cardinal believes the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services can improve in three areas. The probation officer told the Cornwall Public Inquiry yesterday there should be a protocol for dealing with clients who disclose sexual abuse. Her second recommendation calls for mandatory training for probation officers on male sexual victimization.  She would also like to see block training at the ministry so probation officers get updated on new research, information and policies every year.

December 18, 2007 — The Cornwall Public Inquiry is hearing for the first time some hard numbers on how many probationers claim they were abused by two probation officers. Probation officer Carol Cardinal testified this morning 32 people have disclosed stories of a sexual nature since 1997. She says 20 of those named Ken Seguin, two named Nelson Barque and one named both of them. Under questioning from commission counsel this morning, she believes there are more cases out there. Ken Seguin was never charged before committing suicide in 1993. Nelson Barque was convicted of child sex abuse and killed himself in the 1990’s.