Judge approves $31.5M settlement in sexual assault case against Quebec archdiocese
Quebec Superior Court approves $31.5M settlement for sexual assault victims in class action against Quebec City archdiocese.Summary
Quebec Superior Court Judge Danye Daigle has approved a $31.5-million settlement in a landmark class-action lawsuit against the Quebec City archdiocese for sexual assaults allegedly committed by clergy and laypeople dating back to 1940. The suit, spearheaded by plaintiffs Gaétan Bégin and Pierre Bolduc, represents scores of men and women who say they were abused as children by parish priests. It marks the first class action in Canada to target an entire diocese for such allegations. The archdiocese welcomed the settlement, with Bishop Jean Tailleur offering a formal apology to victims in court. Victims have three months to submit claims, which will be assessed by two retired judges to determine compensation; the archdiocese will also issue individual letters of apology. The defendants, including the Seminary of Quebec and François-de-Laval College, will cover administrative costs. The allegations, which include detailed accounts of abuse by Fathers Rosaire Giguère and Jean-Marie Bégin, have not been proven in court.
(Source：CP24 Toronto)