Past CIC Sea Cadet Officers Charged

[Franko]

This just posted on CTV.ca

Sea cadet abuse class action gets go-ahead

CTV.ca News Staff
A class-action suit filed in British Columbia alleges five former officers of a sea cadet program in Vancouver sexually abused their young wards over a 10-year period.

The suit, certified in B.C. Supreme Court on Friday, names the Attorney General of Canada as defendant.

The five former officers of HMCS Discovery, stationed on Deadman‘s Island in Vancouver‘s Stanley Park, are named as third parties in the suit.

Two of the officers, Ralph Bremner and Conrad Sundman, have already been found guilty of sexual abuse and other sex crimes.

Three years ago, Sundman received seven years in prison after pleading guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of buggery.
Bremner was found guilty on four counts of indecent assault on boys aged 13 to 15.
Victims‘ advocates have already called those verdicts the first step towards a resolution of the case.

"What happened to these young men and boys a long time ago was a terrible thing ... it has caused extreme pain and anguish that continues to today," spokesperson Ron Joyce told reporters.
The lawyer for the class-action suit, Robert Gibbens, says the investigating officer interviewed more than 50 complainants.
Gibbens estimates there could be more than 200 victims of the government‘s "systemic negligence" -- rivalling in scope and severity the infamous Mount Cashel orphanage sex abuse case.

Certifying the case last week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen noted the case will hinge on determining whether Ottawa took "reasonable measures in the operation or management of the cadet program at HMCS Discovery to protect cadets from misconduct of a sexual nature by employees, agents or other cadets at HMCS Discovery."
The representative of the class action, William White, says his experience of abuse began in 1968, when he was 13 or 14, and ended some three years later.

In his statement of claim, White names Sundman and another former officer, Clarence Anderson, now deceased, as his abusers.
Gibbens says any former cadets who suffered alleged sexual abuse at the hands of a superior during the years 1967 to ‘77 can join the class action by contacting him at his Vancouver office.
The next stage of the proceedings will be discovery and disclosure.

Any opinions, comments?

Regards

 

[Franko]

So no one in this forum finds this disturbing?

It took this long for it to be brought to the BC Superior Court?

Do you think CHAP would prevent this from happening again?

Thought and comments please!

Regards

 

[Danjanou]

Actually Franko I find it very troubling. I really don‘t have much to add though, as noted in an earlier thread here re the CIC Officer in Ontario who was also charged earlier this year in similar circumstances.

The sad but realistic fact is that paedeophiles often deliberatly or even subconciously seek out positions of authority that will place them in close contact with children. Just look at who has been caught at such actions in the past; camp counsellors, scout leaders, teachers, hockey coaches, and CIC officers.

As to why it took so long to catch them. Well again they are very very secrative and cautious as they know full well the consequences of what will befall them if caught. Care to guess the life expectancy of a child molester in gen pop in any prison?

Also they‘re in positions of authority and their word is more likely to be taken than some troubled child‘. Just look at how long Mount Cashell in Nfld was kept covered up. The abuse there went on for decades and people in authority knew and choose not to do anything about it.

 

[Cadet810]

Those officers are really sick.
Shame on them

 

Do you think CHAP would prevent this from happening again?
[/QB]

Not really.

 

[Infanteer]

I think they should hang from a lightpost in Downtown Vancouver.

 

[Jason Jarvis]

Originally posted by Franko:
[qb] So no one in this forum finds this disturbing?[/qb]

Sorry, Franko. If I posted what I said when I read this in the paper this morning Harris would lock me out. I‘m finding this kind of behaviour much more disturbing than I did three years ago -- before my son was born.

God help anyone who hurts my little boy.

But I think Infanteer‘s definitely on the right track. . . .

 

[Franko]

From a relative who worked in Dorchester pen(used to be max now downgraded to med/min). They never lasted more than a week..thats why they were put in solitary for 99% of their sentence, and regularly beaten.

Note: this was back in the 60s and 70s

Regards

 

[primer]

What do I think about this. They are week,sick and should be shot and survivors should be shot again. With that aside they really didt have any type security checks back in the 60s and 70s so we didt know.I am glad that it is now out in the open and more past and present cadets should come forward if it happend to them. We never herd of this about 10 years ago. Only when Sheldon Kennidy from the Boston Bruins came forward with it from his JR Hockey out West. Since then there have been lots that have came forward. This really puts a black eye on our system,with all the good that CIC offices and cadets have done for the movement we are back under the micro scope.......

 

[Franko]

I wouldn‘t go that far to say that the ENTIRE CIC are under the microscope, just a few. This happened a long time ago, you can‘t blame an entire organization for something that happened, and wasn‘t reported until after.

The good thing is justice is finally being served, abeit, slowley

Regards

 

[primer]

I would disagree there Franko. lastnight at our cadet admin night we had parents asking what type off security checks that CIC officer have. I have told the parents that we go through PWGSC for our checks. Also that all our CIs. P-RES and REG Force must have a CPIC done from the local police. I have had P-res soldiers and Reg force soldiers not come back because of being told to get a check with the CADET UNIT PAYING FOR IT, are we Trying to save our butts i would say yes. This happend out west but we will feel it all over CANADA.

 

[Franko]

You DEMAND the reg force and res pers to get a background check in your corps? One would think a member who already had a check done by CSIS would be good enough.

Regards

 

[primer]

No we dont demand it the RCO out of Borden says it will happen..

 

[primer]

Franco I could not find the on for ONT but I found the one for BC
Volunteers in the Canadian Cadet Organization


http://www.regions.cadets.forces.gc.ca/pac/support/publications/prci_e.asp

go to para 218

 

[Franko]

So acording to that link all I require is a signed letter by my CO or a recent clearance check for a higher status of security and everything is good to go?

Regards

 

[primer]

Thats correct. I thinks it a great idea. But I am wandering if P-Res soldier getting tasked to CSTC do they have to get one too?????

 

[Franko]

CSTC? What the blazes is that?

 

[Jason Jarvis]

CSTC = Cadet Summer Training Centre

When I became a CI again last April I had to pay for my own background check at police HQ here in Toronto.

This should definitely be mandatory.

 

[primer]

I agree Jason they should

 

[Caz]

When I became a paid CI, DND ran a check on me.

Then again, when I enroled.

+++

Would CHAP have saved those kids? Who knows. At least they would have known their rights. CHAP is about prevention, yes, but largely education on what is and isn‘t appropriate.

There is a lot of publicity on this because the parties involved were CIC. Sadly, in the 70s, lots of youth organizations sexually assaulted their members. Everything from Scouts to the Roman Catholic Church.

Disgusting, isn‘t it?

-R.

 

[elscotto937]

Only problem is the criminal background check only confirms whether a person had been convicted of a crime.