Class action on behalf of sexual abuse victims at Collège Servite (formerly Collège Notre-Dame des Servites) in Ayer’s Cliff
Update – September 17, 2019
Kugler Kandestin is pleased to announce significant developments in the class action filed on behalf of sexual abuse victims by religious members of the Servites de Marie at Collège Servite.
On June 7, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of sexual abuse victims in their efforts to obtain justice for the harms done to them by members of religious orders. The Supreme Court confirmed that victims may claim damages from religious orders and schools even if they were abused by individuals who have died many years ago.
The Supreme Court of Canada also affirmed that “sexual assault has always been a fault that automatically causes serious injury”. The Court’s recognition of the serious harm automatically caused by the sexual abuse of a minor is precisely the position that we have argued on behalf of the members of the class in the present class action.
In light of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision, on September 12, 2019, Quebec Superior Court Justice Christian Immer modified the group forming part of the present class action as follows, notwithstanding whether any member’s abuser is alive or dead:
“All persons who were sexually abused by a religious member of the religious congregation Servites de Marie, while they were students, guests or candidates for admission at Collège Servite (formerly, Collège Notre-Dame des Servites), between 1948 and 2007.”
The class action alleges that systemic sexual abuse was perpetrated by numerous religious members of the Servites de Marie at Collège Servite in Ayer’s Cliff. The class action seeks to give access to justice to all victims; the lawsuit claims compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive and exemplary damages.
We invite you to consult the following proceedings:
- Notice to members
- Judgment on the Motion to quash the subpoena dated September 13, 2019
- Judgment on the Request to lift the suspension and on the notice to members dated September 12, 2019
- Amended Motion to Institute Proceedings dated May 23, 2019
- Motion to Institute Proceedings dated November 21, 2018
- Judgment dated Septembre 17, 2018
- Application for Authorization to Institute a Class Action
If you, or someone you know was sexually abused by Father Jacques Desgrandchamps, Father Robert Desloges, Father André Cotton, Father Yvon Chalifoux, Father Bernard Lajeunesse, Brother Michel Lussier, Brother Gilles Poirier, Brother André-Marie Syrard, Father Raymond Délisle, Father Paul McKeown, Father Luc Lapalme, Father Paul-André Mailhot, Brother René Léveillé, or any other religious member of the “Servites de Marie”, we encourage you to communicate with one of the lawyers below so that we can inform you of your rights. Your communications with us are free and will be kept strictly confidential.
We will continue to update this page as the case progresses.
Me Robert Kugler
rkugler@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, ext. 116
Me Olivera Pajani
opajani@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, ext. 149
Me Pierre Boivin
pboivin@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, ext. 103
Me Jérémie Longpré
jlongpre@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, ext 126
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