Fathers Canada

Accused Mountie gets another day in court
WebPosted Nov 1 2004 04:41 PM AST

FREDERICTON  —  The civil suit against a retired Mountie accused of sexually assaulting boys at the former Kingsclear Youth Training School will go to court after all. The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench has set aside a default judgment against Clifford McCann and his wife. The McCanns now have 10 days to file a statement of defence. The November, 2003 judgment was issued when the McCanns failed to file a defence in reponse to a civil suit launched by two former Kingsclear inmates. The two alleged victims accused Clifford McCann of sexual abusing them when they were young teens more than 20 years ago. They claimed McCann, a former RCMP officer, took them away from the school on outings and sexually abused them.

McCann never filed a statement of defence, so the complainants won the case by default. Kingsclear housed young offenders and boys who couldn't fit into foster homes during the 1960s and 1970s. Many residents became victims of former guard Karl Toft, who pleaded guilty in 1992 to 34 sexual assaults on 18 children. RCMP closed its 12-year investigation into the crimes at Kingsclear last year. McCann was investigated, but police determined there was not enough evidence to lay charges.

The RCMP Complaints Commission, an independent watchdog agency that hears complaints about RCMP, is now investigating allegations that the force should not have been allowed to investigate one of its own members. From May 27, 2004: Kingsclear legacy to be investigated again. John Townsend, the McCanns' lawyer, says the default judgment was set aside because complainants took too long to serve their statement of claim. "There was an irregularity in that the statement of claim under our rules of court must be served within six months of date of issue. It was served about eight months. So, they didn't respond because they didn't think they had to respond because they weren't served properly in accordance with the rules of court." No date has been set for the civil suit to go to court.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050204033717/http://nb.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/nb_kingsclear20041101.html
 
~ Truth & Justice Network Canada ~
http://web.archive.org/web/20050204033717/http://www.justicenetworkcanada.com/

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How the RCMP could protect one of their own who was a child molester is beyond comprehension, they all should be fired from their jobs. As reported in may 2004 it seems the government of New Brunswick has once again rejected any suggestion it should investigate additional complaints of sexual abuse at the province's infamous Kingsclear reform school. Why would anyone not want to investigate these horrendous crimes. It makes myself wonder how far up does this go. Is the government of NB hiding something also. Wayne Steeves, New Brunswick's minister of public safety, said there asking the wrong government. "The federal government is responsible for the RCMP.

How can the provincial government not have the Attorney Generals office have a personal public inquiry into this matter, I find it unacceptable that scores of abuse is gone to the wayside and government officials in NB are just turning a blind eye to this matter. They are required by the laws of Canada to proceed to bring criminal charges forward. If you can trust your own government to do the right thing then who can you trust, and I believe and feel this stinks of major corruption at high levels.

 

You surly can't have RCMP officers investigating  their own and it is up to the public to bring forth charges on any government officials or police who are obstructing justice as well as those officers obstructing justice.  This can not go unanswered.

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New Brunswick rejects further inquiry into Kingsclear child sex abuse case

By CHRIS MORRIS
May 14, 2004

FREDERICTON (CP) - New Brunswick has once again rejected any suggestion it should investigate additional complaints of sexual abuse at the province's infamous Kingsclear reform school.
 
T. J. Burke, a member of New Brunswick's Liberal Opposition, asked the province Friday to look into fresh accusations of a possible coverup by the RCMP in both the Kingsclear case and the conduct of Clifford McCann, a former RCMP officer. But Wayne Steeves, New Brunswick's minister of public safety, told Burke he was asking the wrong government. "The federal government is responsible for the RCMP," Steeves said.
 
Burke said it's clear the Conservative government wants to wash its hands of the scandalous Kingsclear affair, where dozens of boys were sexually abused over at least 20 years.
 
The most high-profile conviction from the investigation into the now-closed reform school involved former guard Karl Toft, who pleaded guilty in 1992 to 34 sexual assaults on 18 children. He has since admitted to at least 200 sexual assaults at Kingsclear.  The province held a public inquiry into Kingsclear in the mid-1990s. But there have been recent calls for another inquiry, this time with a closer look into the conduct of the RCMP. Allegations of abuse have been levelled against McCann, a former New Brunswick RCMP staff sergeant, in a civil lawsuit. The suit alleges McCann took boys from Kingsclear on outings and sexually abused them while they were away from the facility.
 
The RCMP closed its 12-year investigation into crimes at Kingsclear last year, and although McCann was investigated, police determined there was not enough evidence to lay criminal charges. That has raised the ire of some who believe the RCMP should not be allowed to investigate its own officers.  The RCMP public complaints commission is reviewing a formal complaint accusing the force of a coverup in its investigation of sex crimes at Kingsclear.
 
http://web.archive.org/web/20050204033717/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/05/14/459925-cp.html
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New allegations of aggressions launched by former residents of the school of Kingsclear
Update Friday December 5, 2003, 9. 59

A survey carried out by the English network of Radio-Canada raises serious questions about the way in which the GRC treated the allegations of sexual aggressions carried against one its old graded tops, the sergeant of Staff Clifford McCann. After several years of investigation, the GRC closed the file. No charge will be carried to the place of the police officer to the retirement, in spite of the allegations of several former residents of the correctional center for young people of Kinsclear, close to Fredericton.

Clifford McCann

The revelations of the investigation of the English network of Radio-Canada diffused during the last two days are disconcerting. Here is essence: at the beginning of the Eighties, Clifford McCann, then sergeant of Staff of the royal Gendarmerie of Canada (GRC), to New Brunswick, left regularly the male residents of the correctional center for young people of Kingsclear during a few hours.

At least seven of these former residents plead to be attacked sexually by Clifford McCann. The mother of the one of them even says to have been pilot of one of the incidents implying her son.

The GRC, which knows all these allegations, informed last month the plaintiffs that the investigation, which began 12 years ago, was finished and that no charge was going to be carried.

The CBC known as to have also learned that the name of Clifford McCann was related to two incidents before the beginning of the investigation on Kingsclear, of which a sexual aggression supposed towards a young player of hockey with Riverview, close to Moncton. Still there, no charge was carried.

The deputy alliancist of Edmonton-Center-Is, Peter Goldring, believes that the investigation of the CBC gives weight to its many requests to institute a revision independent of the survey carried out by the GRC into one its old graded tops and into the investigation in general surrounding the old center of Kingsclear.

Another deputy, liberal daN McTeague, also believes that a revision is essential. The Solicitor General of Canada, Wayne Easter, is not convinced yet by it.

In a declaration, the GRC known as to have carried out an exhaustive and objective survey. It adds that it is the office of the Attorney General of New Brunswick which made the decision not to carry a charge in this business.

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New Brunswick says RCMP decided not to charge former member with sexual assault
Last Updated Thu, 04 Dec 2003 21:46:45
 
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/04/kingsclear031204
FREDERICTON - New Brunswick Attorney General Brad Green says it's up to the RCMP to decide whether one of its former members should face sex charges.

Brad Green

Green was responding to a CBC investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving retired RCMP officer Clifford McCann and residents of the Kingsclear Youth Training Centre. Green says he has confidence in the ability of the RCMP to investigate one of its own.

McCann is now retired. At least seven men allege he sexually abused them when they were residents at Kingsclear, near Fredericton. The allegations were investigated by the RCMP and turned over to the Crown. The RCMP says it was the province that concluded McCann shouldn't be charged.

The attorney general's department didn't recommend charges, but Green says it is ultimately the RCMP that decides whether charges should be laid. He says his department just gives them advice. "What the RCMP chooses to do next is their decision. And they can attempt to say it's up to Crown prosecutors in New Brunswick whether charges are laid or are not laid. That's simply not the case."

Green also says that it is not up to his department to ask for an independent review of whether charges should be laid. He says the RCMP is free to make that request.

Meanwhile, the federal minister responsible for the RCMP says the Mounties will investigate any new information pertaining to the case. Solicitor General Wayne Easter says he and the RCMP want to see those responsible for sexual abuse brought to justice.

"I, as solicitor general, certainly want to insure that any of the people who were involved in this serious abuse, that they should be convicted and feel the full wrath of the law," he said.

Green says he would co-operate with any federal inquiry into the case. But he says New Brunswick has already held its own inquiry into sex abuse at Kingsclear.

Written by CBC News Online staff
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RCMP slow to act on abuse allegations
WebPosted Dec 3 2003 02:12 PM EST

FREDERICTON  —  The RCMP did little about allegations of sexual assault at the Kingsclear Training School by one of its own officers, a CBC news investigation has learned.

Retired Staff Sgt. Clifford McCann, accused of abusing seven teenage boys at the reform school in 1991, was considered a father figure and a male mentor to the troubled teens and could take them on outings whenever he wanted.

Carl Schneider said that during one visit to McCann's house, McCann asked to see Schneider's penis.

Other assault victims have accused McCann of similar actions. A mother of one of the victims claims to have seen her son having sex with McCann in the back seat of a car.

Prior to the Kingsclear case, CBC uncovered that McCann faced allegations of sexually assaulting a young hockey player in a washroom and of appearing in photos with naked teenage boys.

The news investigation found that RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, in charge then of the RCMP in New Brunswick, had been briefed on the allegations against McCann.
From Nov. 26, 2003: RCMP ends Kingsclear investigation

Last month, the RCMP closed its 12-year investigation into the allegations, citing there wasn't enough evidence to press charges. McCann's accusers are demanding an inquiry.
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CBC uncovers RCMP slow to act on abuse allegations
Last Updated Wed, 03 Dec 2003 7:38:03

FREDERICTON - The RCMP did little about allegations of sexual assault at the Kingsclear Training School by one of its own officers, a CBC news investigation has learned.

Retired Staff Sgt. Clifford McCann, accused of abusing seven teenage boys at the reform school in 1991, was considered a father figure and a male mentor to the troubled teens and could take them on outings whenever he wanted.

FROM NOVEMBER 26, 2003: RCMP ends Kingsclear investigation

Carl Schneider said that during one visit to McCann's house, McCann asked to see Schneider's penis.
 
Carl Schneider

Other assault victims have accused McCann of similar actions. A mother of one of the victims claims to have seen her son having sex with McCann in the back seat of a car.

Prior to the Kingsclear case, CBC uncovered that McCann faced allegations of sexually assaulting a young hockey player in a washroom and of appearing in photos with naked teenage boys.

The news investigation found that RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, in charge then of the RCMP in New Brunswick, had been briefed on the allegations against McCann.

The RCMP closed its 12-year investigation into the allegations this November, citing there wasn't enough evidence to press charges. McCann's accusers are demanding an inquiry.

Written by CBC News Online staff
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RCMP ends Kingsclear investigation

Last Updated Wed, 26 Nov 2003 11:51:47

FREDERICTON - The RCMP have closed an investigation into allegations that one of its officers abused boys at the Kingsclear Training School in New Brunswick.
The school has been closed for years.

FROM JUNE 6, 2000: RCMP expands Kingsclear investigation

It was the scene of sexual abuse of children for many years, which led New Brunswick to hold a public inquiry and set up a compensation program for as many as 350 victims. The only person charged and convicted was former guard Karl Toft, who pleaded guilty to 34 counts in 1992 and is still in jail serving a 13-year sentence. But four teenagers who were at Kingsclear, including Carl Schneider, alleged in a civil suit that RCMP Staff Sgt. Clifford McCann had sexually assaulted them.

Schneider's outraged the investigation has been closed.

"It's damaged me inside and out. One way I could possibly explain is – I feel like a ghost in my own body," he said.
Casey O'Byrne, their lawyer, questions whether the RCMP were in a conflict of interest investigating themselves.
 
Gary Cameron

But Sgt. Gary Cameron said if there had been a conflict, another investigator would have taken over. But he also said there's no guidelines to cover that situation.

McCann has retired, and denies the allegations, But he didn't defend himself in the civil action, and a default judgment has been issued against him. The province is still going to fight the civil suit, a spokesman said. The RCMP began the investigation 12 years ago, but recently refused to admit it existed.

"What investigation?" Cameron responded to a CBC reporter's question 11 days ago. But Friday, he confirmed it had been ended.

Written by CBC News Online staff

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RCMP expands Kingsclear investigation

Last Updated Sun Jun 4 13:31:43 2000

FREDERICTON - Police investigations into abuse at New Brunswick's Kingsclear Youth Training Centre have been broadened to include several former employees.

Past police investigations have focused on Karl Toft, a former guard at the reform school. In 1992, Toft was sentenced to 13 years in prison for sex crimes against boys in his care. But now the RCMP says it is looking into more than 100 new cases of abuse, after many former residents of the now-closed facility came forward with new stories of abuse allegedly committed in 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Written by CBC News Online staff