“Furlong says probe cleared
him, but RCMP says case open.”
So read the headline published in the GLOBE AND MAIL dated,
Oct. 29th, 2013 and written by Sunny Dhillon and Tu Thanh Ha.
It’s well known
today, at least amongst Aboriginal communities, the legacy of physical and
sexual abuse in the former native residential schools that were all funded by
the federal government and operated by various churches. Along with that legacy
did come some accountability with a number of former supervisors charged, convicted,
and subsequently sentenced behind bars.
Enter former supervisor, Paul Leroux, who had worked at
Grollier Hall, a former Catholic-run residence in Inuvik, NT. After a complaint from one former
student, a speedy and extensive RCMP investigation ensued.
The RCMP “probe” into that case included interviews with
over 70 former Grollier Hall students (Survivors) under Leroux’s care at that
time. That probe clearly showed the will of the RCMP to gain evidence against
him to subsequently charge him with sexual abuse.
Now, should the same extensive probe into John Furlong,
former CEO of the 2010 Olympics be expected? One would think the RCMP would
have the same will…instead, after one complaint.
“The initial probe, which ended in the spring, looked at
allegations Mr. Furlong sexually molested Beverly Abraham when he was a
physical education teacher at Immaculata Roman Catholic Elementary School in
Burns Lake, B.C. four decades ago.”
The result?
Apparently, “Mr. Furlong said the officer in charge of the
investigation…concluded there was no wrongdoing.”
“…he has been
told an RCMP investigation into allegations he sexually abused a student when
he was a teacher decades ago has proven his innocence.”
Apparently too, seems the RCMP is unwilling to extend their
probe past one allegation even when Ms. Abraham asked the local constable to
interview additional witnesses.
As one who did take part as a witness into the extensive RCMP
probe against Paul Leroux, a pragmatic attitude would think the RCMP take the
same approach towards Furlong.
Still…
John Furlong is a high-profile character who worked closely
with the RCMP to ensure security measures were in place during the 2010
Vancouver Olympics. Could that relationship be the impetus behind the
restrictive probe into the allegations of physical and sexual abuse?
Perhaps, the BC RCMP should seriously hold the NWT RCMP as a
model into how to conduct a probe into allegations of physical and sexual abuse
by John Furlong.
One has hope…after all, “RCMP says case open.”
