On December 15, 2009, I received Commissioner Normand Glaude’s final report on the public inquiry that examined historical events related to allegations of sexual abuse in Cornwall.

We have been working to address the recommendations in order to help the parties, the people of Cornwall and all Ontarians chart a new path forward. In many cases, changes were already underway well before the report was completed.

In addition to addressing the recommendations, Ontario will provide province-wide services for male survivors of sexual abuse. We will do this by:

• Establishing four regional networks of community agencies to provide coordinated, specialized services for male survivors of sexual abuse, and
• Developing province-wide crisis line services to provide information and referrals to male victims of sexual abuse.

This initiative to provide support services for male survivors of sexual abuse is the first of its kind in Canada.

We will continue to provide counseling services to those Cornwall survivors who have been engaged in the Ministry’s program and respond to the needs of local victims.

The Ministry has also engaged an existing Cornwall-based service provider to establish a drop-in centre for male survivors starting in September 2010.

Moving forward, we will continue to explore what more can be done to help survivors identified in this community.  We will do this while implementing our plan to provide effective services for male survivors of sexual abuse across Ontario.  

Lastly, thank you to the people of Cornwall for your strength, determination and courage throughout this difficult period.

Chris Bentley
Attorney General