The Archdiocese of Vancouver and a private Catholic school have denied wrongdoing over claims of sexual abuse from former students and have filed their own lawsuits against the alleged abusers.
The statement of claim filed by the archdiocese denies it oversaw the two schools or had any authority over major decisions and names six men as well as the B.C. government as defendants, saying the Ministry of Education had the authority to inspect private schools and to revoke or suspend teachers’ certificates.
The class-action, which was certified by a B.C. Supreme Court judge this month, alleges that senior members of the Christian Brothers orchestrated the transfers of the six men, despite knowing about the abuse they perpetrated at Mount Cashel. The court action was filed on behalf of all students enrolled at St. Thomas More Collegiate between 1976 and 1989 who claim they were physically or sexually abused by current or former members of the Christian Brothers, and students who allege abuse while enrolled at Vancouver College between 1976 and 2013.