Alberta court certifies class-action lawsuit for children abused by military priest
A court in Alberta has certified a class-action lawsuit seeking justice for victims of sexual abuse by a military priest at an Edmonton army base. The case claims that the federal government allowed a Canadian Armed Forces chaplain, Capt. Angus McRae, to abuse children living on armed forces bases with their families. McRae, who passed away in 2011, served at bases across Canada and was later convicted of sexual crimes against children.
The representative plaintiff, Bobby Bees of Vancouver, is seeking compensation from the federal government for the trauma he endured at the hands of McRae as a child. Bees, now 52, shared in an interview with CBC that the abuse he suffered tore apart his childhood and still haunts him to this day.
The $60-million claim aims to hold the government accountable for McRae’s misconduct, alleging that the Armed Forces were aware of the abuse. Bees’s legal team is encouraging other victims of McRae to come forward and seek justice.
In a ruling issued last week, Justice Robert Neufeld granted the case class-action status, allowing it to proceed on behalf of all of McRae’s child victims. The certification of the case is seen as a step toward justice for individuals who have suffered in silence for years.
Bees expressed relief at the certification of the case, but acknowledged that closure may never be fully attainable. His childhood was filled with lies and shame, leaving lasting scars that continue to affect his mental well-being.
Bees’s allegations against McRae led to a confession from the priest in the 1980s, but questions remain about how the abuse went undetected for so long. The federal government, named as a defendant in the case, has contested the allegations, arguing that it cannot be held responsible for the actions of the altar boy who also participated in the abuse.
The case sheds light on the systemic failures that allowed a predator like McRae to harm children under the guise of religious authority. By seeking justice through this class-action lawsuit, Bees and other victims hope to hold those accountable who turned a blind eye to the abuse they suffered.
