Class-action lawsuit approved for historic abuse case against two top Vancouver Catholic schools

The Supreme Court of B.C. has approved a class-action lawsuit against two Catholic colleges by former students who say they were abused by Christian Brothers who had been transferred there from a Newfoundland orphanage, where rampant sexual and physical abuse occurred.

According to a ruling released by Justice Simon Coval, the class action has been allowed because it is the best way to handle multiple cases. Four former and current Christian Brothers (Edward English, Joseph Burke, Douglas Kenney and Gerard Gabriel McHugh) and three Catholic authorities are named in the action.

Multiple students have reported abuse by Christian Brothers who were transferred to Vancouver College and St. Thomas More Collegiate between 1976 and 1983, after working at Mount Cashel Orphanage in Newfoundland from the early to mid 1970s.

“The claim alleges that senior Christian Brothers orchestrated the transfers, despite knowing what had occurred at Mount Cashel, and that the transferees and other Christian Brothers went on to abuse students at (Vancouver College and St. Thomas More in Burnaby),” Coval said.