MONTREAL -- Quebec’s Superior Court has authorized a second class-action lawsuit against the Frères du Sacré-Cœur on behalf of all victims who claim they were sexually assaulted by a member of the religious order.
The lawsuit was granted this week by Superior Court Judge Christian Immer in a 22-page judgment. The application was first submitted to the courts last winter.
The class action alleges that sexual assaults were perpetrated for decades, across several institutions in Quebec, by 25 religious members of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur.
There are 26 institutions listed, most notably in Montreal, the Montérégie region, Quebec City, Bois-Francs, the Eastern Townships, Charlevoix, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie.
Montreal law firm Kugler Kandestin, which represents the alleged victims, said it will claim compensatory damages for each of them, as well as punitive damages to the amount of $15 million.
Anyone who believes they were a victim is encouraged to contact the firm’s lawyers to inquire about the case and their rights.
Two years ago, a class-action lawsuit was authorized on behalf of victims of sexual assault against religious members of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur at the Mont Sacré-Cœur College in Granby.
Lawyers say they received so many phone calls from alleged victims that a second, larger class action was needed.
The plaintiff in this case is being represented by four lawyers. The Fasken Martineau Dumoulin law firm represents the defendant.
