Residential school survivor leads class-action lawsuit against Catholic Church, priest
A residential school survivor is leading a class-action lawsuit against the Catholic Church and one of its priests.
It stems from comments allegedly made by the priest during a sermon describing evidence of unmarked graves as "lies" and "manipulation."
Monday, a judge ruled the proposed class-action lawsuit can go forward despite efforts from lawyers representing the archdiocese of Edmonton and a religious order to have it struck down.
That decision was met with lots of tears, smiles and hugs from elder Sphenia Jones, who is leading the case.
About a dozen of Jones' family and supporters rallied Monday in support of residential school survivors and the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges priest Marcin Mironiuk said Indigenous children died of natural causes and questioned the validity of unmarked graves during a mass in 2021.
It sparked backlash and protests at the time.
The archdiocese did not comment on Monday but apologized at the time and put the priest on indefinite administrative leave.
However, a church website in Brampton, Ont., says the priest works there now.
Lawyers behind the class action say denialism against residential schools is a growing phenomenon that further traumatizes survivors.
Jones was forced to attend the former Edmonton residential school when she was 11 and says images of what she witnessed still haunt her at 80.
Lawyers representing the church argued the remarks were made in Polish and misinterpreted, and don't meet the criteria of a class-action lawsuit -- such as referring to Jones directly.
The judge disagreed and said it can go forward and also awarded Jones compensation for what she spent to fight the application to have it struck down.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6874537.1714950794!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.