Canadian government seeks damages from all Catholics.

Ottawa -- Legally speaking, there is no such thing as the Catholic Church of Canada. Unlike Protestant groups such as the United and Anglican communities which are legally incorporated as national bodies, the Catholic Church in Canada consists of individuals only. In Canada, these persons are adherents of one of seventy-one dioceses which are incorporated under Canadian law for the purpose of dealing with temporal affairs.

The federal government is seeking to make all Catholics throughout Canada, or even worldwide, liable to punitive financial damages for the actions of a few people who, contrary to Catholic teaching, have sexually abused minors in or outside native residential schools.

On January 14, 2004, the Supreme Court heard an appeal from the ruling of the Newfoundland Court of Appeal which in a 2-1 majority ruling denied that the Episcopal Corporation of St. George, in western Newfoundland, was "vicariously liable" for the actions of sex abuse perpetrator Fr. Kevin Bennett. In other words, the Newfoundland court refused to extend liability to the Church itself. The diocese argued that as a mere landholding entity it cannot be held liable for the misconduct of priests or laity who, in their private actions, mock the teachings of the Church. That leaves only the offending priest or Catholic lay person liable for damages. (Globe, Jan. 15; CCN, Jan. 04)