Cardinal Marc Ouellet wins $100K defamation suit against accuser
Quebec Superior Court judge ruled accusations of sexual misconduct unfounded; Ouellet pledges damages to Indigenous abuse organizations.
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Quebec Superior Court Justice Martin Castonguay ruled that Paméla Groleau's accusations against Cardinal Marc Ouellet are unfounded and ordered her to pay him $100,000 in damages.
Groleau had accused Ouellet of touching her without consent on three occasions between 2008 and 2010, while she was training or working as a lay pastoral agent for the church. In his judgment, Castonguay noted that Groleau changed her story several times, eventually saying she considered only one of the alleged interactions to be a sexual assault.
The judge found the damage to Ouellet compounded by the fact that Groleau named him in a class-action lawsuit against the Quebec archdiocese that involves predominantly clergy and lay people accused of being pedophiles. This naming, Castonguay ruled, created a misleading association with allegations of a different nature.
Ouellet has pledged to donate the $100,000 award to organizations fighting sexual abuse experienced by Indigenous people in Canada. The ruling comes as the broader class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese continues.
What is the full scope of remaining claims against Cardinal Ouellet in the class-action lawsuit against the Quebec archdiocese?
Has Ouellet confirmed which organizations will receive the $100,000 donation?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How much did Cardinal Ouellet win in the defamation suit?
$100,000. Quebec Superior Court Justice Martin Castonguay ordered Paméla Groleau to pay this amount after ruling her accusations of sexual misconduct against Cardinal Marc Ouellet were unfounded.
What will Cardinal Ouellet do with the damages award?
Cardinal Marc Ouellet has pledged to donate the $100,000 to organizations fighting sexual abuse experienced by Indigenous people in Canada.
Why did the judge find additional harm in Groleau's allegations?
Justice Martin Castonguay noted that Groleau named Cardinal Marc Ouellet in a class-action lawsuit against the Quebec archdiocese involving predominantly clergy and lay people accused of being pedophiles, which created a misleading association with allegations of a different nature.
