Vancouver – A British Columbia’s father and son is sueing Canada’s Anglican Church, alleging that in the late 1960s, the son was conceived as a result of sexual abuse by St. Michael’s Indian residential school in Alert Bay.
The lawsuit says that the father was 14 years old when he was sexually assaulted by a school supervisor in 1968, and he prosecuted with the church in 2008.
The school began to take indigenous children in 1929 on the island of Cormorent North -East of Vancouver Island, until it was closed under a license from the Canadian government in 1974, the case is called.
The court documents filed in the BC Supreme Court this week stated that the plaintiff recently came to know that he was concerned, which led to “painful reunion”, and his relationship was confirmed by DNA testing.
The notice of the civil claim states that the father, now 72, had a “no idea” he had a son who was given by a woman for a non-foreigner family months after his birth, and son, now 56, “shocked revelation”, he was a child who imagined his biological father’s rape.
The trial said that the plaintiff approached the church about compensation this year, but was reportedly told to the church that he is considered to be “completely absent” of liability due to the disposal of the father’s earlier legal action.
The allegations have not been proved in the court and the Anglican Church of Canada has not filed a reaction to the trial.
Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee, along with the islands and inlets Anglican Suba, said in a statement that the church could not comment on the case, but “We accept the damage done to the generations of children and families in St. Michael.”
Civil claims that the plaintiff was “left without any option” but to prosecute the church for damage “to close these painful events and look for treatment.”
Father, the lawsuit says, “There was no idea that he had given birth to a son, who was taken away from him, his own family, his own community and his legacy”
His son’s disadvantage added the “psychological trauma” in school from his time, and calls him to the sexual attack in the St. Mike, re -opened his trauma and caused further complex personal and psychological losses, all swept away from Saint Mix. ”
The son says that when he met his biological father, he “came to understand the real circumstances of his birth and he was a child who was born of his father’s rape and his mother was a criminal.”
The lawsuit states that the son is being placed with a non-foreigner family, which does not mean that he could register for the situation under the Indian Act and get “unable to get significant benefits”, including tax exemption.
It says that he is now applying for status and membership in the Vaiwikam Indian band, until he finds out about his biological father, has lost in housing, health, education and members payment.
Son, the lawsuit says, “He has also lost a chance to learn his language and your culture.”
“This is a significant personal disadvantage that they have suffered,” claimed in the claim.
The plaintiff’s lawyer did not immediately respond to the remarks requests.
The trial includes the general race at the Anglican Church in Canada, which is the glory of the Anglican Church in Canada, as well as the BC’s Anglican Suba and the Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the Majesty Raja on the right of Canada.
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 10 July 2025.
Darryl Greer, Canadian Press
