KENORA, Ont. — Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services has terminated its contract with a lawyer who argued in a court submission that a 14 or 15 year old girl "is a sexually mature young woman. Not a 'child' as the term is generally understood..."
The Toronto-based lawyer made the statement in an affidavit filed last year in a civil case in which a woman is suing the child services agency, alleging that she was sexually abused by a foster parent in Kenora in the 1980s.
After the Toronto Star reported the statement, KRRDCFS executive-director Bill Leonard met Monday with the agency's board, and subsequently issued an apology.
"I would like to apologize for the comments made by our lawyer, Mr. [Gary] McCallum, in an Affidavit that was filed with the court in July 2018....this statement is appalling and intolerable, and I agree with comments reported regarding the abhorrent nature of this statement," Leonard said.
Under Ontario law, anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child.
Leonard added "Mr. McCallum's statement undermines this commitment and is in no way reflective of our practice, knowledge or belief. His services have been terminated effective today."
