A class action lawsuit involving victims of a former Anglican priest and Scouts Canada leader, Ralph Rowe, has been settled for $13.25 million. Rowe, who abused primarily Indigenous victims, was active between 1975 and 1987 within the Anglican Diocese of Keewatin, covering northwestern Ontario and parts of Manitoba. Rowe’s sinister actions were exposed in a 2015 documentary named “Survivors Rowe.”
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2017, alleged that Rowe used his role as a priest and Scouts Canada leader to groom and sexually abuse young boys, some as young as five years old. He would engage them in camping trips, church outings, sleepovers, and even airplane trips. Rowe was convicted of numerous sex crimes, with more than 60 convictions involving dozens of victims spanning several decades.
The Anglican Church issued a formal apology to Rowe’s victims in 2017, the same year the class action lawsuit was initiated, seeking $110 million in damages. The recent $13.25 million settlement, reached earlier this summer, is subject to court approval. Compensation for claimants will be based on agreed criteria, with the severest cases of abuse and lasting consequences receiving the highest compensation.
Full details can be found here.
Victims of sexual abuse committed by Ralph Rowe are asked to contact 1 888 353 6661 or send them an email.