Halifax orphanage denies abuse in court documents fighting proposed class-action

The executive director of a Halifax orphanage denies any knowledge of abuse at the residence and says previous court
proceedings have named 59 former residents who have been accused of physical, sexual and mental abuse.

The statements by Veronica Marsman are contained in an affidavit submitted Monday with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

The affidavit argues against the certification of a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by former residents of the Nova Scotia
Home for Colored Children who allege they were abused at the orphanage.

The proposed class-action involving about 140 former residents alleges incidents of physical, sexual and mental abuse by staff at the home over several decades up to the 1980s.

Marsman says some of the allegations have been dismissed based on Nova Scotia’s Statute of Limitations, adding that the proposed class-action would require reviewing incidents that have allegedly occurred over 50 years.

Last month, Halifax police and the RCMP announced they would not be laying criminal charges in the case after concluding there was not enough evidence to support the allegations.

(by The Canadian Press)

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today