Nearly two decades after attending the Vernon Cadet Camp youth program, a former cadet has come forward with allegations of abuse.
According to court documents filed last week, the plaintiff, identified only as G.A.C., claims they were physically and sexually assaulted by a cadet leader in 2007. The alleged perpetrator has not been identified.
The civil suit names the Army Cadet League of Canada, the operators of the Vernon Cadet Camp, and the Attorney General of Canada as defendants. It alleges the organizations failed in their duty to protect youth under their care.
“The defendants had the opportunity and the duty to inspect and/or investigate when they knew or ought to have known that sexual and physical abuse, assault, and battery were occurring,” the claim states.
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It also argues the defendants had the authority, resources and responsibility to prevent such incidents through proper oversight.
In a statement provided to Global News, the Army Cadet League of Canada said the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are responsible for operations and staffing at the Vernon Cadet Training Centre.
“The Army Cadet League of Canada is always concerned about any harm that may come to a cadet. However, the League has no liability for the harm that the plaintiff alleges and will defend itself accordingly,” it said.
The CAF did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
This is not the first such allegation involving the Vernon Cadet Camp. In 2023, another former cadet filed a civil suit claiming he was groomed and raped by a captain at the camp in the 1970s.
Sandra Kovacs, a trial lawyer with Kazlaw who is representing one of the plaintiffs, says her client is deeply troubled by the latest allegations.
“He is shocked that, some 30 years after his own abuse, another child was abused,” Kovacs said. “At the same time, he’s not that shocked.”
Kovacs points to a lack of institutional safeguards in youth-serving organizations as a major concern.
“There’s very little in place to provide robust safeguards regarding the risk of child sex abuse,” she said. “We know that many children are accessed through these institutions.”
The latest lawsuit claims that, as a result of the alleged breach of duty, the plaintiff has suffered long-term injuries, damages and expenses.
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