By Canadian Press

Mohawk community in Quebec voted in favour of exhumation of allegedly abusive priest

Mar 27, 2022 | 2:04 AM

MONTREAL — The First Nation of Kahnawake outside of Montreal has voted in favour of exhuming the remains of a priest who is alleged to have committed sexual abuse. 

Melissa Montour-Lazare, the spokesperson for the group demanding the exhumation, says it’s a relief and that people can now start to focus on healing from trauma. 

The vote was held on Friday and Saturday, with 223 people choosing the exhumation against 195 people who wanted to keep the remains in the community. 

Several Kahnawake residents came forward last summer with allegations that Rev. Léon Lajoie had abused them, and they demanded his remains be removed from the community. 

Lajoie, a Jesuit assigned to Kahnawake from 1961 to 1990, was buried in the community in 1999 and will be moved to Saint-Jerome, Que., at the Jesuits gravesite. 

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The decision comes after the Jesuits’ independent investigation into the allegations failed to turn up evidence of abuse, according to a report released Feb. 28. 

Brian King, founder of the investigation firm King International Advisory Group and lead on the report, said he was expecting more than two alleged victims to testify and that there will likely be a continued investigation into the matter. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 27, 2022. 

The Canadian Press