Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 10, 2007

HAY RIVER - A Hay River man who petitioned the GNWT earlier this year for more criminal records checks to fight sexual abuse wants the cause to become an election issue.

Terry Rideout said people should ask every candidate where they stand on the issue.

"People need to step up to the plate," he said.

Rideout is again raising the issue because he is "totally" disappointed with the response to his petition tabled in the legislative assembly on Aug. 15 by Human Resources Minister Charles Dent.

"It's almost like they're making excuses and they're not going to do anything about it," Rideout said.

He wants criminal records checks for all GNWT employees, and for all volunteers in the NWT.

"If the private sector doesn't do it, I think it should be mandatory," said Rideout, who works as a nurse.

In a written response to the petition, Dent noted a GNWT criminal records check policy exists for positions of trust and for highly sensitive positions such as work with children, vulnerable persons or residents in the government's care.

"The matter of criminal checks for those in a volunteer capacity becomes more complicated," Dent wrote.

The minister noted checks involve computer searches in RCMP records and can take up to 10 days, or 150 days or more for a certified records check based on a fingerprint.

"Well, big whoop," said Rideout, adding the timing is irrelevant.

Dent also wrote the government has established a working group, composed of representatives of six departments, to review GNWT policies on criminal records checks.

Rideout said such a working group is fine. "But I feel it should be a different mix of people, not just government people." The group will meet in September or October and will present its findings to the minister of Human Resources after that.

Meanwhile, Rideout has called a Sept. 12 public meeting to see what people in Hay River want to do to push the issue.

The petition by Rideout, who was sexually abused as a child, was launched when he heard a pedophile - John Murray "Fester" Melanson - had been living in Hay River without the community being aware of it.

While Melanson was a chef and not working for the GNWT, he volunteered at a school and even played Santa Claus at a public library.

Melanson left town suddenly in January and was arrested in Toronto, where he is still in custody and facing charges.

In Hay River, he is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of sexual assault, allegedly involving boys under the age of 14.

Sgt. Ron Rose of the Hay River RCMP sad Melanson will eventually be brought back to Hay River - in custody - to face the charges.