MP Ryan Cleary proposes national day of institutional abuse awareness

St. John's South-Mount Pearl MP Ryan Cleary submitted an act to the House of Commons Tuesday to establish a national day of institutional abuse awareness.

The act would see Canada recognize the non-legal holiday every June 1.

Cleary said the date marks the anniversary of one of Newfoundland and Labrador's darkest periods: the closure in 1990 of the notorious Mount Cashel Orphanage, where numerous young boys had been beaten or molested by Christian Brothers. 

"Most provinces and indigenous communities in Canada have their own horror stories of abuse — the harm it causes is indiscriminate,"  Cleary told reporters in Ottawa.

"In Newfoundland and Labrador the story of abuse at Mount Cashel shook the province to its religious core."

Cleary said establishing a national day for recognizing abuse suffered at the hands of clergy, lay officials and institutions would be a step forward for victims of various abuse, like the abuses suffered at Canada's residential schools.

"By setting aside a day we can engage our communities to work together to ensure this never happens again."

In his application, Cleary said June 1 is significant because it is also the start of National Aboriginal History Month in Canada.