Justice Bélanger heads up Algo Centre public inquiry

Justice Paul R. Bélanger will lead the independent public inquiry into the fatal events at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Attorney General John Gerretsen announced today.

Lucie Aylwin and Doloris Perizzolo were both killed when a section of the roof of the mall caved in June 23. Perizzolo was buried July 4. A memorial is being held today in Elliot Lake where friends, family and residents will gather to honour Aylwin. The service takes place at Colins’ Hall from 4-8 p.m. for all to come and celebrate her life.

Justice Bélanger has had a long and distinguished judicial career which makes him well suited to lead this inquiry, Gerretsen said in a press release. First appointed to the bench in 1978, he served as a senior judge for eastern Ontario from 1984 until 1990, and then as a regional senior Justice for the Ontario Court of Justice from 1996 to 2002.

In 2002, he was appointed chair of the Court's Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee and now sits as a per diem judge and as the Court's representative on the Attorney General's French-Language Services Committee.

In leading the inquiry, Bélanger will be asked to look into and report on events surrounding the collapse of the Algo Centre Mall and review the emergency management and response. He will report back publicly within a year of beginning the inquiry.

The next step in the process is to establish the public inquiry through an Order in Council, Gerretsen added. The Order sets out the scope of the inquiry. The government is actively engaged in finalizing the terms of reference and, once approved, will make them available to the public.

“The McGuinty government is committed to keeping the public informed as decisions related to the independent public inquiry are made,” the Attorney General said. “This is our commitment to the people of Elliot Lake and to all Ontarians.”

Meanwhile, a $30-million class-action lawsuit has been filed with the Superior Court of Justice on behalf of all victims of the mall collapse against the owners of the mall, the city of Elliot Lake and the province.

The Ontario Provincial Police has launched a criminal investigation into the incident, and vows that it will “get to the bottom” of what happened to cause the roof collapse.

Posted by Arron Pickard