We thought we had seen everything that was wrong with our “injustice system.” But lo and behold, something else has further shattered our trust.
Nobody can forget the sickening crimes that Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka committed against two Ontario teens and her own sister nearly 30 years ago. And nobody will forget the atrocious plea bargain she was allowed to make to get a reduced sentence for manslaughter. Found videotapes later revealed that she had a much more active role in the rapes and murders. But the plea deal was done and nothing could be changed – a “Deal with the devil,” they called it.
Today, we find out that Homolka has been volunteering at a private school in Montreal, where officials are well aware of her background.
Has the world gone mad? Is our “injustice system” so twisted that it would allow a known ravager of children to be in the company of youth after her horrible crimes?
And that school board in Montreal? What were those people thinking? The lot of them should be fired and replaced by individuals who actually have a problem with allowing someone like Homolka to be around other people’s children.
Not surprisingly, parents who found out about Homolka volunteering at the school expressed their concerns to administrators. One parent reportedly received a letter saying he was not welcome back to the school, while another said she was told to find another school for her child.
Unbelievable. These parents must have committed a crime far worse than Homolka.
Since all the media attention, the school stated it would no longer allow anyone with a criminal record to volunteer at the school. Wow, when did that rule become so important?
Regardless if Homolka is rehabilitated or not (which has never been proven), there should be a law preventing her from any contact with children other than her own. By the way, how on earth is she going to explain to her kids how she helped Bernardo rape and kill those two teens?
People may argue that Homolka did her time and deserves forgiveness, as NDP leader Tom Mulcair suggested.
No, she did not do her time, not the time she deserved.
Meanwhile, she is enjoying life with her children, something that was robbed from her victims’ parents.
Donna and Doug French never got to see their daughter Kristen graduate; never got to see her get married or have children.
Deborah and Dan Mahaffy never got to celebrate more of Leslie’s birthdays, and never got to provide her a shoulder to cry on.
Lyonel Doherty, editor
