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Hearing of pardon motivated Gilhooly to come forward Continued from page 30 31 · Friday, February 17, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com years. However, when Kennedy was playing for the NHL's Calgary Flames, he saw James standing outside the Hitmen dressing room with young players. He said he couldn't stay silent any longer. James had received character references from some of hockey's most respected people. Eventually, though, he pled guilty to sexually assaulting Kennedy and another unnamed player. · · · · Greg Gilhooly's story is not as well known as that of the former NHLers, but it may be the one that ends up having the most lasting impact. It was Easter weekend in 2010 when Gilhooly found himself at the Winnipeg Police Department. He was still struggling with the decision he'd gone back and forth on for years. If the question was a simple as `Is this the right thing to do?' there would have been no doubt in his mind. But the decision to file a formal complaint against Graham James wasn't that simple. Doing so would force him to relive the period in his life that would negatively impact almost every aspect of his future. "The difficult thing in coming forward is that it is such a private and personal thing that you've gone through and you TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO carry so much guilt and shame and blame," Gilhooly said, "that it's just tough to put that to the side and put your hand MAKING AN IMPACT: Ex-NHLer Sheldon Kennedy, pictured at a 2010 press conference unveiling new legislation to protect up and say, `I'm a victim.'" children from sexual predators, was a sexual abuse victim of former hockey coach Graham James. Kennedy credits Oakville resident It was while contemplating the decision that he made a Greg Gilhooly, who also alleges he was sexually abused by James, for breaking the story that James received a pardon in 2007. discovery that made him sick. In 1997, James was convicted of 350 sexual assaults "The pardon system was essentially a default in favour of "I vividly remember one of my corporate projects," he against Kennedy and another player that occurred between the criminal," Gilhooly said. said of his time articling at one of the country's top law 1984 and 1995. The story dominated national headlines for The story had the desired effect. A little over a month firms. "The lawyer said it was perhaps the best work of any most of the year. James was sentenced to three-and-a-half later, a bill was introduced. Also known as the `Elimination student at the firm so the next assignment, I just didn't do years in prison. He served 18 months in jail and spent the of Pardons for Serious Crimes Act', it will make it much it, guaranteeing no hire back." balance of his sentence in a half-way house. tougher to receive a pardon, or a record suspension as it will There were also feelings of shame -- how did I let this Gilhooly was discussing -- he won't say with whom -- be called under the new law. It will not grant record suspen- happen? Even today, Gilhooly can be a somewhat intimidatwhat had become of James since his release from prison sions to anyone convicted of a sexual offence related to a ing presence at first glance until you meet him and discover when it was mentioned in passing that James had been par- minor and would also prohibit them for multiple offenders. his thoughtful, soft-spoken manner. As a teenager he was doned three years earlier. Had they been in place at the time, both tall and athletic, yet he said, "as these situations play out, "I was dumbfounded," Gilhooly said. "I "I was dumbfounded. I stipulations would have prevented James physical power kind of falls to the side of the mental games felt as if the offence was happening all over felt as if the offence from receiving a pardon in 2007. that are being played." again. It was like a kick to the gut." "What (the story) did was give a platform "The lack of sense of self-worth that is present is staggerwas happening all over While a pardon does not remove a convicfor change," said Kennedy, who is now a ing," he said. "It was exacerbated by the fact that it happened again. It was like a kick tion from a person's record, it does seal it so spokesperson for violence and abuse preven- at an older age where, when you take a step back, you think that it does not show up on criminal records in the gut." tion programs with the Canadian Red Cross. `How on earth could I have been manipulated by this checks by police forces, except under certain "That happened because Greg broke that guy?'" conditions -- for instance, if a person was Greg Gilhooly, describing his story. It's hugely important." When Kennedy came forward in 1996, Gilhooly said he feelings when hearing applying to work with children. was nowhere near equipped to do likewise. He had tried for · · · · Feeling "there was a wrong to be right- Graham James had been so long to hide it, to deny that it happened. pardoned ed," Gilhooly wasted no time. He contacted Gilhooly says junior hockey -- where "I was in a very dark place," he said. "I was more upset at the Canadian Press (CP) the same day. When kids are often sent to live far from home at a myself for not being able to join him. I wished that I were the story broke, Gilhooly was not surprised that others were young age -- is often blamed for creating an environment strong. It was more something I wanted to run away from as disgusted as he was. The CP story quoted a spokesman for in which players can be taken advantage of. He says his story than something I wanted to run toward and help." the prime minister as saying the pardon was "deeply trou- is a cautionary tale, though. At times, he felt suicidal. At others, he felt like a failure bling and gravely disturbing" and was asking for an explana"I was living at home with both my parents and was doing for not being able to commit suicide. tion of how a pardon could be granted to "someone who very well at school and had everything going for me and still Gilhooly kept his secret for decades. It was 2007 before he committed such horrific crimes that remain shocking to all I was susceptible to a predator," the 48-year-old said. "It truly told anyone, revealing it to his wife five years into their marCanadians." can happen anywhere." riage. Now divorced, the father of two began therapy that Gilhooly wanted an answer to that same question and While he's quick to point out it doesn't necessarily mean year and has continued to, if not resolve, at least try to began looking into the process for obtaining a pardon. He everyone accused is guilty, Gilhooly said you can't immedi- understand his feelings. Therapy, he says, finally gave him discovered there wasn't much more to it than paying a $50 ately discount the accuser as well. the strength to come forward. fee after the designated waiting period -- three to five years Even after leaving Winnipeg to go to Princeton, life was a James' lawyer, Evan Roitenberg, declined to comment to depending on the crime -- and then it was up to the parole daily struggle for Gilhooly. The Oakville Beaver on the allegations brought forward by board to ensure the applicant's good conduct since being After constantly being told as much, Gilhooly believed Gilhooly. released. everything that was right in his life, such as his admission to · · · · The CP story pointed out that over two years (2006 and Princeton, was not his own doing. Feeling unworthy of his 2007), 14,748 pardons were granted -- almost half of those, successes, Gilhooly said he was "continually blowing myself Gilhooly remains unsure of what each day will bring, a including James, for what were deemed serious crimes. Over up in different ways." He would skip exams, ensuring that a breakthrough or a setback. the same period, only 103 requests were denied, giving par- transcript filled with As would also be checkered with the January brought one of those setbacks. Pat Hickey wrote don requests a 99.3 per cent success rate. occasional D. See Change, page 32