Jackie Short

And everybody mishandled it again and again and again and again.

And everybody mishandled it again and again and again and again.

But you were so articulate. Like, you told... I don't know, it just captured me. Me too. It's so how we all feel.

But you were so articulate. Like, you told... I don't know, it just captured me. Me too. It's so how we all feel.

We're out here gesticulating with massive big fists.

We're out here gesticulating with massive big fists.

And how it is so clear how wronged you were, I guess.

And how it is so clear how wronged you were, I guess.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Not just by him, but then specifically re-traumatized by the system. And that's terrible. For sure.

Not just by him, but then specifically re-traumatized by the system. And that's terrible. For sure.

We've told our secrets, and it's not our secret anymore. It's his shame.

We've told our secrets, and it's not our secret anymore. It's his shame.

It's his shame, yeah. That's what stuck with me.

It's his shame, yeah. That's what stuck with me.

These ladies all reported him. But he kept teaching.

These ladies all reported him. But he kept teaching.

I didn't report him until 20 years later.

I didn't report him until 20 years later.

But you got him fired. You got him fired. It's crazy that they didn't really do anything. He left Markham. That's not a solution to anything.

But you got him fired. You got him fired. It's crazy that they didn't really do anything. He left Markham. That's not a solution to anything.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. There's the whole point of child protection. That should have been their objective.

Yeah. There's the whole point of child protection. That should have been their objective.

And it had nothing to do with that.

And it had nothing to do with that.

It says that they couldn't do anything because they had no record. of any complaints against Walker. Right.

It says that they couldn't do anything because they had no record. of any complaints against Walker. Right.

Five years later.

Five years later.

And he was there when I was in grade 12.

And he was there when I was in grade 12.

Right. Now, that is outrageous. Like, absolutely outrageous. Because we know there's two people sitting in this room who made complaints about him. And we know a superintendent was in the room with one of you. And not having records is not an excuse. They just had to talk to people who were around at the time then.

Right. Now, that is outrageous. Like, absolutely outrageous. Because we know there's two people sitting in this room who made complaints about him. And we know a superintendent was in the room with one of you. And not having records is not an excuse. They just had to talk to people who were around at the time then.

What bothers me is I don't understand why school administrators in 1987 didn't understand the law. Society had evolved to a point where the whole point was to make that clear and to prevent it. And how could people responsible for children not know that?

What bothers me is I don't understand why school administrators in 1987 didn't understand the law. Society had evolved to a point where the whole point was to make that clear and to prevent it. And how could people responsible for children not know that?

Wow.

Wow.

Have you seen these pictures, June? No, I'm going to.

Have you seen these pictures, June? No, I'm going to.

What's your first clue?

What's your first clue?

I wasn't sure if this mystery guest would make it tonight.

I wasn't sure if this mystery guest would make it tonight.

I'm just smiling at you because you're so brave. I'm just looking at you. I'm looking at you going, look at you walking right into this group of girls. You know? You don't know. Yeah. Like, you are so brave.

I'm just smiling at you because you're so brave. I'm just looking at you. I'm looking at you going, look at you walking right into this group of girls. You know? You don't know. Yeah. Like, you are so brave.

I was in love with his life, and he was going to marry me. Oh, me too. Me too. And I was 13 or 14 actually believing that. Yeah, well, our stories are a lot alike. We had longer-term, I'm not going to call them relationships, but longer-term experiences. Longer sentences.

I was in love with his life, and he was going to marry me. Oh, me too. Me too. And I was 13 or 14 actually believing that. Yeah, well, our stories are a lot alike. We had longer-term, I'm not going to call them relationships, but longer-term experiences. Longer sentences.

That's a good way to put it.

That's a good way to put it.

Then Ann Marie at Eastern Commerce.

Then Ann Marie at Eastern Commerce.

And he told me this story about how he was punched in the face. by a father of a student at Markham. And until we found you, that's... Oh, poor credit, sorry.

And he told me this story about how he was punched in the face. by a father of a student at Markham. And until we found you, that's... Oh, poor credit, sorry.

Yeah, it's been with me my whole life. I wasn't sure what to do, and that was his process of trying to suck me in, and I started to feel sorry for him, which was a way that he operated with a lot of us, was... making us feel sorry for him.

Yeah, it's been with me my whole life. I wasn't sure what to do, and that was his process of trying to suck me in, and I started to feel sorry for him, which was a way that he operated with a lot of us, was... making us feel sorry for him.

And for me to find out that that story was actually true was just so amazing. He used it, in my case, to groom me.

And for me to find out that that story was actually true was just so amazing. He used it, in my case, to groom me.

There's just no way. And it's not about the punch. And we don't even know him.

There's just no way. And it's not about the punch. And we don't even know him.

There's now a whole group of us who were abused by this man. And you are the only adult in our story who did something about it.

There's now a whole group of us who were abused by this man. And you are the only adult in our story who did something about it.

And the police wouldn't contact me. No, the police refused to contact you. And I kept asking them repeatedly.

And the police wouldn't contact me. No, the police refused to contact you. And I kept asking them repeatedly.

Why would they not see if I wanted to be part of it?

Why would they not see if I wanted to be part of it?

Technically, I kept saying, well, you know, victims don't like to have this all drenched up. And I said, well, you can ask them, and they'll tell you whether or not. Yes, yes. Now, he didn't have your name either, but I talked to also the Crown attorney, and they said they could get your name if they put out a subpoena. The Crown was interested, but the cops wouldn't do it.

Technically, I kept saying, well, you know, victims don't like to have this all drenched up. And I said, well, you can ask them, and they'll tell you whether or not. Yes, yes. Now, he didn't have your name either, but I talked to also the Crown attorney, and they said they could get your name if they put out a subpoena. The Crown was interested, but the cops wouldn't do it.

So the police let you down by not finding me. They let me down by not putting out a notice looking for other victims. Because I kept saying, let the victims choose. It was only Julie's work, the article that got many people came forward. So we know they wanted to come forward. And that is without having the methods that the police have. They have access to information.

So the police let you down by not finding me. They let me down by not putting out a notice looking for other victims. Because I kept saying, let the victims choose. It was only Julie's work, the article that got many people came forward. So we know they wanted to come forward. And that is without having the methods that the police have. They have access to information.

They can compel people to talk. We've done all this through informal meetings. connections.

They can compel people to talk. We've done all this through informal meetings. connections.

Jackie's Facebook power.

Jackie's Facebook power.

It's been black humor all day.

It's been black humor all day.

But it was such an important moment in my life and still resonates with me 40 years later. I remember almost the air about it, like the sun and the whiteness of the boat and the hemming and hawing of Mr. Christie and him saying things like, well, hmm. Well, you don't say. But being very noncommittal about it. 40 years ago, he would have been 53, so he would have been younger than I am now.

But it was such an important moment in my life and still resonates with me 40 years later. I remember almost the air about it, like the sun and the whiteness of the boat and the hemming and hawing of Mr. Christie and him saying things like, well, hmm. Well, you don't say. But being very noncommittal about it. 40 years ago, he would have been 53, so he would have been younger than I am now.

I really doubt that at that time he wouldn't have known what I was talking about. Now, mind you, has time passed and he's forgotten? Or does he just not want to get in trouble?

I really doubt that at that time he wouldn't have known what I was talking about. Now, mind you, has time passed and he's forgotten? Or does he just not want to get in trouble?

And I told him, I said, I know that Doug Walker has been carrying on with students.

And I told him, I said, I know that Doug Walker has been carrying on with students.

I told him about Rita. I mentioned other girls that I thought. I told him that he had propositioned me a couple of times. I just spilled it. I said that he always was buying drinks for all the students.

I told him about Rita. I mentioned other girls that I thought. I told him that he had propositioned me a couple of times. I just spilled it. I said that he always was buying drinks for all the students.

This conversation...

This conversation...

I did tell him all this because it did happen.

I did tell him all this because it did happen.

No, I remember going to the front of that boat and he was standing there. And I remember telling him that Walker would buy alcohol, that he had been sleeping with a former student. So the first student I mentioned to him was Rita. You know, I have to say, I'm not sure if I mentioned Jeannie by name because we were still in school together and I probably didn't want to get her in trouble.

No, I remember going to the front of that boat and he was standing there. And I remember telling him that Walker would buy alcohol, that he had been sleeping with a former student. So the first student I mentioned to him was Rita. You know, I have to say, I'm not sure if I mentioned Jeannie by name because we were still in school together and I probably didn't want to get her in trouble.

The ketamine really broke down a lot of my barriers.

The ketamine really broke down a lot of my barriers.