For Martin's father, Imants, "Martin
has become the Monument and his destiny of making a difference
in the lives of others lives lives on by becoming intertwined
with the legacy of the Monument."
Honouring
Imants Kruze
Imants Kruze as persisted over the years as one of
the most ardent and consistent supporters of the "Reaching
Out" Child Abuse Monument and of Dr. Irving's
work. Imants has continued to show up at events and
drop into the various Monument studios. He has coached,
mentored and offered advise and direction. Imants
has been successful in securing funding and media
coverage. has been there for the Monument and the
Monument has been there for him. He and his partner,
Mara, leave flowers at the base of the Child Abuse
Monument bronze figure in Dr. Irving's driveway every
October 30 in memory of the anniversary of Martin
Arnold's suicide.
Imants Kruze inspecting the bronze casting process details
of Martin Arnold's quilt square that was sculpted by Dr.
Michael Irving.
Just One
Person
Martin Arnold Kruze
Quilt squares and
writing on the column below are contributed by survivors
victimized by the men of the sex ring working out of
Maple Leaf Garden's from the late 1960's up to the mid
1980's.
Martin's Hope
Martin Arnold Kruze
1962-1987
Speaking at the "Men
of Courage Conference" Dr. Irving stated, "I
am proud to have cast Martin's hand, sculpt his portrait
and provide him an immortality through the Monument
as is happening for all of the brave Monument participants.
"
In the1960's through
into the 1980's a "sex ring" operated out
of a variety of sports venues and schools in Toronto.
These cowards inflicted harm on children from every
walk of life. Most were twelve or thirteen at the
time of their assaults.
Martin Arnold Kruze
was one of the children groomed and taken in by this
sex ring. At 32 years old he was one of the first
courageous men to break the bond of shame and go the
the Garden's officials with the tragic story of innocence
stolen from him in childhood. He was seeking some
way to deal with the ongoing suffering it left him
with.
Initially Martin Kruze settled with
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment in 1993 for $60,000
in an agreement that also forced him into the silence
of confidentiality about being molested by Hannah
and Stuckless. Martin continued to suffer with the
pain of child abuse and depression.
Breaking
the Silence
After Swift Current
Broncos' coach Graham James' conviction of molesting
Sheldon Kennedy Martin changed his mind about keeping
his abuse hidden. Speaking out seemed like the best
way to move forward and reach out to help and protect
others. In February 1997 Martin Kruze told the world
that he had been sexually abused as a youth at Maple
Leaf Gardens.
Martin wanted to help
others deal with the pain they had suffered and he
wanted to raise awareness about abuse. “If I
can help just one person, he would say, “Then
I’ll have done my job.” In stepping forward
Martin Kruze initiated the falling of a cascade of
dominoes that prevented the harm to many other children
and helped many survivors of this sex ring to come
forward and seek help.
The media response was
unprecedented. Soon 60 men and two women came forward
to the police to tell the secrets that they had pledged
never to tell. Many lives were profoundly touched
in ways that Martin would never know. The story began
to unfold of a ring of perpetrators at Canada's Hockey
Shrine providing hockey pucks, sticks, memorabilia,
game and concert tickets and access to the back rooms
of Maple Leaf Gardens to little boys in return for
sex.
There were claims that
Gordon Stuckless, John Paul Roby and George Hannah
and the sex ring they were associated with, cruelly
touched the lives of hundreds more children at a variety
of sports settings in Toronto.
I am reaching out
to save the children
of the future.
Brian
HOUSE OF PAIN
The House of Pain is where it began
Feeling the pain of another man’s hand.
Stolen trust ripped from our souls
made us lose our self control.
Bring back that child that was hurt so bad
Make him believe he could be a good lad!
Derrick B.
CHILDHOOD CRIES
Childhood cries cannot be heard
Reaching out for a whole new world
The pain inside will never go away
Make me believe in tomorrow, today.
Power and trust is what was broken
If I had the knowledge, I would have spoken.
Time has passed, how can it be
That I have no life, I have no dreams.
Life to me seems so unreal
Reaching out, only to feel
The boy inside is no longer real
Derrick B.
MY FRIEND, MY HERO
My friend, my
hero
Climb out of your shell
Make us believe
We’re not in hell
You’re the one who cleaned the ice
Because of you, I'm full of life
I thank you, Sir
I will never forget
The man who gave
The Gardens fits!
God Bless you Martin. We all
thank you and will never forget
the inspiration you showed us.
God Bless!
Derrick B.
An
Incomprehensible Sentence
Martin wrote in his victim
impact statement for Stuckless' sentencing hearing:
"I've been full of anger, rage, guilt, shame,
loneliness, terror and self-hatred"? The damage
Stuckless did to scores of children was appalling.
Stuckless was sentenced to less than two years imprisonment
for a conviction of abusing 24 youth. Martin, like
many victims of child abuse, was devastated by the
low value that seemed to be placed on the loss of
his childhood and innocence. Distraught by the wrongfully
light sentencing Martin Kruze jumped to his death
off the Bloor Viaduct three days later.
Martin paid the ultimate
price with his life. The cost of abuse is high in
so many ways. Martin's last words to his partner Jayne,
who saw his torment in adult life, was that he was
going for a long walk and a final, 'I love you.'
During welding process, Imants Kruze,
Martin Arnold's father, looks at his son's
memorial portrait sculpted by
Dr. Michael C. Irving.
Kruze
Family Responds
Martin’s family
put out a short statement and asked that it be placed
on the Monument web site:
“The family
is devastated over the loss of a wonderful son and
brother. It is a tragedy that should never have happened.
We are extremely
proud that Martin came forward to tell his story about
his years of sexual abuse and that he was able to
help so many other people come forward to tell their
stories and begin to deal with their own tragedies.
In the end, we feel
that Justice was not served and unfortunately, Martin
paid the biggest price of all – with his own
life.”
The Kruze
Family
Grooming
Vulnerable Children
The tragedy is that the
family let Martin Arnold go downtown to the Garden's
because they though it was a particularly safe and
inspiring place for young boys to spend time at. The
family was strongly interested in their three boy
being immersed in sports -- hockey, basketball and
soccer. At the time, the doors of the Maple Leaf Garden's
premises, as a "Hockey Shrine", were like
Churches of the time never locked.
Around age 13 Martin was
introduced by his older brother to the incredible
access to the Gardens, he got pulled into the allure
when experienced "grooming" staff promised
him a tryout with the Maple Leaf's junior team, the
Marlies. In an interview before his death Martin stated,
"I kept coming
back because I wanted that Marlies' tryout. I kept
coming back because I could get onto the Leaf bench
... I was a pedophile's dream,"
The Maple Leaf's equipment
manager George Hannah groomed Martin in the Leaf's
dressing room during and after games with praise of
calling him his "Number 1 boy." Martin got
to sit in Ballard's private booth and watch the games
with Hannah. The boys were selectively privileged
to skate on the Toronto Maple Leaf ice after games
or early in the morning.
The allure of being special at Canada's Hockey Shrine
was intoxicating for young boys in the 1960's and 1970's.
Martin Reaches
Out To Dr. Irving
Martin met Dr. Irving in the spring
of 1997 at a press conference to launch the CAST booklet
"When a Child or Youth is Sexually Abused...
A Guide for Youth, Parents and Caregivers." Martin
was acknowledged in the booklet and was actively working
to raise money for more printing runs.
Over several conversations Martin saw
the Monument as something he could instantly become
part of and that would be a vision for change for
generations to come. The Monument was bigger than
life and would definitely make a difference in the
lives of other. To Martin the Monument was a vehicle
to inspire others.
Early on Martin booked for a quilt
square workshop for the fall. Unfortunately the workshop
start time was close to Stuckless' sentencing hearing.
Martin called Dr. Irving and said he was too stressed
to attend the upcoming workshops and could he begin
his sculpting his quilt square after the hearing was
over. Sadly Martin never was able to attend a Monument
quilt square workshop.
Pray's Freedom
Kruze Family
Contact Dr. Irving
After his death by suicide the Kruze
family approached Dr. Michael Irving and said Martin
was greatly inspired and impressed by what he saw
as, "An epic memorial Monument Dr. Irving was
creating." The family requested that Martin's
wish of being part of the "Reaching Out Child
Abuse Monument" be fulfilled.
Dr. Irving arranged for making a death
mask of Martin through a cast of his hand. Martin's
brothers, Gary and Ronald, assisted Dr. Irving in
taking the cast of Martin's hand while Martin was
resting in the casket. His brothers spent the morning
speaking to Martin while Dr. Irving was carrying on
Martin's wish of being part of something that would
live on. Later the brothers were to say, "It
was the most profound experience of their lives."
It would take another two years for
Dr. Irving and Martin's father, Imants, to design
a Monument quilt square appropriate to Martin's vision
and legacy. Dr. Irving engraved the message Imants
chose, "Martin's Hope" and sculpted a portrait
from a special family photo of Martin in a visionary
pose.
Derrick B. credits Martin Kruze's courage with helping
him to come out and heal from the wounds of Maple Leaf
Gardens
"We were trying to find the right kind
of response to the problem of child abuse at Maple Leaf
Gardens. It is an important reminder to us of the problems
that happened at Maple Leaf Gardens, but I think the
second part of it is the unique power of the Monument.
All of those squares talk about really disturbing stories
and yet for me, and most people looking at it, the impact
of the Monument is one of inspiration.
Ken Dryden Reaches Out to Kruze Family
At the time of Martin's death Ken Dryden
had only recently become President of Maple Leaf Sports
and Entertainment. The flag was lowered at Maple Leaf
Gardens. Ken Dryden phoned the Kruze family from the
USA and took the courageous step of asking the Kruze
family if he could attend the funeral, which he did.
A few weeks later Dryden had an already
scheduled meeting with Dr. Irving about the Child
Abuse Survivor Monument Project. He asked the Kruze
family to attend this meeting with Dr. Irving as a
way to exploring bringing about some good from the
terrible loss and tragedy at hand.
Maple Leaf Gardens'
Forum on Child Abuse
A key idea for the Monument Project
was to find in road events and activities into the
community that will further child abuse healing, awareness
and prevention. These concepts coalesced with the
desires of the Kruze family. Further agencies and
groups addressing concerns of abuse were brought into
ongoing meetings over the next few months with the
result of a variety of innovative initiatives being
undertaken.
Monument staff were principles in organizing
a two-day Martin Arnold Kruze Memorial Forum at the
Gardens the following Spring. The Forum included seminars
on abuse and information for parents, teachers, coaches
and children. Over a hundred organizations came from
coast to coast across Canada.
A major display of the "Reaching
Out Child Abuse Monument" was the feature exhibit
filling a third of the ice space of Maple Leaf Gardens.
At the Forum a special press conference
was held by the Maple Leafs Management and an official
apology from the owners and heads of the organization
was given to the Kruze family.
A forum in memory of
Martin Kruze was held at Maple Leaf Gardens to get people
to talk about the terrible crime of child abuse.
Our voices and stories must be heard. Derek D.
SHATTERED
My trust has been…
My faith has been…
My belief in most humans has been…
My love for myself has been…
My will to live at times has been…
My desire has been…
My faith in justice has been…
My dignity has been…
My family has been…
Most of all my childhood memories
Have been… SHATTERED
Derek D.
At a two day Forum in memory of Martin Arnold
Kruze Derek Dukalow comes out about his terrible experience
of sexual abuse as a boy at Toronto’s Maple Leaf
Gardens and encourages others to do the same.
"Reaching Out Child Abuse Monument" Quilt
Squares
and Information Highlights at the
Martin Arnold Kruze Memorial Forum
In Memory of Martin Arnold Kruze
as a Hero by Derek Dukalow
With broken bones, cuts and scraps,
the pain goes away and the bones mend in a short
period of time. With child sexual abuse, the pain
and emotional scars sometimes never go away and
you never forget about it; EVER!!
Children are our future. We must
do whatever it takes to protect them from all types
of predators and dangers that are out there and
even right here next to us.
Martin, you are my hero, my strength,
my reason to carry on the fight to bring awareness
of child sexual abuse. If it was not for you I can
say that I probably never would have come forward
about what had happened to me so many years ago.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t
think of you with great admiration and yet sorrow
at the same time to see such a great and powerful
man die so young and tragically.
I can say I have felt your pain
to some degree. I have been to that point of no
return, but fortunately or unfortunately which ever
you want to look at it, I was unsuccessful. It was
a pleasure just to have known you, even though it
was only for a short period of time.
GOD BLESS YOU MARTIN KRUZE.
Garden's Survivors
Join Dr. Irving
My hand is strong so you can't see the
fear of the child inside of me,
So touch my hand and feel my pain,
And promise to never let it happen again.
Allan
For Allan his hand represents being free to admit what
happened at Maple Leaf Gardens. It is his way of putting
something out to say, "I am here." His quilt
square was made in a workshop with other survivors from
the Maple Leaf Garden’s sex abuse tragedy.
The Hand
A hand of wax
A hand of clay.
Making it takes
Some of the pain away
A hand of bronze
Or steel or gold
Keeps the memory young
As we grow old.
The hands around me
That form this quilt,
Are hands of strength
Not hands of guilt.
We stood up
For those who can’t
A brother, a sister,
An uncle, an aunt.
So touch my hand
And feel my pain
And promise to never
Let it happen again.
Allan
The next winter a group of men who
had been abused as children at the Maple Leaf Gardens
attended healing arts workshops in Dr. Irving's
studio. They made sculpted quilt squares, writings
and poetry that can be found in the column on the
right side of this web page.
The Garden's survivor became active
volunteers in Dr. Irving's studio and have made
important contributions to seeing the "Reaching
Out Child Abuse Monument" become a reality.
Dr. Irving painting patina on cast paper
edition of Martin Kruze sculpted quilt square.
Bronze cast of Martin Kruze quilt square
on "Reaching Out Child Abuse Monument"
Hockey Community Responds
Martin Kruze and Sheldon
Kennedy spoke out together at a number of functions
including the Oprah Show.
Canadian Hockey organizations
have have shown remarkable strength in directly responding
to the concerns of abuse.
Toronto Maple Leaf Sports
and Entertainment have provided a variety of types
of participation, support and sponsorship of child
abuse awareness and prevention activities and programs.
When the Maple Leaf
Gardens officially closed in 1999 Larry Tanenbaum
had to courage and vision to offer a donation of 10
percent of the proceeds of the auction of historical
memorabilia from the Maple Leaf Gardens to the "Reaching
Out" The Child Abuse Survivor Monument.
Larry Tanenbaum at the "Reaching Out
Child Abuse Monument display on the ice
of Maple Leaf Gardens
In response to the abuse
of hockey player Sheldon Kennedy, the Canadian Hockey
League had the courage to bring a variety of Canadian
experts together to create an in depth report that
is of value to sports and youth organizations in protecting
children against abuse.
Martin Kruze first broke the silence and told police
and Canadians about the sexual abuse of young boys at
Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. It was a revelation
that shocked the hockey community and eventually lead
to Martin Kruze’s death.
Sheldon Kennedy at the Maple Leaf Gardens exhibit
of the Child Abuses Survivor Monument art, poetry
and information highlights. After his skate across
Canada, Sheldon donated an incredible 1 million dollars
to Canadian Red Cross Abuse Prevention Services.
Michael painting the patina
on Sheldon Kennedy's cast
paper quilt square. The squares has a map of Canada
with the route of Sheldon's skate along with the question,
"Are we there yet?"
A
disturbing but honest account of the sexual abuse
at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, told through the
story of Martin Kruze.
Cathy
Vine and Paul Challen tell the story of Martin Kruze,
one of the victims of sexual abuse at Maple Leaf Gardens
in the 1970s. In 1997, in a dramatic TV interview,
Kruze revealed that as a young hockey player he had
been sexually abused at Maple Leaf Gardens by Gordon
Stuckless, an employee at the Gardens. Stuckless was
eventually convicted and sentenced to two years less
a day in prison. Three days after the sentencing,
Martin Kruze jumped off a bridge to his death.
Kruze’s
story is interspersed with the voices of other victims,
who were compelled by Kruze’s disclosure to
come forward with their own stories.
This
powerful and moving account is both an expose of a
shameful chapter in the history of Canadian sport
and a testament to the human spirit.
Derek Dukalow holds back tears about being sexual
abused as a boy at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens
at a forum honouring Martin Arnold Kruze.
Kathy Vine
Martin
Kruze Remembered Cathy Vine, M.S.W., November 15,
1999.
On
February 18, 1997 Martin Kruze stepped forward and
told Canadians across the country that he was a survivor
of sexual abuse. This kind of telling is rare for
survivors. Some tell a trusted friend, family member,
or therapist - the majority never tell anyone. Instead,
the oath of silence consumes them from within, absorbing
their thoughts and weighing down their hearts for
lifetimes.
What
was it about Martin Kruze that compelled him to take
the unusual step of speaking out? What was it that
set him apart from so many, and in particular, beckoned
the media to his door?
We
need to ask these questions and attempt their answers
so that we can continue to learn from Martin Kruze,
Survivor - as he so proudly called himself - and the
many women and men to whom Martin spoke most directly
when he came forward. Although others have spoken
publicly about their victimization - former NHL player
Sheldon Kennedy revealed his abuse just a month before
Martin - the media response to Martin's words was
unprecedented.
Was
it because the media cared about the sexual abuse
of yet one more young person? Perhaps. Was it more
likely that they responded in such force because of
the setting in which the abuse took place? Without
a doubt. In February 1997, Martin Kruze told the media
that Gordon Stuckless and George Hannah had sexually
abused him as a youth at Maple Leaf Gardens. Martin
then told them that he did not want his identity protected
as is the usual practice. Instead, he hoped that by
putting himself forward, others would feel encouraged
to do the same.
Pictures
and stories flashed across the country through newspapers,
magazines, television and radio. Canadians were shocked
that this kind of gross misconduct could have taken
place in their cathedral of hockey - the repository
of everyone's dreams about getting close to, if not
experiencing, fame and success through the national
pastime. A visit to Maple Leaf Gardens was like stepping
into the dreamworlds of many Canadian children and
adults, for it epitomized the aspirations of anyone
in our country who had ever handled a hockey stick.
Along
with shock and outrage, disbelief and criticism greeted
Martin's revelations as well. Some questioned the
veracity of his telling: Could this really have happened?
How could it have gone on for so long? Years earlier,
Martin had sued Maple Leaf Gardens and reached a financial
settlement with them. What was he doing coming forward
now?
Thousands
of Canadians who themselves have endured sexual abuse
shook their heads in recognition, relief, admiration
and fear, for here it was, once again, all of the
attendant ugliness of sexual abuse being raised out
of the depths of silence. When you don't tell, the
only judge you have to face is yourself. When you
do tell, you become the lightning rod for everyone's
discomfort, apprehension and blame.
The
media's obsession with this news story veered along
several tendencies: celebrating Kruze's courage, questioning
the integrity and circumstances surrounding his allegations
and lambasting the management of Maple Leaf Gardens.
As the airwaves and print media stamped out the news
updates, a chain reaction was beginning to take place
across the country: hundreds of men and a number of
women were stopping in their tracks because what they
were hearing and seeing in public was a mirror of
their very own private hells. Yes, they too had been
abused by these same men - and by others. One way
or another,
Martin's
decision to make his abuse public compelled them to
do something about theirs. Hundreds stepped forward
and contacted the police, others told someone they
knew and still others lived a new version of their
secret. Whatever the decision, there probably isn't
one who didn't think about what exactly it would have
taken to step forward in the way that Martin did.
And
this is what was so compelling about Martin Kruze.
He was a man of tremendous energy, strength, compassion
and conviction. He was also a man with a taste for
irony and humour. He was irrepressible and impatient.
His blond hair, sweet smile, dapper suit and polished
shoes were everywhere for a time.
Martin
was a man on a mission and it was a deceptively simple
one. Martin wanted to help others deal with the pain
they had suffered and he wanted to raise awareness
about abuse. "If I can help just one person,"
he would say, "then I'll have done my job."
Martin did do his job. He gave countless interviews
and was forthright about his abuse experiences and
the effects on his life.
While
Martin's initial celebrity derived from his shameful
link to Maple Leaf Gardens, Martin's continued willingness
to express feelings and describe experiences so rarely
declared in public created a new kind of celebrity
- a hero for survivors. He was someone who could have
really been anyone. He talked again and again about
living with confusion, pain and fear. He spoke about
his addiction to drugs and to sex. He spoke about
feeling worthless and hopeless and wanting to die.
To
this day, many call Martin Kruze their inspiration;
many credit him with saving their lives. While some
call him hero, others remember too well the dangers
of heroizing important people in their lives. Martin
was flattered by the attention and it meant a great
deal to him to be making a difference to others. Inspiration
and hope abounded.
When
the media flurry began to pass, he focused on what
he could do next to help. Martin Kruze became a volunteer.
He brought his energy and passion to the Central Agencies
Sexual Abuse Treatment Program in Toronto and helped
launch a handbook for parents and youth coping with
sexual abuse. "If I had had this kind of information
when I was younger," he said, "I would have
had somewhere to reach out to."
Martin
supported the Gatehouse in Etobicoke when it was still
a dream living in a broken building. His own goal
was to build a centre for abused boys. But in the
meantime, he made himself available to help in any
way that he could. He sent faxes of information on
sexual abuse to anyone who took an interest, each
arrival announced by his cover sheet: a giant hand
drawn 'happy face' placed under his title, "Survivor".
Martin created this role for himself and he carried
it out every day that he could.
Along
with all of his life-charging qualities, however,
Martin was also a man who had been profoundly violated
and wounded. In spite of all that he continued to
do for himself and for others, and the clear benefits
of years of therapy and support, he still hurt. Even
though so many of us got to meet survivor Martin Kruze
through his interviews, television appearances and
volunteer work, we really only ever knew the Martin
that he invited us to know.
When
the high from his goodwill mission began to unravel,
he hid his troubles from the many who cared for him,
just as he had hidden his abuse for so many years
before. He could no longer numb or wash away the hurt,
let alone repair it fast enough to make his life livable.
The public persona, which so many had come to admire,
could not defeat the anguish that he continued to
endure so privately.
Throughout
the time he opened this window into his life, the
trial and sentencing of one of his offenders proceeded.
Once again, there was significant media attention
when an alarmingly short sentence was given to Gordon
Stuckless. Although Martin was only one of twenty-four
men whose victimization was being addressed through
this trial, many of Martin's fellow survivors felt
that the brevity of the sentence was an affront to
Martin in particular.
On
October 30, 1997, Martin Kruze committed suicide.
His departure was as public and as intentional as
his arrival had been. Hearts broke and the barely
mended lives of the men who were most affected by
him were shattered. As ugly and painful as the act
of suicide may be, it needs to be included in our
memories of Martin Kruze.
Martin
was only one of the many survivors who have found
themselves at suicide's door - and characteristically,
Martin did publicly what thousands have considered,
attempted or carried out privately. As a public figure,
Martin's death by suicide became front page and lead
story news. The media was responding to Martin Kruze
again. Any other survivor's death, let alone daily
plight, would likely have gone unnoticed and unreported.
First
Martin Kruze needed to be heard. Now he needs to be
remembered. If we don't remember and learn from a
man who stepped courageously forward in all of his
goodness and brokenness, how can we acknowledge and
honour each and every child and adult, whose lives
are profoundly, quietly affected by sexual abuse?
Martin spoke about sexual abuse when the silence surrounding
it was deafening. Martin made public what so many
experience in shame and fear.
Martin
was one person who made a difference. His individual
efforts and actions were magnified a thousand times
through the media. Many others carry out their own
efforts each day, facing the same risks, and sometimes
experiencing the satisfaction of knowing that they
too have helped someone. Whatever the means and aspirations,
the personal costs can be tremendous.
Comprehensive
efforts and initiatives are needed to bolster what
survivors continue to do, often alone. They've already
lived alone with abuse for too long. The individual
and collective steps we keep taking to create greater
safety for children and survivors will be the truest
legacy of Martin Kruze.
Martin
Kruze Remembered by Cathy Vine, M.S.W., November 15,
1999.
Sick Perpetrators
John Paul Roby
Gordon Stuckless
In 1988, Stuckless pleaded guilty to
assaulting a boy and received a short jail sentence.
In 1989 the Garden's became aware Stuckless was a
convicted pedophile. When Stuckless was arrested for
abusing boys at Maple Leaf Gardens he on probation,
following 14 months incarceration for sexual assaults
in the early 1990's on several children in York Region.
In 1997 Stuckless pleaded guilty to
24 counts of sexual and indecent assault associated
with abuse at Maple Leaf Gardens and was sentenced
to 2 years less a day. There was Martin's suicide
and other public outrage about this ridiculous light
sentencing.
Sentence — Sexual offences
— Accused pleading guilty to 24 charges of
indecent and sexual assault — Offences taking
place over 30-year period and involving boys between
10 and 15 years of age — Acts involving oral
sex and masturbation — Impact on victims severe
— Accused having purposefully established
relationships of trust with victims for own sexual
gratification — Trial judge erred in principle
in characterizing offences as being at lower end
of spectrum by virtue of absence of force or violence
— Trial judge also erred in principle in concluding
that general deterrence had no role in sentencing
of pedophiles — Sentence of two years less
one day and three years' probation unfit —
While fit sentence would be total of six years'
imprisonment, sentence of five years' imprisonment
imposed to take account of eight months' pre-trial
custody.
With this appeal ruling Stuckless'
sentence was increased to five years. After serving
two-thirds of his sentence he was paroled in February
2001, which was again followed by great public outrage.
Roby was convicted in 1999 of sexually
molesting 26 boys and one girl over a period of three
decades, more than half of the 57 charges against
him. While in prison he was declared a dangerous offender,
which allowed the Crown to leave him in prison indefinitely.
At 58 a pathetic Roby was found dead in his cell at
Kingston Penitentiary in Ontario.
George Hanna, a long time equipment
manager with the Toronto Marlboros, died in 1985 before
the abuse came to public light. Even though he was
dead at the time of the Garden's trials the courts
found while convicting Gordon Stuckless that at Maple
Leaf Gardens Stuckless was:
...having the boys perform sexual
acts with each other in front of him and his Maple
Leaf Gardens supervisor, George Hanna, while he
and Hanna masturbated; having the boys perform oral
sex on George Hanna; and participating with Hanna
in group sex with the boys.
Kruze Family
Tackles Suicide Magnet
The Danforth-Bloor Viaduct Bridge was
becoming recognized as a "suicide magnet"
that had a high incidence of suicides. To give further
meaning to Martin's courage and struggles the Kruze
family worked diligently to see that a suicide barrier,
six crisis help phones and signage would be installed
at the Danforth-Bloor Viaduct Bridge.
Teresa and Gary Kruze appeared before
the Urban Environment and Development Committee in
connection the suicide project at the Bloor Street
Viaduct. They made submissions along with the Bridge
Committee of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
and the Bloor Viaduct Project Steering Committee
On May 11 and 12, 1999, the Toronto
City Council authorized an increase funding by $1.0
million for the Prince Edward Viaduct Suicide Deterrent
that would allow the $5.5 million project to proceed.
The Bloor Viaduct had averaged one suicide every three
weeks. No reported deaths have occurred since the
suicide barrier went up that the Kruze family so diligently
fought for on behalf of the memory of Martin Arnold
Kruze.
Danforth-Bloor Viaduct "Suicide Magnet"
protected by installation of Suicide Deterrent.
Abuse Still
Coming to Light
A decade after Martin came forward
men are still reporting abuse by the sex
ring working out of Maple Leaf Garden's in the
1970's.
Ten Year Anniversary
of Martin's Death
In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness
Month and in tribute to the memory of Martin Arnold
his Sister-in-Law, Teresa Kruze,
wrote, produced and narrated a sensitive one-hour
documentary show, Voice
of Courage – The Martin Arnold Kruze Story,
for OMNI1 in the fall of 2007. Martin's father Imants
provided remarkable archival super 8 film for this
documentary.