I published this page in June, 1999 shortly after showing Michelle the transcript of the videotaped interview she had given. Michelle was determined to learn the truth of what had happened to her. Today, actual video, along with three others was shown in open court. Michelle took the stand and testified that she had asked for help on several occasions and had always received a brush-off.--Sheila Steele, Sept. 10, 2003

When their childwitnesses tried to tell them that their brother was raping them, they were told that the problem was theirs as much as his. Nothing was done to stop Michael from raping, sodomizing and torturing his sisters at the Thompson home in Warman. In fact, for more than three years after this interview, the children were kept together in the same house. Nine years later, the assaults are no longer sexual but they are still deadly. Keeping the lies intact

October 28, 1990: interview of childwitness by Corporal Brian Dueck and Carol Bunko-Ruys

interview begins at 11.22.44 a.m. We will take this interview up at 11.46 when Sgt. Dueck begins to wrap up the interview.

MR. DUECK: Okay. Well, I think we've talked to (Michelle) enough for today. I think (childwitness) looks tired. I think (childwitness) was awake last night, wasn't she?

(childwitness) nods her head as if to indicate yes.

MR. DUECK: How come she was awake? Do you want to talk about that?

(childwitness): No.

MR. DUECK: No?

(childwitness): No.

MR. DUECK: What were you doing last night?

(childwitness): I don't want to tell.

MR. DUECK: You don't want to tell? You know something?

(childwitness): What?

MR DUECK: There's something that you need to remember about Carol and me, and that even though we don't like some of the things that are happening that you do, we still think that you're a very neat kid and we really like you. Did you believe that?

(childwitness): Yes.

MR. DUECK: yeah. So it's okay sometimes to tell.

(childwitness) Yes.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: Do you know, (childwitness), you and I have talked about your touching problem at my office and that you have a really big touching problem?

(childwitness): Yes.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: And that it's okay. It's too big just for you to look after by yourself, right?

(childwitness): And handle by myself.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: That's right. And so you know Brian is another one of the people who can help with that. So it's okay to let him know what was going on last night.

(childwitness): Well, Michael was screwing me.

MR. DUECK: Michael was screwing you? In whose room?

(childwitness): My room.

MR. DUECK: In your room?

(childwitness): Because our dad gave Michael another chance, and he left the door - he left - he didn't tie the door because he was going to give Michael a chance not to screw.

MR. DUECK: Okay, all right. Do you know what I know about kids, (childwitness)?

(childwitness): What?

MR. DUECK: Because you know that I talk to kids all the time about stuff that's happened to them?

(childwitness): Yeah.

MR. DUECK: And I know that kids who have a touching problem, those are kids that have been - something has happened to them from big people. I know that. And I know that the reason that they often touch and have touching problems is because some really bad stuff has happened to them, and that's what I want to do is I want to help them, and that's why it's good that they tell me about the big people who have done stuff to them.

(childwitness): Put them in jail.

MR. Dueck:m,Do you think we should put them in jail?

(childwitness): Do you know what?

MR. DUECK: Who should all go to jail?

(childwitness): The people who sex abused me, but Anita and Dale moved.

MR. DUECK: That;s okay. I know where they are.

(childwitness): where?

MR. DUECK: I can't tell you.

(childwitness): Please.

MR. DUECK: No, I can't tell you.

(childwitness): I bet I know.

Mr. Dueck: I'll bet you don't.

(childwitness): I bet I do.

MR. DUCEK: Where?

(childwitness): Police.

MR. DUECK: No, they haven't moved to the police yet, but they will. If you help me, then maybe that will happen. But I know where they are because the police knw everything.

(childwitness): How do you know?

MR. DUECK: I do. I already checked it out. I know where they are.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: So, (childwitness), with your big touching problem do you think that we -- after we talked that we say it's okay for you to be doing that just because people have touched you?

(childwitness) shakes her head as if to indicate no.

MS BUNKO-RUYS: What do we say about touching other people?

(childwitness): You should - you can only touch - it's okay to touch yourself but don"t touch other people.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: That's right. So that's what we're working on, right?

(childwitness) nods as if to indicate yes.

MS. BUNKO-RUYS: Okay.

MR. DUECK: Okay? well, I think we've talked enough for today. Thanks. You've done really good, okay. So should we go and get Mom and Dad?

(childwitness): Yeah.

The evidence throughout these tapes makes it clear that NO ONE took seriously Michael's daily sexual assaults on his sisters. He was the star witness and his was the mind which Dueck and Bunko used to create the monster stories. To keep his creative juices flowing -- the source of the "evidence" which would advance their careers, Dueck, Bunko and Marilyn Thompson looked the other way while Michael acted out his own monstrous acts. Dueck said in court that there was nothing he could have done at the time because Michael was under 12.

In the above passage, it is also clear that they have really believed Michael to the point that they have branded the sister who is trying to report his actions as a willing partner with a similar touching problem. They were fools to believe it, but it worked for them. Nine years later, when Michael attempts to strangle this same complainant, the police brush it off. They didn't charge him for several weeks, and then only after the complainant had called them several times. They did not place any restrictions on his association with her. Finally he has a trial date eight months after the fact. The whole Saskatoon Police Department is in league with Dueck to allow Michael to continue assaulting his sister.

Diane Ens of Social Services is keeping up her end of the cover-up by strongly advising the same former childwitness complainant to stay away from injusticebusters and the website.

Update: During August, 2001, Michael acknowledged to injusticebuster Sheila Steele that he had, indeed, raped and sodomized his sisters and that he had wanted this kept secret because he was afraid of legal reprisals. Once he was assured that there would be no legal reprisals and that it was wrong of the adult authorities to "look the other way" and allow him to continue, it was as though a huge weight had been removed from his shoulders. In daily conversations (Michael was in jail at the time) Steele and Ross discussed his situation and at the end of the month he agreed to tell the truth to Linden McIntyre for a show fifth estate was preparing. In October, he agreed to meet with Richard Klassen. Fifth estate agreed to postpone the show until Michael was out of the Correctional Centre and Steele pseudonymized his name on the website. Within days of the airing Nov. 29, 2000, Michael realized that there was great sympathy for him in the community and was no longer afraid of his own name.

A matter of interest -- It was not until Dec. 3, 2001 that a Saskatchewan journalist (Chris Epp) used the names Klassen and Ross in connection with this case. Saskatchewan authorities and most of the media still try to bury their heads in the sand, even though it is frozen and covered with snow. But the rest of the country has no trouble speaking of this case, now that they know the names of the players.

Psst. This is not Martensville. This is Martensville.

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