Ottawa man involved with Scouts Canada charged with sex offences, police say
Ottawa police say a 67-year-old former Scouts leader is facing charges in connection to historical sexual assaults on children.
Police announced Wednesday that John Rietveld is charged with buggery, indecent assault on a male, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference with a person under 16 and two counts of invitation to sexual touching with person under 16.
Police say the charges follow an investigation into historical sexual assaults that occurred between July 1, 1978 and March 2006.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Scouts Canada says Rietveld volunteered with the organization from 1967 to 1975, and was employed by Scouts Canada from 1975 to 2011.
"In July 2018, Scouts Canada was advised by police that Mr. Rietveld was under investigation," said Scouts Canada.
"We cooperated fully with the Ottawa Police Service and will continue to support their investigation in any way we can. While we have become aware that an incident took place at a Scouting event, the police have shared very few details with us."
Police say investigators believe there could be other victims, boys or girls, as offences were alleged to have occurred in Ottawa, the Niagara Region, Mississauga and Perth.
"It is alleged that one of the victims was assaulted while at a Jamboree,” police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5944.
Correction
Ottawa Police say the charges follow an investigation into historical sexual assaults that occurred between July 1, 1978 and March 2006, not 1968 as previously reported.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.