Exploitation of an Elderly Person - The 1-2-3 of Bringing Abusers to Justice!**

March 31, 2025 - Posted by: Allan Gold - In category: Elder Law, Health, Retirement - No responses

Gold’s Legal Minute*GLM*

Exploitation of an Elderly Person – The 1-2-3 of Bringing Abusers to Justice!**

By Allan Gold, lawyer Montreal and elder law attorney

Vol. 16, #4 – March 31, 2025

OPENING

It is said, “Beware the Ides of March!” That’s a date, famously associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar, making it a symbol of misfortune and betrayal. I just read an interesting court judgment which came down this month. It struck a blow against those financially abusing a senior – perfect time for one to get their ‘just desserts.’

This decision is well reasoned. The judge was methodical. I decided to do a case comment. My purpose is like the purveyor of an old-time hockey game program. Many were bought as souvenirs. But more were purchased to identify players during the game. My hope is this case comment will help good people identify and bring to justice perpetrators who do this dirty deed.

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“Elder Abuse and Neglect should not be over-looked and ignored. We need to shed the light on this very serious issue. Be a part of the solution, not the problem.” Mustangdebbie2007 – Debbie Dahmer 1

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STARTING POINT

Knowing what terms mean is the correct place to start.

Definitions

“exploit” “verb [ T ] uk /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ us /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ exploit verb [T] (USE WELL) Add to word list B2 to use something in a way that helps you:” 2

“Mistreatment of older persons” is “a single or repeated event that involves a person, a group, a community, or an organization and occurs within a relationship where there is an expectation of trust, when an act, word, attitude, or lack of appropriate action causes or risks causing negative consequences for an older person. It includes events of physical, psychological, financial or material, and sexual mistreatment that can be expressed in the form of violence (act word or attitude) or neglect (lack of appropriate action).”3

FACT SHEET

Here’s a quick list of things you need to know on topic.

“Key facts

Around 1 in 6 people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year.
Rates of abuse of older people are high in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities, with 2 in 3 staff reporting that they have committed abuse in the past year.
Rates of abuse of older people have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abuse of older people can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences.
Abuse of older people is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing populations.
The global population of people aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion in 2050.” 4

STATUTE

In this case, the critical provision of law is the following.

Charte des droits et libertés de la personne (chapitre C-12)

“48. Toute personne âgée ou toute personne handicapée a droit d’être protégée contre toute forme d’exploitation.

Telle personne a aussi droit à la protection et à la sécurité que doivent lui apporter sa famille ou les personnes qui en tiennent lieu. 1975, c. 6, a. 48; 1978, c. 7, a. 113.”

[“48. Every aged person and every handicapped person has a right to protection against any form of exploitation.

Such a person also has a right to the protection and security that must be provided to him by his family or the persons acting in their stead. 1975, c. 6, s. 48; 1978, c. 7, s. 113.”]

ANALYSIS

Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (R.P.) c. Boissy 2025 QCTDP 7

Hon . Mme la Juge Sophie Lapierre of Tribunal des Droits de la Personne rendered the judgment. She provides the context in the first two paragraphs:

“[1] Cette affaire met en cause le droit d’une personne âgée d’être protégée contre toute forme d’exploitation, un droit reconnu à l’article 48 de la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne (Charte)1.

[2] La Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ), agissant dans l’intérêt public et en faveur de R. P., réclame des dommages-intérêts pour préjudice matériel, préjudice moral et des dommages-intérêts punitifs à Jacqueline Boissy et Denis Cormier qui, selon elle, auraient profité de leur position de force au détriment des intérêts de R. P., une personne âgée vulnérable, pour s’approprier sbusivement et sans droit des sommes d’argent de cette dernière.”

It’s alleged that our senior is a vulnerable elderly person. Taking advantage of a position of strength, two individuals improperly and unlawfully appropriate sums of money from her.

In the case at bar, the judge sets down the questions to be answered.

“[7] Le Tribunal décide des questions suivantes :

Entre les mois de septembre 2016 et de juillet 2021, Jacqueline Boissy et Denis Cormier ont-ils compromis le droit de R. P. à la protection des personnes âgées contre toute forme d’exploitation, en profitant de sa vulnérabilité pour s’approprier des sommes d’argent lui appartenant, contrairement à l’article 48 de la Charte?
R. P. a-t-elle subi un préjudice matériel et un préjudice moral résultant de l’atteinte à son droit d’être protégée contre toute forme d’exploitation?
Le cas échéant, l’atteinte au droit à la protection contre l’exploitation de R. P. est-elle intentionnelle de sorte que Jacqueline Boissy et Denis Cormier doivent être condamnés à des dommages-intérêts punitifs?
Le cas échéant, Jacqueline Boissy et Denis Cormier doivent-ils être condamnés solidairement?”

First. did Boissy and Cormier take advantage of a senior’s vulnerability over five years, appropriating money, thusly infringing senior’s right to be protected against all forms of exploitation? Second, did the senior suffer material/moral harm as a result? Third was it intentional? If so, should they be ordered to pay punitive damages? Fourth, should the two be ordered jointly and severally liable?

The ratio of the judgment is as follows.

“[34] L’arrêt Vallée7 de la Cour d’appel du Québec fait toujours autorité en matière de protection contre l’exploitation. En voici les extraits pertinents qui cernent l’essence de cette protection prévue à la Charte :

[23] Je suis d’avis que l’article 48 de la Charte constitue une disposition de droit substantiel qui confère à la personne âgée le droit strict d’être protégée contre toute forme d’exploitation. Il englobe donc tant les droits énoncés au Code civil que ceux qui n’y sont pas prévus, dans la mesure où une personne âgée est victime d’exploitation.

[24] En ce sens, l’article 48 de la Charte ajoute aux dispositions du Code civil du Québec une dimension supplémentaire : d’une part, elle étend la protection aux personnes âgées victimes d’exploitation sans égard à la validité de leur consentement ou à l’existence d’un régime de protection et d’autre part, elle vise toute forme d’exploitation et ne se limite pas au seul contrôle des actes juridiques et obligations contractées par les personnes âgées.

[35] La Charte interdit l’exploitation des personnes âgées, qui peut se manifester par une disproportion, un déséquilibre important et injuste entre la personne protégée et celle qui en abuse. Plus la personne âgée est vulnérable, plus la position de force de l’autre personne entraine une exploitation potentielle de la personne protégée8.

[36] Dans l’affaire Brzozowski9, que cite avec approbation la Cour d’appel dans l’arrêt Vallée10, l’exploitation au sens de la Charte comporte trois éléments, soit : 1) une mise à profit, 2) d’une position de force, 3) au détriment d’intérêts plus vulnérables.

[37] Comme le rappelait le Tribunal dans l’affaire Si.S.11 :

[62] Par l’adoption de l’article 48 de la Charte, le législateur québécois reconnaît la réalité sociale de l’exploitation des personnes âgées ou handicapées, exprime sa désapprobation à l’égard de ce phénomène, et élève au rang de valeur sociale fondamentale la protection des personnes âgées ou handicapées vulnérables.

[…]

[64] Bien entendu, l’article 48 de la Charte doit recevoir une interprétation large et libérale, du fait que la Charte est une loi quasi constitutionnelle et afin d’assurer l’accomplissement de son objet et l’exécution de ses prescriptions, suivant leurs véritables sens, esprit et fin. “

Simply put, Art 48 of Quebec Charter of Rights provides an elderly person the right to be protected against any form of exploitation. This right is substantive and strict. It targets all forms of exploitation. Whether or not, victim consents is irrelevant. A factor is disproportion – otherwise said: significant and unfair imbalance between protected person and abuser. In other words, exploitation as per Charter involves three elements: 1) taking advantage; 2) position of strength; 3) detriment of more vulnerable interests. This protection is characterized as a ‘fundamental social value.’ And when applying the law, courts must give a broad and liberal interpretation thereof.

The judge concludes and rules:

“[131] La CDPDJ satisfait son fardeau de prouver que Jacqueline Boissy et Denis Cormier ont, de concert, violé le droit de R. P. à la protection contre l’exploitation des personnes âgées.

[132] Ils ont agi intentionnellement, en pleine conscience de leurs agissements illégaux. Ils savaient qu’ils dépouillaient la victime de ses avoirs, sans intention aucune de la rembourser.”

Accordingly,. Madam Justice Lapierre found that Mme Boissy and Mr. Cormier together violated this senior’s right to protection. They acted wilfully, knowing what they were doing was illegal. The taking of victim’s money was absolute.

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“An exploiter denies what has happened. Just like the famous adage. “ best defense is a good offense,” he/she will use the victim’s vulnerability as a means of escape.” – Allan Gold

Abusers might try “gaslighting.” Such means “manipulation of someone into questioning his/her own perception of reality.” 5

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GOOD NEWS

Allan J Gold is now featured in FeedSpot Top 90 Canada Law Blogs. Check it out at https://bloggers.feedspot.com/canada_law_blogs/

CONCLUSION

Exploitation is a dirty word! If involving an elderly person, such is even more harmful. It has a connotation of betrayal together with cruelty and/or violence. Like crime, this victimization doesn’t pay. In this instance, the Court showed that to be true. Ordered to open their wallets and ‘paying the piper’ is a form of deterrence. So is the shame from this despicable behavior!

In closing, as a lawyer Montreal and elder law attorney, I say, “Information is power. Let’s each protect a senior today!”

! Check out my other LinkedIn articles at https://lnkd.in/dn4KSRG
!! Should you wish to peruse a variety of articles I have written, please visit https://allanjgold.com/blog-glm/
!!! Call to action: To every attorney in the field, I say, “Write a post/article. Let’s help seniors & their families become better informed about elder law Canada! And by the way, please send it along. I’d love to read it.”

NOTICE – CAUTION –DISCLAIMER. The material provided herein is of a general nature, strictly for informational purposes. The interpretation and analysis is not to be misapplied to a personal situation with a particular set of facts. Under no circumstances, are the herein suggestions and tips, intended to bring a reader to the point of acting or not acting, but instead, the hope is that they are to be a cause for pause and reflection. It is specifically declared that this content is not to be a replacement of, or a substitution for, legal or any other appropriate advice. To the contrary, for more information on these presents, related subjects or any other questions, it is the express recommendation of the author that everyone seek out and consult a qualified professional or competent adviser.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/quotes–55239532920614347/
2 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/exploit
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/reports/seniors-aging/mistreatment-older-persons.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting

Tags: #elderabuse, #exploiting an elderly person