Warning: This story contains disturbing details of sexual assault.
Lawyers in a sexual assault case are seeking a nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence for a Saskatchewan elder who identifies as a traditional Indigenous healer.
Cecil Wolfe was employed by the Saskatoon Tribal Council and White Buffalo Youth Lodge to perform traditional Indigenous ceremonies.
The 12 female victims in the case were Wolfe’s patients. They battled an array of health issues — from stomach ailments, infertility and cancer — and turned to the Cree man for traditional treatment.
Wolfe told his victims to wear skirts to their “doctoring sessions,” according to an agreed-upon statement of facts.
The one-on-one sessions began with smudging.
He told his victims they had “bad medicine” inside them and he had to take it out, according to the statement of facts.
Wolfe inserted his fingers in the women’s vaginas.
Court heard Wolfe claimed to remove “trinkets” from the women’s vaginas — such as ribbon, animal bones and snakeskins.
Wolfe pleaded guilty to 12 sexual assault charges for crimes taking place from 2013-2021.
Crown prosecutor Lana Morelli said the women trusted and respected Wolfe. She said the victims were afraid to question his healing practices.
The Crown said Wolfe’s methods were not in line with traditional practices and violated the women’s sexual integrity.
One of the victims, whose name is protected under a publication ban, said Wolfe made her feel she needed his help and then abused that power.
She said she feels “disconnected” from her culture and has been seeking trauma support.
“I don’t wear a skirt anymore and I won’t for anyone,” the woman told CTV News in an email.
The proposed prison sentence for Wolfe was filed in a joint submission at Saskatoon Provincial Court on Wednesday.
Judge Sanjeev Anand was set to sentence Wolfe on Wednesday, but the decision was delayed after the defence declared — an hour into the proceedings — that Wolfe couldn’t understand English.
A Cree interpreter was brought into the courtroom to translate. Later in the afternoon, a second interpreter came to assist.
One of the victims said she was hoping for the proceedings to end on Wednesday, when she would discard all the “medicines” Wolfe gave her over the years.
The sentencing decision has been reserved for Dec. 9. Victim impact statements are also scheduled to be shared on that date.
Until then, Wolfe remains out of custody.
