Mother takes stand in Poulin's defense

Journal-Pioneer/September 26, 2002
By Andy Walker

Charlottetown -- Quoting Bible verses to back up her assertion, the mother of three of the five children Lucille Poulin is accused of assaulting, said she believed the beatings were saving her children's souls from hell. The woman, who is a niece of the 78-year-old former nun, remains at the religious commune in rural Queens County. The three children are either in foster care or in the custody of older siblings outside the province.

She told Mr. Justice David Jenkins and a packed Charlottetown courthouse Thursday she was already using a rod to discipline her child before she became involved with Poulin.

The woman said she and her husband attended a workshop while the lived in Alberta and met a pastor who urged them to inflict corporal discipline on their 11 children.

The woman said the three children had a combined total of 17 beatings during the period between October of 1999 and July 25, 2001, when the children were removed from the commune by RCMP and Child and Family Services.

She said the stories of almost daily beatings her three children described while testifying were part of a plot by their older siblings to shut down the commune.

She said her older children did not believe Poulin received her commands directly from God, so they stayed behind in Alberta.

The woman said she delegated all of her authority over the children to Poulin.

She said that was necessary because she felt she could not administer discipline properly and might injure the children's chances of entering heaven.

He said the children were home-schooled six days a week and had plenty of food to eat. Several of the children had indicated they often went hungry and were punished if they tried to steal food.

One of the woman's children testified she ate frozen cookies because she was starved and Poulin refused to allow her to have any more food.

She said the entire commune prayed and discussed whether a certain breach of the rules required the rod and she said no beatings were given in frustration.

As well she said the children worked in the restaurant next to the adults to earn endurance and tolerance.

The woman said her six older children came to the compound on one occasion and, while there, showed their younger siblings how to use the telephone.

The woman said her husband, who helped some of his children escape the compound, came under the influence of his older children and began to love his children more than God.