THE CANADIAN PRESS

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CORNWALL, Ont. - A public inquiry in eastern Ontario examining institutional responses to sex abuse allegations is asking for more time to complete its report.

The three-year, nearly $50-million Cornwall inquiry heard much testimony about allegations that a pedophile clan operated in the area and public officials covered it up.

Many of the closing submissions focused on urging Commissioner G. Normand Glaude to debunk the theory and placed the blame for the sensational story, of which provincial police found no evidence, on former Cornwall police officer Perry Dunlop.

Vulnerable witnesses were easily manipulated by Dunlop into concocting an explosive tale of ritual sexual abuse, the inquiry heard.

And supporters of Dunlop, who was seen as a local hero for his crusade against pedophiles, became a group of media-savvy conspiracy theorists who exacted maximum damage on those targeted, Glaude heard during final submissions.

Dunlop, who has since moved to British Columbia and no longer works in law enforcement, refused to testify at the inquiry and was jailed for seven months on civil and criminal contempt convictions.

Closing submissions were heard in late February and the report was due July 31, but the commission is now requesting an extension until the late fall.

A statement released Thursday said the report is "substantially completed," but more time is required for editing, translating and typesetting.

The inquiry was established in 2005. When it was still plugging away in October 2008, the provincial government stepped in and set an end date.

A spokesman for Ontario's attorney general's office said the department is reviewing the commission's request and will be responding soon.

"This has been a long, difficult, complicated process but we understand the writing of the report is close to completion," a statement said.

"The commissioner has asked for an extension of time to deliver the report and he is in the best position to explain the reasons for his request."

The province pegs the cost of the inquiry at about $45.2 million, as of March 31. That does not include a special assistance grant of $3.2 million the province provided to Cornwall in February 2007 to help the city with costs arising from the inquiry.