Ernie Crey's sister was murdered after Robert Pickton should have been caught.
He wants an independent inquiry. And he doesn't want the government to control the questions the inquiry asks or how it is structured.
"Should it all fall to the government to decide what those terms of reference are?" Crey told the Times Colonist in a story here. "Like Michael de Jong and a bunch of lawyers on his staff and some cops? No, it shouldn't.
"And if that were the case, that's what would heighten the level the suspicion. People would lose confidence [in] an inquiry of that nature."
It makes sense. The government's role should be the subject of an inquiry. It would create a perception of bias to have it set the terms of reference and place some areas off limits - like prosecutors' 1998 decision to stay an attempted murder charge for an attack on a woman. The government should name a panel - perhaps a retired judge, a First Nations representative. the Children's Representative and the Police Complaints Commissioner - to set up the inquiry and appoint a commissioner.
You also read a column by Lindsay Kines on Rich Coleman's response to the release of the Vancouver Police Department internal review of them Pickton investigation.
Coleman's dismissive comments were poorly informed and indicated the government had no plans to do a serious review of what wrong. They show, Kines writes, exactly why a fully independent inquiry is needed.
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4 comments:
Not likely to happen since the current premier was mayor of Vancouver, and involved with the police force at the time. Uncomfortable questions could be asked, the truth might be set free. Can't have that.
I agree with everyone you mentioned who should be on the inquiry panel, except one – the Police Complaints Commissioner.
The BC Police Complaints Commission is just another branch of the police. That's where the staff come from, and who they have allegiance to. And, he's already had an opportunity to exert his influence, and did nothing.
So, let's leave the PCC off this inquiry. The PCC is just another "self-regulated professional body" just like the Law Society. They will protect their own, first and foremost, while giving lip-service to being a watchdog of the police.
If the Police Complaints Commissioner were a member of an inquiry panel, the PCC would just become the de facto leader of such a group, imposing his "superior knowledge" of policing practices over the other inquiry panel members.
With the Horsemen contract being reviewed and Gordo and team like the cheaper rates they charge, the Provincial government will do their best to stack the deck. The women who died were considered by too many people to be expendable so they won't be calling for a proper investigation either. Shame, lots of it to go around.
What is the point of any inquiry ? We need waste no more time and money on this nonsense. If anyone is in doubt look no further then the Braidwood report. The very same RCMP arrogance and refusal to accept responsibility and accountability that existed in that report will be the same conclusion that would come of any potential Pickton report. Until we get serious about dealing with the RCMP, all the reports and inquires are a waste of time telling us what we already know.
And I laugh at the idiots who try and blame this one on Campbell. You losers are part of the problem.
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