Missing Women Inquiry resumes today
Posted April 2, 2012 8:18 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Missing Women Inquiry resumes today for the first time in three weeks, after a lawyer representing First Nations groups stepped down in protest. But critics say the proceeding will not be legitimate without their input.
“The commission has an incredibly high hill to climb to rebuild trust with that community and in fact at this stage it’s well near impossible,” explains David Eby, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association.
“When you have the Assembly of First Nations, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and the BC Summit all saying, ‘Hey, we’re not participating in this process, we’ve been shut out’ then I think the commission would have to look very hard at itself in the mirror and ask whether they’re actually running a process that’s reflective of human rights norms,” he adds.
“I think the commission is incredibly mistaken if it thinks that it can achieve the goal of appropriate consultation and participation with indigenous groups, without these groups being at the table.”
Inquiry commissioner Wally Oppal called for a three week break after a lawyer representing aboriginal interests quit in protest of First Nations issues not getting enough attention.
Robyn Gervais said the inquiry was too police-focused and wasn’t looking closely enough at the impact of Pickton’s crimes on aboriginal women, many of whom were his victims. Two new lawyers are being brought in to bridge the gap.
The inquiry still must hear from a list of witnesses that includes police officers, aboriginal witnesses and Crown prosecutors involved in a decision in 1997 to stay charges against Pickton.
A final report and recommendation from Oppal is due June 30th.
