Related
Internal Links
Dr. Keith Chambers says proper studies on the effects of the Taser have not been done. (CBC) The first phase of the Braidwood Inquiry on Taser use heard from its last presenters Friday.
The inquiry, which was called following the death of Robert Dziekanski after he was shot by a Taser at Vancouver International Airport last fall, began on May 5.
A Vancouver epidemiologist told the inquiry Friday that the safety of the stun guns cannot be determined based on any studies to date.
Dr. Keith Chambers, an expert in clinical trials, said proper studies have not been done and people should be asking questions.
"I think they should ask how large, how many people are in your studies, [and] are they big enough to detect what you want to detect," Chambers said. "Are they being done on people in the real world … and is there any kind of large independent database that is collecting this kind of data so we can find out."
Because the focus of the studies that have been done is on sudden death, Chambers said, the possibility of serious injuries may be overlooked.
However, Murray Mollard, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, told the inquiry Tasers should be banned altogether.
"If Mr. Dziekanski's death hadn't been captured on video then we wouldn't be here today. Mr. Braidwood wouldn't be here today as the commissioner of this inquiry," Mollard said.
Murray Mollard, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, says Tasers should be banned. (CBC) This first phase of the inquiry has focused on Taser use, as well as deaths and injuries associated with the weapon. Taser victims, police, and medical experts on the use of the stun gun have testified.
Numerous medical experts expressed concerns about the risks, while police officers testified Tasers save lives.
The second phase of the inquiry, which will focus on Dziekanski's death, will not begin until all police investigations are complete and any possible charges are dealt with in court.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- Police are looking for a light-coloured Chrysler with damage to the driver's front side after a pedestrian was hit in Surrey, B.C., early Sunday morning. more »
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- A Vancouver man who climbed the world's highest mountain is back home and talking about the adventure. more »
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- A sushi restaurant in Fort Langley, B.C., was damaged in a fire early Sunday morning. more »
Top News Headlines
- Canadian Pacific strikers face back-to-work legislation
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt is prepared to end the Canadian Pacific Railway strike if necessary, after both CP and the union rejected a proposal for voluntary arbitration by the government-appointed negotiator on Sunday. Raitt says she is "extremely disappointed." more »
- Syrian regime denies role in Houla massacre
- The UN Security Council condemned the Syrian regime at an emergency meeting Sunday, holding president Bashar al-Assad's military responsible for the massacre of more than 100 people, dozens of whom were children younger than 10 years old. more »
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Neighbour may have helped find missing kids in Mexico
- Two Winnipeg children who had been missing for nearly four years were found in Mexico after a man raised concerns about his neighbour, according to a private investigator. more »
- B.C. NDP calls for unity in fighting coast guard closure
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- Passengers' families sue for fatal B.C. plane crash
- B.C. Coast Guard Auxiliary gets new name
- Tsunami motorcycle heading to Harley museum
- Psych ward escapes worry neighbours
- Gang forum honours Surrey 6 victim

