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Friday October 7, 2011

 
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Missing Women Inquiry

What if you held a public inquiry and nobody came? Or at least a dozen or so key parties said the process is so unfair and disrespectful, they won't take part. That's the challenge facing the BC inquiry into missing women in the downtown east side, which starts next week. Today we talk about seeking justice for murdered and missing women.


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The Friday guest host is Ian Hanomansing in Vancouver.

 

Part One of The Current

Satire

It's Friday, October 7th.

A new poverty-stricken Muppet will highlight hunger struggles on an upcoming episode of "Sesame Street".

Currently, Sesame Street will also capture the mood of the country with characters like Big Government Bird and Keep Your Freakin' Hands Off Me Elmo.

This is the Current.

Missing Women Inquiry - Shirley Bond

It's one of the darkest shadows over the work of police in British Columbia ... How could so many women could go missing from the streets of Vancouver in the late 1990s? And how could police suspect Robert Pickton of being involved in the disappearances but nevertheless fail to stop him until his arrest in 2002?

The Missing Women Commission of Inquiry is looking into the case, and begins hearings next week. But now there's another shadow over this case. Several groups have already said they are withdrawing from the inquiry because they no longer believe in the process.

Amnesty International joined the B.C. Civil Liberties Association in withdrawing from British Columbia's Missing Women Commission of Inquiry yesterday. They are two of the 21 groups that had previously asked Premier Christy Clarke to intervene in an inquiry that they said was "in serious jeopardy". The concern is that Aboriginal, sex-trade and women's groups are not going to be properly represented because they can't afford lawyers - and the province won't pay.The provincial government set up the commission.

We spoke with Shirley Bond, B.C.'s Attorney General, in Victoria.

Missing Women Inquiry - Harsha Walia

One of the community groups that has pulled out is the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre. Harsha Walia works with the Centre. She joined us in our Vancouver studio.

Missing Women Inquiry - Ernie Crey

Robert Pickton was convicted of murdering six women that he had lured to his pig farm. But he was charged with killing 20 others. And Pickton himself suggested there were a lot more than that.

One person very anxious for the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry to get on with its work is Ernie Crey. His sister Dawn was one of the missing women from the downtown east side. Her DNA was found on Pickton's farm. Ernie Crey was in Quesnel, B.C.

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