Searching for justice for scores of missing and murdered women, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is demanding that the BC government hold a public inquiry into the handling of the investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton.
Robert Pickton was convicted in 2007 for the deaths of six of the dozens of women he is suspected of killing. He was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for at least 25 years.
In the beginning of August the government announced that they would not be giving Pickton a new trial and in doing so dropped the charges for an additional 20 counts of murder, despite opposition from the victim’s families.
“Many of these victims were First Nations and Aboriginal women and a full and comprehensive public inquiry, with the participation of Aboriginal people, is the only way to address the need for respect, justice and a better understanding of how we can prevent these tragedies in the future,” AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo said.
“Some are saying that the cost of an inquiry would be too high. We say that you cannot put a value on a human life. The benefits of closure and prevention that will result from an inquiry outweigh any other costs. We firmly believe that Premier Campbell and his Cabinet will uphold his government’s commitments to openness, transparency and partnership by establishing a public inquiry into the Pickton murders.”
