The BCCLA is welcoming the news that BC‘s Auditor General will be reviewing the practices of the province‘s coroners‘ service. The activities of the office that examines sudden or unexplained deaths have been a concern for years to the BCCLA and are the subject of a recent Ombudsperson complaint filed by the BCCLA. The BCCLA has been advised that their complaint has been put on hold so that a full audit may proceed.
“A wise judge wrote a few years ago that “the administration of justice thrives on exposure to light — and withers under a cloud of secrecy,” said Robert Holmes, President of the BCCLA. ―We welcome a bright light on our coroners‘ service and repeat our call for accountability as to any government interference with the coroners‘ office.” The BCCLA has a number of concerns with the historic and current operations of the Coroners‘ Service including:
-The resignation in protest by the Chief Coroner, Dr. Diane Rothon, three months ago, a departure that the government was quoted in the press as calling a ―termination‖. Dr. Rothon was the first non- police officer to head the service in more than 30 years.
– Allegations by former front line coroners that they were required to submit their inquest summaries to a government bureaucrat for review and editing for public relations concerns before the documents were released publicly.
– The loss of 951 child death files in 2002, found again in 2006, of which 34 were homicides.
-The dramatic mishandling of the Frank Paul case, resulting in no coroner‘s inquest being held, the loss of critically important documents, and his family not being promptly notified of the death.
– The elimination of mandatory coroner‘s inquests in cases of police-involved or jail deaths, making such inquests discretionary, even though the exercise of such discretion is overseen by the Solicitor General – the same political official responsible for the training of police and jail staff, as well as the condition of jails.
Read the letter to the BCCLA from the auditor general here
MEDIA CONTACTS:
David Eby, Executive Director, (778) 865-7997
Robert Holmes, President, (604) 681-1310
