VANCOUVER - Almost four years after serial killer Robert (Willie) Pickton was convicted of killing six women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastide, the Missing Woman inquiry began with a protest outside.
A circle of women on the street at Georgia and Granville beat on first nations drums and sang songs.
The protest was over what is being called a "sham" inquiry after 14 groups granted standing dropped out because the provincial government refused to grant funding for legal counsel.
Another coalition of sex trade workers announced today it was dropping out of the inquiry.
The coaltion includes the WISH Drop-in Centre Society, PACE (Providing Alternatives, Counselling & Education) Society, and SWUAV (Sex Workers United Against Violence) Society.
The inquiry began with a prayers from a first nations elder, who fanned Commissioner Wally Oppal and almost two dozen lawyer with a eagle feathers.
"You're going to set our sisters free, our aunties, our loved ones," the elder said.
"Set our families free," he added.
Lawyers held their hands out, palms up, to receive the blessing.
Oppal now is addressing the packed inquiry, which includes families of Pickton's victims.
"The missing and murdered women are at the heart of this inquiry," Oppal said.
He said the women were all loved and now are missed.
"This is the first inquiry of its kind to seek answers," the commissioner said.
This inquiry is important to make changes to how investigations are conducted.
The inquiry aims to probe why it took police so long to catch Pickton, who was arrested in 2002 and eventually charged with the murder of 27 women.
The charges were divided into two trials, starting with six first-degree murder charges.
The second trial on 20 charges was never held after Pickton was convicted.
Pickton admitted to an undercover officer that he killed 49 women, but he may have killed more.
nhall@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
By NEAL HALL, VANCOUVER SUN
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Missing+Women+inquiry+begins+with+protest+street/5533133/story.html#ixzz1aUvkt0Xw
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Missing+Women+inquiry+begins+with+protest+street/5533133/story.html#ixzz1aUvaCIk8
