About This Commission

On September 27, 2010, the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued an Order in Council establishing the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.

Wally Oppal, QC, has been named Commissioner.

Under the Terms of Reference, the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry will:

a)    inquire into and make findings of fact respecting the conduct of the investigations conducted between January 23, 1997 and February 5, 2002, by police forces in British Columbia respecting women reported missing from the Downtown Eastside of the city of Vancouver;

b)    inquire into and make findings of fact respecting the decision of the Criminal Justice Branch on January 27, 1998, to enter a stay of proceedings on charges against Robert William Pickton of attempted murder, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and aggravated assault;

c)    recommend changes considered necessary respecting the initiation and conduct of investigations in British Columbia of missing women and suspected multiple homicides; and

d)    recommend changes considered necessary respecting homicide investigations in British Columbia by more than one investigating organization, including the co-ordination of those investigations.

(e) to submit a final report to the Attorney General or before December 31, 2011.

The Commission was granted an extension and the revised date for final report submission to the Attorney General is on or before November 30, 2012

Commissioner Oppal served as a judge in the County Court of B.C. from 1981 to 1985 and in B.C. Supreme Court from 1985 to 2003, when he was appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal. He was previously commissioner of an independent commission of inquiry into policing in British Columbia. He was attorney general for B.C. from 2005 to 2009.

Further information about the Commission, its mandate and how to participate can be found on this website.

Any questions can be directed to the Commission offices in Vancouver by email to info@missingwomeninquiry.ca.