VANCOUVER, B.C. – Former justice Thomas Braidwood is expected to release the first set of findings from his commission’s inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport two years ago.
Commission officials say the announcement will deal with “the use of conducted energy weapons (Tasers) by law enforcement agencies in B.C.” Walter Kosteckyj, the lawyer acting for Robert Dziekanski’s mother, hopes this afternoon’s report contains tough recommendations.
“I would like to see a moratorium until such time as they have put into place restrictions on the use of the Taser,” he said.
Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, a former B.C. attorney general, said he’s hoping there are pointed recommendations for the RCMP urging better training and “moving the use of Tasers up the use-of-force spectrum.”
The report on the first phase of the inquiry was submitted to the B.C. government last month and has already been through an internal government review before being cleared by cabinet.
It’s findings are based on three weeks of testimony last spring concering policies surrounding Tasers and the safety issues related to them.
Phase Two of the inquiry deals specifically with Dziekanski’s October 2007 death at Vancouver International Airport.
It has been delayed until September while Braidwood considers how to handle an email that appears to suggest four officers involved in the October, 2007 death discussed their response on the way to the airport and decided to use a Taser if Dziekanski didn’t comply.
