VANCOUVER — The executive director of the public inquiry into the Robert Pickton case has gone on leave as allegations of sexual harassment hang over hearings into why police failed to catch a serial killer.
John Boddie’s name has been taken off the commission’s website, and an independent lawyer appointed to assist in an investigation of the inquiry’s staff confirmed Thursday that Boddie went on leave this week.
Wally Oppal has already appointed an independent lawyer, Delayne Sartison, to look into anonymous allegations contained in a National Post story that some staff in the commission’s office made derogatory comments about other staff and sex workers.
Yet another lawyer, Peter Gall, was appointed Tuesday to liaise with Sartison and advise Oppal on how the investigation should proceed.
The commission referred questions about Boddie’s status to Gall, who confirmed Boddie is on leave but declined to explain why.
“He is on leave right now, and I don’t think I should say anything more,” Gall said in an interview.
Boddie was a member of the Vancouver Police Department for 16 years until he left the force as a sergeant in 1988. His most recent work was as a consultant for the security industry.
He was unavailable for comment.
He could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.
The National Post published a story on Wednesday that quoted several anonymous sources, who told the newspaper they witnessed sexually derogatory comments at the commission’s office.
The newspaper published another story Thursday, again based on anonymous sources, complaining that Boddie has been too involved in the hearing process.
Oppal released a statement Thursday saying it was difficult to respond to anonymous and vague accusations.
“I find it challenging that such serious allegations outlined in two articles are all based on anonymous sources,” Oppal said in the written statement
“I have often said that we welcome criticism and feedback and that we strive to learn from what has been done. I believe we should be held to the highest standard. I am disappointed that the people that felt strongly enough to go to the media with their concerns are not willing to identify themselves.
“Responding to criticisms from anonymous sources is challenging because specifics are not provided and there is little to no context surrounding the limited information put forward in these serious allegations.”
The inquiry is examining why Vancouver police and the RCMP failed to catch Pickton in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Pickton was arrested in 2002, when RCMP officers executing an unrelated warrant for illegal firearms stumbled upon the belongings and remains of missing women.
He was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder.
The remains or DNA of 33 women were found on his farm, though he once bragged to an undercover police officer that he murdered 49 women.