VICTORIA- Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond is in the process of contacting family members of the missing and murdered women who were the focus of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry to give them advance notice of the report's release date.

Family members are being contacted by mail, email or telephone this week to ensure they have access to the final report before it is released to the public and to advise them of counselling and support services that will be available to them.

Families will have confidential access to the 1,448-page report through a secure website. They will also be provided with a print or CD copy of the report by indicating their choice to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry at info@missingwomeninquiry.ca or 604 681-4470.

The Victim Services branch will be available to support families with counselling and support benefits that are available through the Crime Victim Assistance Program. For more information, families can contact VictimLINK toll-free at 1 800 563-0808.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General -

"We certainly understand how difficult this process has been for families, and we want to be as accommodating as possible while working within the requirements of the Public Inquiry Act."

"The report will serve as a legacy to the women who were lost, and we will work very hard to be considerate and respectful as we prepare for the public release, analyse the content and determine ways to move forward."

Quick Facts:

• The commission was established in September 2010, to report on investigations into missing and murdered women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside between January 1997 and February 2002.
• The Missing Women Commission considered evidence from 92 days of public hearings, written submissions, public policy forums, and input from community engagement forums throughout the province.

Learn More:

Missing Women Commission of Inquiry website: www.missingwomeninquiry.ca/

Contact:

James Beresford
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 387-8119