[asia-apec 661] Vancouver APEC inquiry postponed

[David Webster]

Vancouver Sun
Last updated: Tuesday 15 September 1998   NATIONAL NEWS
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Hearing into RCMP handling of APEC protest delayed

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                                                                VANCOUVER
(CP) - An inquiry into how the RCMP dealt
                with protesters at last fall's APEC summit is being
                delayed for three weeks.

                Lawyers for the protesters requested the delay Monday
                to give them more time to prepare and allow the
                protesters to raise money for lawyers' fees.

                Joseph Arvay and Cameron Ward said

                their request is modest because it would take another
                six months to properly prepare for the hearing before
                the RCMP Public Complaints Commission. But they prefer
                a short adjournment to none at all.

                "Three weeks is just barely long enough . . . to allow
                me to satisfy myself that indeed there will be funding
                available," said Arvay. "It is just barely long enough
                to allow me to prepare for this inquiry."

                The hearing before the independent civilian commission
                is scheduled to resume Oct. 5.

                The protesters allege Mounties pepper-sprayed and
                manhandled them during a demonstration along the Asia
                Pacific leaders' motorcade route under orders from
                Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

                They say documents show officials in Chretien's office
                wanted to protect controversial leaders such as
                Indonesian president Suharto from embarrassment by
                keeping protesters out of sight. The RCMP was also
                worried Suharto's bodyguards might become
                trigger-happy.

                The delay was opposed by a lawyer representing one of
                the RCMP officers named in the complaint. JIm Williams
                said his client has been vilified and wants the
                hearing to proceed.

                Ivan Whitehall, acting for the federal government,
                called the adjournment request self-serving but said
                he would reluctantly agree to a three-week
                postponement.

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