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Today, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) released the National Board of Investigation's (BOI) findings into the death of Robert Pickton on May 31, 2024, following an assault involving another inmate at Port-Cartier Institution on May 19, 2024.
On July 5, 2024 a BOI was convened to examine all of the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident, which included examining whether policies and protocols were followed, and identifying any recommendations or corrective measures needed. An Independent Observer (IO) was also appointed to observe the investigation and ensure its integrity.
The BOI made three recommendations related to an inmate's access to items that could compromise the security of the institution, the sharing of offender information, and the collection of next of kin information. The IO made one recommendation pertaining to the submission of for more timely and detailed reports to assist with the investigation process.
All recommendations have been accepted and work is underway to implement them as we work towards making our institutions safer for all of our employees, inmates and visitors.
We thank the members of the BOI and the IO for what the latter called a "meticulous, highly professional and impartial investigation." We know that this was a highly sensitive investigation and we thank all members for their thoughtful findings and recommendations.
We recognize that the release of these findings may be triggering for the families of this offender's victims. Our thoughts are with them at this time as well as the Indigenous Peoples and communities across the country who remain forever impacted by this offender's crimes.
Quick Facts:
- CSC convenes a Board of Investigation in all cases of a non-natural death in custody. This includes a thorough review of available information and evidence. The process is guided by requirements set out in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.
- The BOI was comprised of three members, including two CSC staff and an experienced community member. The Independent Observer is a former public servant with more than 30 years of experience in national security and security intelligence.
- At the time of the incident, the offender was 74-years-old and had been serving a life sentence since 2007 for six counts of second-degree murder. Until his death, the offender had been in maximum-security and was at Port-Cartier Institution, in Quebec, since 2018.
