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Tyee Poll: Do You Support a Full Public Inquiry into the 2012 BC Mill Explosions?

In 2012, two separate sawmill explosions rocked the province of British Columbia. Only months apart, four workers were killed, and 44 others were injured.

Prior to the explosions, workers at both mills - Babine and Lakeland - had complained about the accumulation of flammable wood dust. In its investigations of the explosions, WorkSafeBC - a government agency with the mandate of promoting workplace health and safety – declared both accidents preventable and urged charges against the companies.

However, because WorkSafeBC did not collect evidence properly, it was deemed that charges wouldn't hold. Government opted for two separate Coroner's Inquests into the causes of the explosions rather than inquiries, which could have assigned accountability.

Both inquests have now wrapped up. In each case, the deaths were deemed accidents and dozens of recommendations were made for the mills, WorkSafeBC, the RCMP, the government, and the United Steelworkers Union.

Today, no one has been charged with criminal negligence in the deaths. Families and survivors want answers and are calling for a full public inquiry.

Thank you for taking this poll, and for your interest in the issue.

Here's what other readers are saying:

MORE INFO:

The two Coroner’s Inquests are finished, but families and survivors still have questions:

  • Why did the policies and practices that are supposed to protect workers fail to do so?
  • Why were WorkSafeBC’s investigations so flawed? Will it be held accountable?
  • Can workers have any confidence that the agency is in a better position today to do its job?
  • Families, survivors, and the Steelworkers Union of Canada are urging that only a systematic, full public inquiry will yield real answers and provide justice.

For more background on the 2012 mill explosions, watch this 2014 feature report by Global TV or this May 2015 Global TV update on the results of the Lakeland Coroner’s Inquest.

Click here to learn more, and to sign the United Steelworkers’ petition calling for a public inquiry.