B.C.'s new chief coroner has ended her agency's long-standing practice of withholding the names of people who sit on death-review panels.
Dr. Diane Rothon said the policy was in place at the coroners service long before she took over on April 1. But she said nobody had challenged it until the Times Colonist requested the names of those serving on the chief coroner's domestic violence death-review panel.
Although Rothon initially rebuffed that request, she said it prompted her to revisit the policy and determine that it needed to be changed.
Rothon said she obtained the consent of all 12 members of the domestic-violence panel to release their names along with the final report, which is due this month.
In the past, the coroners service required people to file a Freedom of Information request to learn the names of people serving on the panel. But Rothon said she sees no point in making people jump through hoops if the names will end up being released anyway.
From now on, she said, the people serving on the panels will be told ahead of time that their names and qualifications will be released along with the panel's report. If someone wants his or her identity protected, the coroners service will determine in advance whether that is warranted under the province's privacy laws.
"In those limited cases where harm to the individual outweighs the public interest, that name would be withheld," she said.
Rothon's reversal of the agency's policy comes after two panel members and Attorney General Mike de Jong questioned the need to withhold names.
Critics also expressed concern that such unnecessary secrecy could undermine the panel's credibility by preventing the public from assessing members' qualifications or potential conflicts of interest.
Rothon, who discussed the issue with de Jong last week, said it was never the agency's desire to shield the panel from public scrutiny, but to protect members from retribution and harassment.
Rothon said the panel members will still sign confidentiality agreements, as do members of death-review panels in other provinces. She said the agreements ensure a free and open discussion of the issues, which is then reflected in the public report and recommendations.
