October 22, 2014 Dear Elected Officials, Government Agents, & Servants of the Public: I am writing to bring to your attention the Clayton Miller case, New Waterford, NS. Clayton Miller died under mysterious circumstances: his body was found face down in a brook on May 6, 1990 in New Waterford, NS. He went missing under suspicious circumstances, during a police raid on a teenage party May 4, 1990. Since that time, the Millers’ have consistently requested answers regarding their son. Those answers however, have not been forthcoming. For over 20 years, the Millers’ have respected, adhered and followed what they were told by government officials, was a legal requisite waiting period for the release of all documents pertaining to their son’s death. At the end of two decades however, the Miller Family have only received partial documents pertaining to the case; much of which have been extremely redacted to the point of being ignoble in nature. It is my most fervent desire to assert and bring to your attention the Freedom of Information Act was not designed as a shield under which governmental officials and offices and polices forces may hide! I find it extremely troubling, not only has the most salient and relevant information in the RCMP file disclosure given to the family been blocked out (under the guise of third-party privacy, which after 24 years, should no longer be of issue), government officials with the RCMP recently stated the original files were destroyed. Soon after the announcement of the files’ destruction however, the RCMP in Ottawa did an extreme about face. They now state the Miller files have not been destroyed after all. I cannot help but wonder if the withholding of documents is related to concerns cited in a 1993 letter written by Christine Mosher, solicitor for the NS Department of Justice, to Halifax RCMP Staff Sgt. Frank Diamond. In this letter obtained by the Miller’s, Ms. Mosher cited concerns around the Freedom of Information Act and the Miller case, which “provides that the Minister shall refuse access to information that if disclosed, could have a significant adverse effect on law enforcement activities.” What is it about the Miller case that could have the potential to have such an adverse effect on policing activities? Transparency and accountability is paramount! From the time Clayton was reported missing to the time his body was found and still today, a grievous lack of care, concern and due diligence on behalf of the police forces and powers-that-be have marred this case and the reputations of those who are pledged to serve and protect. Every politician and public servant who fails to act, continues to perpetuate a malaise and grievous injustice not only to Clayton, his family and loved ones, but to the entire community and country as a whole. Make no mistake about it: the continued silence and inaction of those with whom we have pledged our trust is more than unpalatable. The time to make this situation right is long overdue. As public servants, I call on you to find and support concrete and solution-focused Action Now. Do not “pass the buck.” Do not write to tell me you are sorry and you wish there was more you could do. Do not ignore me or the Miller family. Fight for justice. Fight for the people who have been let down. Now is not the time to preserve the status-quo. We are watching. The time for waiting is over. Sincerely, Colleen D’Orsay
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 05:06:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015