Missing women public inquiry expands mandate

The provincial government has expanded the terms of an upcoming public inquiry into the B.C. missing women case.

Commissioner Wally Oppalasked earlier this monththat the province amend his mandate to add a study commission to the inquiry, giving him the opportunity for less formal hearings that could hear from a broader range of witnesses.

The change will provide more information for the commission that will look into whether proper police procedures were followed, and whether improvements can be made in any future investigations, B.C. Attorney General Barry Penner said Monday.

The public inquiry will look at the investigations into the cases of women reported missing from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

The remains of many of those women were recovered from the farm of serial killerRobert Pickton, who was convicted of killing six women, while another 20 murder charges were stayed.

The commission report is due to be submitted to the province by Dec. 31.