Marston launches Petition Campaign to establish a National DNA Bank

TIME FOR DNA BANK AND MISSING PERSONS INDEX
Marston joins Mason family in launching a petition to establish National DNA Bank and MPI

Hamilton – Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) was joined by the family of Billy Mason who disappeared last February, to launch a petition campaign calling on the Harper Government to establish a National DNA Bank and National Missing Persons Index.

“No one should have to rely on luck to find their loved one, but right now the lack of federal leadership on creating a national DNA bank and a national missing persons leaves an inadequate, patchwork process in place.” Mr. Marston added: “Right now in Canada, if human remains are found there is no simple way to compare that DNA to the DNA of missing persons right across this country. The families and friends of missing persons are asking this Government to make that possible.”

The mother of Billy Mason, a resident of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek who disappeared in February of 2006 spoke about the petition campaign.

“I was shocked when I learnt that there is no way to capture and compare my sons DNA to the items recently found that I believe are his or to others that I don’t even know about that might be helpful.” Said Mrs. Dixon, she added: “This petition is just another step that I am taking to find my son and get governments at all levels to co-operate and give law enforcement officials the tools they need to help families like mine find our loved ones.”

In an Open Letter to the Federal Ministers of Justice and Public Safety, Ministers Nicholson and Day, the Wayne Marston also urged the Harper Government to act now to implement the legislation required to create national systems for cross-referencing human remains to the DNA of missing persons.

“There have been public consultations. There is a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group of Justice Ministers examining this issue. It is time to act and put the legislation in place to create these systems.”

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OPEN LETTER TO MINISTERS

OPEN LETTER TO

The Hon. Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P. he Hon. Rob Nicholson, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety Minister of Justice and Attorney General
VIA FAX: 613-952-2240 VIA FAX: 613-990-7255

Dear Ministers Day and Nicholson,

I write today to urge you to bring in the legislation necessary to implement national, searchable DNA Human Remains Index and a DNA Missing Persons databank.

As you are no doubt aware, there are thousands of missing persons cases in Canada. At this time there is no established method to cross reference recovered unidentified remains with individuals on the missing persons list.

A patchwork of processes is in place, but without federal leadership on this issue, providing the family and friends of missing persons the comfort of knowing that all unidentified found remains are checked to DNA provided of their missing loved one, identifying missing persons will continue to be a lengthy process where luck plays a much bigger role than it should.

In June, the Government of Canada responded to a Standing Committee report on this issue. A final report from a joint Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group is expected in November of this year. Public consultations have taken place.

It is time for action. It is time for the Federal Government to enable and take a leading role in the creation of a National DNA Bank and a National Missing Persons Index.

Yours truly,
(original signed by Wayne Marston)
Wayne Marston, MP
Hamilton East – Stoney Creek
NDP Advocate for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Sport