Article content

UPDATE: Commissioner Wally Oppal announced Wednesday an independent investigator will probe the allegations of sexist and harassing behaviour made by former Missing Women inquiry staff members. Read the story here.

VANCOUVER — Employees of a high-profile public inquiry examining how police investigated cases of missing and murdered sex-trade workers say they encountered a “highly sexualized” workplace environment where male staff members made offensive comments about women and their bodies.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Missing women inquiry beset by ‘sexism’: Ex-staff Back to video

Five former commission staff members described to the National Post episodes of harassment, intimidation and conflict occurring behind closed doors at the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, which was called by the B.C. government in 2010.

According to one former inquiry employee, a senior commission staff member made reference to a local sex-trade worker as “the fat hooker.” The same female prostitute had offered to assist the inquiry with its mandate, it is alleged. Similar remarks were made about the woman on other occasions, the source said.