Slain journalist's son brings in a crowd of hundreds

MLA son Dave, of slain journalist Tara Singh Hayer, told a memorial service in Surrey Sunday that police have always known for years as to who are behind the slaying of the journalist.

Dave Hayer told hundreds gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of the slaying, that charges have yet to be laid in the only assassination of a journalist in Canada and this due to a fractured judicial system.

Hayer said that they have some problems with the justice system in Canada and even though police know exactly who killed his father, still no charges have been laid. The Liberal MLA told hundreds at the Guru Nanak Sikh temple that not only does the police know who killed his father, they also know as to who financed the plot of shooting.

Hayer said that till now some people in the Sikh community approach him wondering if their security can be guaranteed after they provide information to the police.

He said that he does not have anything against police and that he completely supports the efforts of police. But he believes that the country needs legislative changes in order to aid in terrorism investigations. He said that when the Charter of Rights was written in Canada, they never felt that someday, the country will have terrorists like this.

Hayer emphasized on the fact that Air India bombers got away with mass murder in B.C. and said that it clearly shows that there is a problem with the system.

He said that there is no other country in the world where that would have happened and worst is the fact that people still don’t have to pay the price for the wrongs they have done.

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts and many other politicians joined community leaders and family members at the Akhand Path, which was a three day prayer that came to an end on Sunday with speeches at the temple.

Watts said that she along with other Surrey councilors wanted to be there in order to support Hayer and his family. She said that even after ten years of the incident, no one has been charged and this really is a travesty. She added that she knows that due to a number of evidence that went through, it has taken many years, but said that she feels people should be brought to justice.

In recent months, police has said that there has been progress in the investigation of the murder plot.