Re: “WCB hostage-taker sentenced to 11 years; Gunman gets double credit for time served,” Nov. 23.
I was totally astonished to hear that Patrick Clayton got 11 years for the hostage-taking at the WCB office in Edmonton. Some of the Workers’ Compensation Board employees wrote impact statements to the court, with regards to the situation, which probably has affected their lives. But these same employees either failed to realize or refused to admit that the WCB has been holding injured workers hostage for years, without being charged or convicted of hostage-taking.
The only difference is the WCB never used a gun, just ignorance and case workers who are only concerned about the bonus pay they get. I do not approve of what Clayton did, but I certainly realize why he did it, and I am sure it will happen again, and maybe next time, the out-come won’t be as sweet.
It is time for the Alberta government to step up and hold a full independent public investigation into, my opinion, a corrupt WCB system.
Darryl Kallis, Medicine Hat
