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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Twenty years ago Tuesday, a blast deep in the bowels of Giant Mine killed nine workers, leaving arguably the darkest stain on Yellowknife's history.

Roger Warren: Became eligible for day parole on Oct. 15, 2010, but has not applied. - photo courtesy of John Woods

Six men who had crossed the picket line and three workers who had been brought in to cover during a strike were slain on Sept. 18, 1992, in the fallout from labour strife at the gold mine run by Royal Oak Mines.

On this dark anniversary, Roger Warren, the man convicted of committing the murders, has not once formally sought the return of his freedom despite being eligible for parole since Oct. 15, 2010.

"Day parole hearings are generated by application," said Patrick Storey, spokesperson for the National Parole Board of Canada's Pacific region. "So, because there is no decision in his case for day parole, he obviously didn't make an application."

On Oct. 15, 2013, Warren will become eligible for full parole, although it is unlikely that a prisoner will be released on full parole before being granted day parole for a time, said Storey.

"It would be really, really unusual for anybody who has served almost 20 years incarceration like he has, to have as his first release a full parole," he said.

Warren denied Yellowknifer's request for an interview, so his reasons for not applying for parole remain unknown.

A Northern magazine recently reported that Warren is being housed in the minimum-security Ferndale Institute in Mission, B.C. Jean-Paul Lorieau, media relations spokesperson for Correctional Services Canada (CSC) wouldn't confirm this, although he did acknowledge that Warren is currently being held within the CSC's Pacific jurisdiction.

"The privacy act prevents me from commenting on the specifics of an offender's case," Lorieau said.

Regardless of whether Warren applies for parole, the parole board will schedule a full-parole review automatically about six months prior to Warren's full-parole eligibility date, said Storey. If parole is not granted, the board will schedule a review every two years for the remainder or Warren's sentence, which is his entire life.

"He will still be under sentence until the day he dies," said Storey.

The parole officer assigned to Warren's case could come up with a plan for his client's release. Details on whether Warren would begin with supervised day excursions, unsupervised day parole, or full parole - as well as what community Warren will be released to - will be up to the parole officer to recommend, and the review board to decide, said Storey.

"The criteria for a day or full release is whether or not the offender will pose an undue risk to the community by re-offending," he said. "So, it wouldn't be just whether or not he's likely to set a bomb in a mine again or not, it's whether he's likely to recommit any type of offence."

Even if Warren's parole officer does not recommend that he receive parole, there may be a parole board review next year regardless, said Storey.

"I have no idea if this is what Mr. Warren would do, but some offenders when they're coming up for their first parole hearing, even if they're not supported, they will go to meet with the board to have the experience of the hearing," he said.

Anyone who would like to keep up to date on any parole board hearing scheduled for Warren can fill out either the decision registry request form or the request to observe hearing form on the parole board's website.

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