On August 25, 1981 the RCMP and Alan Williams, Attorney-General of British Columbia, struck a precedent setting deal with serial killer Clifford Olson. In return for revealing the locations of his victims' bodies, Olson's wife was to receive $100,000 or $10,000 per body. Williams and the Mounties tried to justify the deal, but to people across the country it seemed that Olson was being rewarded for his crimes. Final Payoff is a thought provoking and disturbing examination of the effects and implications of the Olson deal. For Williams, the Olson affair was an unhappy end to nearly 20 years of outstanding public service he retired soon after the deal was made public. For the families of the slain, filled with grief and anger by the payoff, it meant a series of fruitless and frustrating court battles as they struggled to get the money from Olson. And, for the people of Canada it means a long and frightening wait until some other killer, encouraged by Olson's example, decides to hold his victims' bodies for ransom. Final Payoff is not the story of the Olson murders, but a study of a tragically flawed decision and the terrifying legal precedent it established: a precedent which touches the life of every Canadian. IAN MULGREW is a veteran Canadian journalist who has written for many publications including Saturday Night, The Toronto Star, and The Melbourne Herald. Formerly the west coast bureau chief for The Globe and Mail, he is currently the assistant city editor of The Vancouver Province. In addition Mr. Mulgrew is the host of the CBC Television public affairs program Forum, and the author of a previous book Unholy Terror: The Sikhs and International Terrorism.

"Journalism"

[BCBW Winter 1989]