News

Ki Yun Jo’s Gas-and-Dash Death Didn’t Have to Happen – AFL

AFL launching ‘Pay Before You Pump’ campaign to ensure his death is the last

Edmonton – Following the October 6th gas-and-dash death of Ki Yun Jo, a gas station attendant in Thorsby, the Alberta government must introduce pay-before-you-pump legislation to prevent further needless carnage.

Jo’s death is yet another senseless tragedy following a string of preventable gas-and-dash deaths in Alberta. Since Alberta’s NDP government ended their consultations on gas-and-dash deaths, following the death of Calgary gas station attendant Maryam Rashidi in 2015, there have been literally thousands of gas-and-dash robberies in the province.

“The government wrapped up consultations on gas-and-dash legislation over a year ago,” said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. “The time for deliberations is over. It’s time for action.”

Alberta Federation of Labour has launched a new campaign, “Time for Pay Before You Pump,” urging the government of Alberta to put an end to preventable gas-and-dash crimes with pre-payment legislation.

Not only does pre-payment save lives – it also relieves police resources from investigating 80-100 gas-and-dash incidents a week. The Alberta Association of Police Chiefs has passed resolutions in favour of a pre-payment policy.

And Husky Oil – which experienced the murder of attendant Surinder Pal Singh, 61, in 2015 – has announced plans to introduce pay-at-the-pump at all of its stations in Alberta, with or without government policy.

BC introduced prepayment under Grant’s Law in 2008, named to honour the death Grant De Patie, a young gas station attendant who was killed trying to prevent a robbery in 2005. It’s a rare example of a public policy that has been 100 percent effective – since the introduction of Grant’s law in 2008, there hasn’t been a single fatality or injury in BC related to gas-and-dash robberies. In fact, by making it impossible for anyone to fill their tank before paying, the rule has essentially eliminated an entire category of crime.

“Perhaps the most tragic part about these deaths is that they’re one hundred per cent preventable,” said McGowan. “We know that pre-payment works. We know it saves lives. We’ve seen the evident in BC. The only question that remains is that: what is the government waiting for?”

Gil McGowan will be available for media comment October 11th at 2:00 pm, at the front entrance of 11150 Jasper Avenue.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Janelle Morin

Alberta Federation of Labour

780-278-3640 or jmorin@afl.org

Learn more about the campaign to end gas-and-dash crimes through pay-before-you-pump legislation at www.afl.org/paybeforeyoupump