NPF Condemns Failure to Hear Victims’ Voices After “Unfit to Stand Trial” Ruling in Death of Cst. Shaelyn Yang
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Police Federation (NPF) is condemning the failure of the justice system to provide any meaningful voice to the family of RCMP Constable Shaelyn (Shae) Yang following yesterday’s decision that the accused in her killing is unfit to stand trial.
Despite being encouraged by Victim Services and Crown counsel to prepare a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) in advance of the unfit to stand trial (UST) hearing, Shaelyn’s family was ultimately told there was “no process” to receive it and that, in the absence of a verdict, “there are only the innocent and no victims”. Their statement remains outside the official legal record.
“This outcome does more than halt a trial, it erases the victim from the justice process,” said Brian Sauvé, President and CEO of the National Police Federation. “Shae’s family did everything that was asked of them by the system. To be told after the fact that there is ‘no victim’ and ‘no process’ is a profound injustice and an unacceptable failure of leadership.”
“For our family, sharing Shaelyn’s story and the profound impact of her loss is incredibly important,” said Shiling Yang, Shaelyn Yang’s aunt. “We believed the justice system would provide a way to honor her life; instead, we feel we have been left without a voice. If the accused is deemed unfit in perpetuity, Shae’s case will be effectively suspended forever—never to be recorded or resolved within the judicial system.”
On March 18, 2026, the NPF wrote to both the Attorneys General of Canada and British Columbia calling for immediate action to close this gap in law and practice and to ensure the Yang family’s Victim Impact Statement could be placed on the record before any “unfit to stand trial” decision was made. More than 30 days later, no response has been received and no action was taken.
“Government had clear notice of this problem and a concrete, practical solution in front of them,” added Sauvé. “The B.C. Attorney General could have acted before today’s decision to allow the family’s statement onto the record. They did not. That silence speaks volumes to our Members and to every victim who looks to this system for recognition and respect.”
Cst. Yang was killed in October 2022 while protecting the public in Burnaby, British Columbia. Nearly four years later, her colleagues, community, and most importantly, her family, continue to live with the consequences of her death. Yet, because the matter has now entered an unfit to stand trial and Review Board pathway, the victim’s family has been left with no structured way to have their loss recognized in the official record.
The National Police Federation is calling for immediate action to ensure this never happens again:
In British Columbia:
- Establish without delay a clear practice allowing victims and families to file written victim statements in unfit to stand trial matters, to be placed on the court record and made available to the B.C. Review Board.
- Confirm that the Yang family’s existing VIS can still be accepted and preserved as part of the official record in this case, even if it is not read aloud in open court.
Federally:
- Amend the Criminal Code and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights to explicitly recognize victims’ rights to provide written statements in unfit to stand trial and Not Criminally Responsible proceedings, and to require courts and Review Boards to receive and retain them as part of the permanent record.
“When someone is killed, there are victims, regardless of the legal outcome,” added Sauvé. “Police officers and all Canadians deserve a justice system that can protect the rights of accused persons without erasing the people whose lives have been shattered. That balance is not being struck today, and it must change.”
The NPF and our Members will continue to stand with Cst. Yang’s family and to advocate for the legal reforms needed so that no other family, police or civilian, is ever told there is ‘no victim’ and ‘no process’ when they seek only to have their loss acknowledged in the system their loved one served.
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. We are the largest police union in Canada. The NPF is focused on improving public safety for all Canadians, including our Members by advocating for much-needed investment in the public safety continuum. This includes investments in police resourcing and modern equipment, as well as social programs including health, addiction, and housing supports to enhance safety and livability in the many communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information about the National Police Federation, visit www.npf-fpn.com
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Sarah Kavanagh
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