Harper ‘upset’ serial killer Olson collecting pension

Originially published March 25, 2010

LONDON, Ont. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper has vowed to "rectify the situation" that has notorious serial killer Clifford Olson receiving monthly pension payments from the federal government.

It emerged earlier this week that Olson, 70, collects more than $1,100 each month from the federal government while serving a life sentence for killing 11 youth in Greater Vancouver in the early 1980s.

"I’m as upset about this, as concerned about this, as any other Canadian is," Harper told reporters Thursday in London, where he was making an unrelated funding announcement.

"I think probably the reason this hasn’t arisen before is these are unusual circumstances; it is not typical that we have senior citizens facing life incarceration," he added. "But obviously, this is a situation that has many, many Canadians upset and for good reason.

"I’ve instructed the minister to look at what options are available to this to rectify the situation because it should be rectified."

Olson receives the funds through Canada’s Old Age Security pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement programs, offered to all Canadians over the age of 65 who are classified as low-income.

The funds are being put into a trust account in the serial killer’s name as he continues to serve 11 consecutive life sentences in a Quebec prison for the murders of his victims, who were all age nine to 18.

Harper made the comments while announcing that Norwegian defence contractor Kongsberg will open a new, $50-million military-weapons facility in southwestern Ontario in 2011.

Meanwhile, families victimized by the serial child murderer say they have a legal claim to federal pension funds mounting up in his trust fund.

The families of seven of Olson’s child victims obtained civil court awards in 1982. Yet the families have never seen a cent of the money Olson has amassed in federal pensions while in jail.

Sharon Johnsrude, whose 16-year-old son Daryn Todd Johnsrude was murdered by Olson in April 1981, was in Disneyland with her grandchildren when her BlackBerry told her about Olson’s pension.

"Olson is still a very dangerous psychopath who would kill within five minutes if he escaped – and the last time he went to hospital he was found to have hidden a key in his rectum," said Johnsrude from her home in Ottawa.

"He’s probably gloating about the pension funds in his trust fund while the victims’-rights groups are struggling for funds or have to shut down. Even though seven of the families have obtained judgment against Olson, we weren’t even told about the pension funds the government is keeping for him in trust."

Each victim’s family was awarded about $10,000 for their loss.

With files by the Vancouver Province