Missing and Murdered Women

Friday, February 12

Media Invited to Stand with Missing and Murdered Women

Press asked to be part of the change, not perpetuate the problem

by Moira Peters →Original Peoples, →Media Analysis, →Politics, →2010 Olympics

"I grew up as a little girl not trusting those who were supposed to be looking after me. I was brought up to be ashamed of who I was. It took me years to feel good in this body, to accept that these brown hands are mine. Finally, I can say I am proud to be an Indigenous woman."

Carol Martin, a victim services worker at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, was one of four Indigenous women "honouring" the media this morning at the Carnegie Theatre on East Hastings Street in Vancouver.

Martin, along with Mona Woodward of the Rain City Housing Coalition, Fay Blaney, founder of the Aboriginal Women's Action Network and Dalannah Bowen, Director of Interurban Gallery, invited media to a press conference in lieu of including the press in the February 14 march to honour 3,000 murdered and missing women in Canada.

Journalists are not permitted to attend the ceremony in the Carnegie Theatre at noon on Valentine's Day, and are asked not to film or snap pictures during the march, when friends and families of murdered and missing women will stop to perform healing ceremonies at sites where women have died.

"Nineteen years ago, a Coast Salish woman's body was found in parts in Victoria. She had been mutilated. The memorial for her death lasted 10 minutes," said Blaney. "The community [of Indigenous women] here recognized there's a lot of that."

Eighteen years ago, the first women's memorial march was organized.

"We want to uphold the memorial part of it, to extend respect to the families," she said. Even the organizers of the march, many of whom are political activists, do not bring their politics to the march.

Owen, on behalf of the women giving the press conference and women everywhere, called on the media to "be part of the change, not perpetuate the problem."

The problem – that the list of murdered and missing women, most of them Indigenous, has reached 3,000 since the 1970s; that the list is growing; and that there has not yet been a public inquiry into any of the cases – is exacerbated, according to Owen, by a media that misrepresents the stories of women beaten, violated, kidnapped and murdered across Canada.

Indigenous women in Canada deal with more health problems and homelessness than any other demographic group. "Our children are being taken away from us; our women are being killed," said Martin. "We are homeless in the very country that gets rich on our land."

With billions being spent on the Olympics this year in Vancouver, Owens said, Canadians need to "examine the other side of the coin." Why, when so many public resources are being spent on the 2010 Games, has there not even been a public inquiry into the systematic violence suffered by the most vulnerable Canadians?

If we live in a democracy, said Owens, where is equality? Where is justice?

"Media is a powerful vehicle. We challenge you to give this profile its proper due. Stand with us," she said.

March organizers were asked whether the Olympics in Vancouver would draw attention to – or by the same token, detract from – attention to the march because people would be focused on Vancouver and the Games.

"Our march happens to fall on the same day as the beginning of the Olympic Games. We're not going to strain our brains over it," said Martin.

"We would suggest we will have more people than ever," said Owen. "Not only is the world watching, but women of the world know this issue."

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympics (VANOC) had suggested the march change its route, which has remained constant for 19 years. In response, 4,000 signatures in support of the march keeping to its original route were collected in less than three days.

Valentine's Day solidarity marches are expected in Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Sudbury, London, Montreal and Victoria.

"This is about living with dignity and respect in our daily lives," said Owen. "As long as we keep working, the story will be told."

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The 19th annual Women's Memorial March will begin at 1pm on February 14 at Carnegie Theatre. March organizers will host a media scrum at 11:15 am on the Carnegie patio, and the march will end at Oppenheimer Park. Photograph by Murray Bush.

Vancouver Media Co-op

http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/2671

Memorial march highlights missing women cases

Image by Renegade98 via Flickr

Post-Pickton trial, cops say 30 cases remain open

Janaya Fuller-Evans

Special to Vancouver Courier

Friday, February 12, 2010

"Missing, missing, missing..."

That was the response to each name from RCMP Staff Sgt. Wayne Clary as the Courier confirmed with him on Wednesday the list of missing women cases being investigated by Project Evenhanded.

Just days before the 19th Annual Women's Memorial March in the Downtown Eastside, there are 30 cases still open of the 39 missing women cases listed after the Robert Pickton trial.

Pickton was convicted of the second-degree murder of six women, after originally being charged with 27 counts of murder.

One count was dismissed for lack of evidence and 20 charges still stand. The list of missing women from the Downtown Eastside was clarified after conflicting numbers were provided to the Courier for a story last week. The Joint Missing Women Task Force was working on the case of Teresa Louise Triff last week, Clary said.

Six cases have gone to the prosecutor's office, though charges have not been laid.

The six women are Sharon Abraham, Yvonne Boen, Nancy Clark, Dawn Crey, Stephanie Lane and Jacqueline Murdock. Boen and Crey's DNA was found at Robert Pickton's farm in Coquitlam.

Two of the cases were solved in the past two years. Laura Kathleen Mah and Lillian Jean O'Dare were found to be deceased.

Taressa Ann Williams was confirmed among the missing but a 2004 RCMP press release states her remains were found in Vancouver in 1988 and later identified.

According to Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Const. Jana McGuinness, there are no open missing persons cases in Vancouver, besides the cases that fall under Project Evenhanded.

Organizers of the Women's Memorial March on Feb. 14 say a large number of the missing are aboriginal women, though only a handful of the women listed are identified as having a First Nations background.

Sex trade workers in the Downtown Eastside still live with the constant threat of violence, said Mona Woodward, one of the organizers and a support worker with RainCity Housing and Support Services, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Woodward's observations came from prior work in the sex trade and from her work with RainCity, she said. "During my experience both on the streets and as a frontline worker, I became blatantly aware that aboriginal women experience violence at a higher rate."

The march takes place this Sunday, Feb. 14, starting at noon at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre. Marches will also take place across Canada, including in Victoria.

The first march was held in 1991, after a woman was killed on Powell Street.

The 30 women still listed as missing by Project Evenhanded are: Marlene Abigosis, Elaine Allenbach, Angela Arseneault, Sherry Baker, Cindy Beck, Marcella Creison, Sheryl Donahue, Elaine Dumba, Sheila Egan, Gloria Fedyshyn, Catherine Gonzalez, Rebecca Guno, Michelle Gurney, Ruby Hardy, Janet Henry, Catherine Knight, Marie Laliberte, Richard "Kellie" Little, Leigh Miner, Tania Petersen, Sherry Rail, Elsie Sebastian, Ingrid Soet, Dorothy Spence, Teresa Triff, Sharon Ward, Kathleen Wattley, Olivia William, Frances Young and Julie Young.

janayafe@gmail.com

http://bit.ly/a1nzXV

Wednesday, February 10

Federal Liberals call for Highway of Tears national investigation

Published: February 09, 2010 11:00 PM

The federal Liberal Party is calling for a national inquiry into the missing and murdered women along Highway 16, also referred to as the Highway of Tears.

Anita Neville, the Liberals’ critic on the status of women, was in Prince George Friday to meet with groups and families of victims regarding the murders and disappearances.

“My leader, Michael Ignatieff, has made it clear when we’re elected we would make a call for a national investigation,” Neville said. “The Native Women’s Association of Canada has identified 520 aboriginal women who are missing or murdered (since 1970). If a planeload of 520 people went down, you could be sure there would be a national investigation.”

Currently the provincial E-PANA police task force is investigating 18 women and girls missing or murdered along B.C.’s highways. Of those 10 cases are from the stretch of Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert.

“Certainly the provincial governments are responding, and that is good, but everyone is responding in a different way,” Neville said. “It’s a national tragedy. It’s a national stain. (But) there is not a comprehensive, coordinated strategy... led by the federal government.”

There are multiple models a national investigation could be based on, such as the investigation in the Air India bombing, which could be drawn on, she added.

“I don’t know exactly what that looks like,” Neville said. “(But) I think what would be required is to meet with a whole range of stakeholders.”

Neville said she has raised the issue several times with the Department of Justice, but receive little response.

Project E-PANA spokeswoman Corp. Annie Linteau said it’s difficult to say if a national investigation or inquiry would be beneficial to the investigation.

“The RCMP is always supportive of any public forum. (But) an inquiry would not be helpful at this time,” Linteau said. “We’re conducting an active investigation... and we are not in a position to disclose our evidence in a public forum.”

Currently 69 officers and civilian staff are dedicated to Project E-PANA.

Additional resources are dedicated to cases of missing and murdered women through Project Evenhanded in Vancouver, Project KARE in and around Edmonton and Manitoba’s missing person/cold case project, Linteau said.

Linteau said without knowing the details of what a national investigation would look like, it’s hard to determine if it would benefit the investigations.

Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris said he is confident in the current police investigations into the cases.

“We have a coordinated investigation between four provinces now, all along Highway 16 from Manitoba to Prince Rupert,” Harris said. “A national investigation has a good sound to it, but what would it achieve?”

Harris said he believes the call for a national investigation is about politics, not solving cases.

“This is a tragedy. This is not something to politicize,” he said. “If she’s using this issue for political reasons, I’m saddened by that.”

http://bit.ly/bLgKyF

Highway of Tears

http://www.highwayoftears.ca/

Monday, February 8

Memorial March for the Missing and Murdered Women of Edmonton

Contact:
Danielle Boudreau
March Organizer
Phone: (780) 919-5707
Email: memorialmarch@live.com

Memorial March for the Missing and Murdered Women of Edmonton
Press Release

For immediate release - Please announce the following event:

5th Annual Memorial March for the Missing and Murdered Women of Edmonton
Edmonton hits the streets to honor missing and murdered women
Edmonton, AB February 14, 2010:

On Valentine’s Day 2006, the first Annual Memorial March for the Missing and Murdered Women of Edmonton was born by organizer Danielle Boudreau.

In June 2004, her best friend sister in law Rachel Quinney was found dead and mutilated. A year later, Ellie May Meyer was found in the same way, murdered and left in a field not far from where Rachel and numerous others had been found.

Danielle Boudreau swore she’d bring attention to the plight of these women.
On February 14, 2010 men and women across Canada will be walking to raise awareness for the many mothers, sisters, and daughters who have been murdered or who are missing.

Edmontonians can show their solidarity and support to help raise awareness and honor these women afflicted by violence.

Please join us at 6:30pm on Saturday, February 14th at Sacred Heart Church (10821 – 96 Street) for this March.

Please wear red or purple.

For more information contact Danielle Boudreau by Phone: (780) 919-5707 or Email: memorialmarch@live.com

Thank you for your help in spreading the word for this most worthwhile event!

Sunday, February 7

Totem Pole Memorial iPhone

A totem pole is carved in memory of Vancouver's missing and murdered Aboriginal women.