Investigation has taken too long, provided too few results

The investigation into the cases of Aboriginal women who have gone missing or have been murdered in British Columbia needs a new approach, insists a social worker who maintains communication with the families of some of the victims. The delay in solving the cases is unacceptable, she says. Some of the cases date back to 1969.

“We have to look at where the justice system failed,” said Mavis Erickson, who is the Highway of Tears coordinator at Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) in Prince George.

The Highway of Tears is Highway 16 that runs between Prince Rupert and Prince George. It was dubbed the Highway of Tears because of the many young women who have vanished or been murdered along that remote stretch of road.

According to a Web site devoted to the victims, 30 women who were last seen on the highway between the two northern BC communities have either gone missing or have become victims of homicide.

Almost half the women have been identified as being of Aboriginal heritage.

In 2005, the BC RCMP created Project E-Pana, which is a special unit devoted to investigating missing women’s cases. E-Pana team commander Staff Sgt. Bruce Hulan reports that before a woman’s name can be put on E-Pana’s list, she had to be engaged in “high-risk activities,” or last seen on one of three BC highways—Highway 16, Highway 97 between Prince George to Kamloops, and Highway 5.

The risky activities mentioned include hitchhiking or involvement in the sex trade.

Erickson says the project is adding insult to injury when it comes to the cases under investigation. She fears the RCMP, along with the media, are falsely labelling the women.

“They say that the women were engaged in ‘high risk behaviour’ and yet, if you talk to the families about the girls that went missing, they weren’t hitchhiking, they weren’t prostitutes, and they weren’t into drugs,” said Erickson.

She added that stereotypes against people involved in highrisk behaviors would prejudice the RCMP and cause them not to work as hard to solve the cases.

Cpl. Annie Linteau of RCMP E Division said many people link “high risk activity” with the sex trade, but she emphasized that it is not the only scenario. She stressed that the RCMP “are fully investigating” all 18 cases that are on E-Pana’s list.

Even though none of the cases has been solved to date, she remained optimistic.

“We feel like we are progressing... We hope to give some of the families closure,” said Linteau, who encouraged anyone with any tips to immediately call the RCMP.

On Dec. 12 it was reported that Project E-Pana had identified 2,000 “persons of interest” in the Highway of Tears investigation. None of the 2,000 has been identified.

“Somebody out there knows what happened,” said Linteau, who explained that it is common for the culprit to tell a friend about the crimes committed.

Despite RCMP assurances, Erickson is not satisfied with their results. She has called for an inquiry into the RCMP’s delay in solving the cases, one that is arms-length from the police organization itself.

“I don’t think Aboriginal women would come forward to an inquiry that is run by RCMP middle-class men,” she said.

Erickson explained that many women she speaks with say they wouldn’t feel comfortable coming forward to the RCMP; however, many have opened up to her.

“What you have is a police organization that’s out of touch with First Nations people,” explained Erickson.

CSFS has garnered support for the idea from a few regional Aboriginal organizations, and at least one influential leader, newly elected BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Jody Wilson-Raybould. They call for a full inquiry into the mysteries along the Highway of Tears, and the RCMP’s handling of the investigation.

Wilson-Raybould confirmed that she, along with the First Nations Summit and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, have written letters to the BC Attorney General’s office showing their enthusiasm for such an inquiry.

She hopes it would include a thorough study that will provide solid answers, as opposed to the anecdotes that she said are circulating about the victims.

“There needs to be some reflection, and a look into the policy and procedures that guide responses from law enforcement officials, in terms of reports made about missing women,” said Wilson-Raybould. She specifically referred to the treatment that some the victim’s families have received when dealing with law enforcement.

Though Wilson-Raybould didn’t come out and accuse RCMP of not taking families’ concerns about their missing women seriously, she clearly implied that families felt as though the police service was not always accommodating.

CSFS has also submitted a request for an inquiry to BC Attorney General Michael de Jong. The organization has yet to receive an official response, although Erickson said she is “cautiously optimistic” it will happen in 2010.