BCGEU Aboriginal members call on fellow union members to support the Highway of Tears Awareness Walk.
Published by Patrick March 23rd, 2006 in Aboriginal, House of Labour, North BC Tags: Aboriginal, bcgeu, north, women.
The BCGEU Aboriginal Council is supporting this important initiative by distributing “Stop Violence Against Aboriginal Women” buttons, and gathering donations to support the walk.
Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George has been dubbed the “highway of tears” because of the heartbreak associated with the many cases of young women who have vanished or whose bodies have been found along the road. Most of the women have been Aboriginal.
The walk begins in Prince Rupert on Saturday, March 11, with the first steps taken by Florence Naziel, and other supporters. Florence is a 56-yearold grandmother from the Frog Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. Her cousin’s daughter went missing along Highway 16. Florence is challenging herself to walk 20–30 kilometers a day and she invites anyone who wants to support her in her mission to honor the families of the missing or murdered women.
Florence says that, “My heart goes out to all the missing women of all nationalities throughout BC and across Canada. I challenge Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to walk with me as we ‘tag-off’ with teams walking to Prince George.”
When the walkers reach Smithers, Matilda Wilson will join the walk to Prince George. Matilda’s daughter’s body was found near Smithers in 1994. The walk started by Florence Naziel ends with a symposium in Prince George March 30–31, 2006. The Lheidli T’enneh Nation is bringing together Aboriginal leaders and community members to strategize solutions, change government policies, and bring awareness to the social issues that result in abuse against Aboriginal women, youth and children.
Matilda Wilson and her family, along with the Gitxsan Spirit walkers, will participate in the opening ceremony at the Prince George CN Centre. The murder of 14 year-old Aielah Saaric-Auger, whose body was found in February near Prince George, stunned local communities. Please join the Aboriginal community in doing everything in our power to ensure that another life is not taken.
For more info, or to join the walk, please contact: BCGEU Aboriginal Liaison Georgina Martin at 604-291-9611, toll-free 1-800-663-1674.