On Valentine’s Day, communities across Canada will host the Annual Women’s Memorial March to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women
Brenda Wilson is the coordinator for the Highway of Tears Initiative. She says many groups have come together for the march in Prince George.
“We just want to be able to bring awareness to the issue that this is happening in all our provinces. We’ve collaborated with quite a few organizations in Prince George – with Carrier Sekani Family Services, CNC, the Friendship Centre, UNBC.”
Wilson’s connection to the issue is deeply personal – her sister Ramona Wilson was murdered in Smithers in 1994. The crime was never solved but she says awareness around the issue has grown considerably since her sister Ramona was murdered in smithers 23 years ago.
“I’m feeling very supported with people being more aware of the situation right here in northern British Columbia. Giving us that support means a lot to the families who have been dealing with this issue for many years. For our family it’s been 23 years. For other families it’s been even longer. Some of these cases date back to the 70s when it was an issue that wasn’t taken seriously.”
While the focus of the event is on indigenous women, Wilson says the event is for all community members.
“We don’t segregate and say it’s only for Aboriginal people. We invite everybody to attend this. It’s an education, collaborating together. It’s working together so that people are aware of the issue and what is going on in their community.”
The march originated in Vancouver but events are now held across the country.
In Prince George, the Annual Women’s Memorial March begins at the Courthouse at 4 pm on Tuesday, February 14.