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"We need accountability and justice for all missing and murdered women."
Vancouver (8 September 2010) - Gladys Radek, one of the co-founders of Walk4Justice, is calling for a national inquiry to look into the cases of the missing and murdered women along the stretch of highway from Prince George to Prince Rupert, known as the Highway of Tears.
After numerous media accounts of the internal review of the bungling of the police investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton, the BC government is backtracking and says it will meet on September 9 to decide on a review. A 400 page report by Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Doug LePard was released last month and concluded that Pickton could have been caught earlier preventing the deaths of more than a dozen women from the Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Walk4Justice completed its third walk in Winnipeg on July 28, 2010. The first walk was a 4,000 kilometre journey from Vancouver to Ottawa in 2008 and last year’s walk went from Vancouver to Prince Rupert. The routes are different each year, but the message from the families of the missing and murdered women hasn’t changed: They say they want a national inquiry. They want justice for all missing and murdered women.
Just before this year’s walk, NUPGE delegates from across Canada were in Vancouver for NUPGE’s triennial constitutional convention. Delegates generously contributed over $4,200 for the walk. Radek, who was a solidarity guest at the convention, says Walk4Justice’s journey would not be possible without the donations and “would like to thank each and every one who donated funds to us.”
Radek and a core group of walkers set off from Kamloops BC on June 22. Along the way, other walkers would join them and people would bring donations or provide some food and a place to sleep. Radek says this year’s walk was very stressful. She mentions the vehicle break downs and last minute event cancellations, but says it was the emotional stress that was most draining. “The injustices we hear from these families. It was very disturbing to listen to; too many families are hurting,” says Radek.
Lorene Oikawa, BCGEU/NUPGE vice president and chairperson of the BCGEU Equity and Human Rights Committee, says,”Walk4Justice is making sure we don’t forget it’s about someone’s daughter, sister, mother, niece, and aunt. It’s about respect. Our work for human rights isn’t finished.”
Radek agrees. “We have much work to do to push for a public inquiry, a National Missing and Murdered Women’s Symposium and next year’s walk to Ottawa to demand a four year report card from the Prime Minister. We need accountability and justice for all missing and murdered women."
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE