B.C. Liberals Must Ensure Internal Disarray Doesn’t Derail Highway Of Tears Funding, Says NDP
VICTORIA — Internal B.C. Liberal government disarray threatens to derail the Highway of Tears program, say the New Democrats.
Gary Coons
Funding for the Prince George-based office runs out today, in part because of the revolving door at the Solicitor General’s office.
“The Highway of Tears office was making do on short-term funding, but the debacle involving Kash Heed has meant the work to renew the funding fell by the wayside,” said North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
Bob Simpson
“This is the second time that funding for the Highway of Tears program has been in jeopardy because the B.C. Liberals can’t get their act together. Once more, it is the local community that is being asked to pay the price as the B.C. Liberals scramble to manage crises instead of planning effectively.”
Over the past four decades, nearly 20 women have gone missing along the highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. The majority of those women have been members of local First Nations. In 2006, the Highway of Tears Report made 33 recommendations, which included the implementation of an ongoing Highway of Tears program.
“It’s appalling that the B.C. Liberals’ internal chaos is getting in the way of this important work,” said Bob Simpson, the opposition critic for aboriginal relations. “Instead of advancing the work, finding out what happened to those women and taking steps to make the highway safer, the program has stalled.
“The B.C. Liberals need to commit without delay to fully funding the Highway of Tears program as a first step.”
Solicitor General Mike De Jong has refused to commit to continue funding the program.
“The work is not done,” said Coons. “The B.C. Liberals simply cannot let this important program fall off the table.”
Simpson supports First Nation leadership calls for a judicial inquiry into the disappearances along Highway 16.
“The victims’ families deserve to know what happened to their loved ones,” said Simpson. “And an inquiry would go a long way toward ensuring that more of their daughters don’t go missing along the Highway of Tears.”
Carole James and the New Democrats have been holding the B.C. Liberals accountable for breaking their word on the HST, and for backtracking on their election promises to protect health care, education, and other vital services.
