DAKELH TRADITIONAL TERRITORY/PRINCE GEORGE, BC – The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC) is pleased to hear that there will be a public inquiry into how the Vancouver Police Department and RCMP and other agencies managed the disappearances of women from the downtown eastside (DTES).
Vice Tribal Chief Terry Teegee stated, “it’s good to hear the Attorney General made the right decision to hold a public inquiry, however, it must be transparent and must seek to resolve the root problem of the matter which includes the relations between the police force and aboriginal people.” Teegee adds, ” there is a systemic issue in how the police force engaged the DTES women, which relates to not only the life style of the women, but also their class in society, which I believe was one of the reasons none of the tips were followed up or why there were no resources provided to solve these cases.”
Tribal Chief David Luggi stated, “We hope that this inquiry can provide answers and some sort of closure for the families of the women from the DTES.” We must also never forget that there are well over 500 women who are murdered or missing in all of Canada.” Luggi concluded, “the CSTC are also advocating for an inquiry into the Highway of Tears Murders and why none of them have been solved.”
Many of the women murdered by Robert Pickton were of aboriginal ancestry, one in particular, is from the Carrier Sekani community of Takla Lake, her name is Jacqueline Murdock. Jackie, as she was commonly known as, had her DNA remains found on the Pickton farm, however, Pickton has never been charged with her murder. A memorial service for Jackie will be held in Prince George on Friday September 24 at 10 am at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Prince George, BC.
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For more information, contact:
Vice Tribal Chief Terry Teegee at 250-562-6279