Symposium Ends With Recommendations

By 250 News

Highway of Tears Symposium Chair, Dan George, meets with  reporters

The two day Highway of Tears Symposium has come to a close with four  major recommendations:

1. Develop emergency readiness,  which may include a version of an amber alert.  Chair Dan George says "There is a system in place in the lower mainland, maybe we need to take some of those elements and  adapt it to the north so we can have something similar."

2. Community Support

3.  Prevention

4. Counselling and Support

Dan George says the task now, is to develop a final report which will show all the details of suggestions within those four  main planks.  He says the  report should be ready in three to 4 weeks as the organizing committee should try  to make the best of the  momentum that has been created by the symposium.

How can they  bring those suggestions to action?

That's the challenge  says George, who  recognizes the responsibilty for change "Doesn't fall at the feet of the RCMP or the government alone,"  rather he said, it's up to  each and every one of us to ensure the safety of our loved ones.

The Symposium has generated about $50 thousand dollars in funding from two Provincial ministries,  to  carry  the work forward.  Chief Stewart Phillip of Penticton, suggested  at least some of the funds be put in a Highway of Tears Legacy Fund, with a  Board of Directors chosen to see that the  funds are dispersed for  suitable programs.    Certainly there was some pressure  to have rewards set up, although Dan George says he recognizes  police believe rewards need to be  part of a clear strategy. 

"We have been talking about 9 women missing or murdered, but if you listen to some of the people who haveen in there (the CN Centre)  there may be 40  to 50  people missing or murdered.  Certainly that would be enough for a task force" George told reporters.

Does he think there is a serial killer  at work on  Highway 16?   "I am not  a police investigator" he told reporters "I am a husband, and a father of two  girls, whether  there is one killer or 20, the concern is there are women being killed."

As for the  Symposium's greatest accomplishment? Dan George says  it was the courage of the families of the victims "I think it would be that  families were heard, their stories and pain validated.  Certainly that has to help them in the healing process when  people have taken time to listen to what  you have to say."

The two day symposium  was organized following the death of 14 year old Aielah Saric-Auger.  Her body was found  off the side of Highway 16 East near Tabor on February 10th.

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