New Democrats Want Reward In Missing-Murdered Women Case

Saturday, October 13, 2007 04:00 AM

NDP MLAs Mike Farnworth, Robin Austin and Gary Coons are calling on the Solicitor General to offer a reward in the deaths and disappearances of 18 women in B.C.

“We are asking that a significant reward be put in place by this government,” said Farnworth Critic for Public Safety and Solicitor General. “There have been no arrests or charges laid in connection with the young women who have gone missing along the Highway 16 corridor and cases as far south as Kamloops have recently been added to the investigation.”

Yesterday, "E" Division Sergeant Pierre Lemaitre was in Prince George to provide an update on the investigation, and said the list of cases has doubled from 9 to 18. The additions include cases in Merritt, Kamloops, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Hinton Alberta as well as the cases already noted along the Highway 16 corridor.

Police are not discounting or supporting the theory that these cases have been committed by one or the same individual.

“We want to create a situation where we encourage anyone who has information around the disappearance of these young women to come forward,” said Farnworth. “A significant reward may entice someone to do so.”

“I find it disturbing that on the Highway 16 portion, east to Edmonton, police actually believe a serial killer might be connected to the bodies of 12 prostitutes found around that city over the last 16 years,”said Austin, the MLA for Skeena. "RCMP in that province have offered a $100,000 reward and released a profile on the killer or killers. I believe that we must do the same.”

The Assembly of First Nations Women's Council indicated that the Highway of Tears in British Columbia is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to violence against First Nations women. Hundreds of aboriginal women are presumed to have been killed, and many others are victims of violence in their own communities and small towns and urban centres.

“We must continue to voice concerns and bring justice to First Nations and aboriginal women who are victims of violence throughout the province,” said Coons, MLA for North Coast. “We need significant, immediate action by the Solicitor General in this investigation.”

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