Families walk Highway of Tears before hearings
SMITHERS, B.C. — Gladys Radek raised a fist in the air and wept as she reached the end of her 350-kilometre journey along British Columbia’s Highway of Tears.
The Indigenous grandmother finished her walk along the notorious stretch of Highway 16 for the seventh and final time on Monday. It is the same highway where her beloved niece Tamara Lynn Chipman disappeared.
Outside a community centre in Smithers, her voice shook as she spoke to those who had walked alongside her, including commissioners from the national inquiry into missing and murdered women.
“I want to thank you all for standing so proud and loud, to show our commissioners that we have love for our missing and murdered women,” she said through tears.
“I’m very proud of this moment right now because when Tamara went missing, nobody cared. When Tamara went missing, there were many others who were already missing, many others who had been murdered.”
Dozens of women have disappeared or been killed along the highway between Prince Rupert and Prince George.
Radek and other family members and advocates left Prince Rupert on Thursday and arrived Monday in Smithers, where the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls will hold hearings starting today.
Inquiry commissioner Michele Audette joined the group three days ago, while Chief Commissioner Marion Buller joined on Monday. Commissioner Qajaq Robinson was supposed to attend the hearings but had to bow out due to a family emergency.
Audette said she walked to honour the resilience and strength of the families who will be speaking for the first time to the inquiry. The hearings will be powerful, she said.
The inquiry has been plagued by controversy, including the resignation of commissioner Marilyn Poitras this summer and complaints from families about poor communications and delays.