Families feel hope, anxiety ahead of first hearings
Diane Lilley waited nearly two decades for a suspect to be arrested in her sister’s murder, only to sit through a trial where she says her beloved sibling Tina Washpan was often referred to as simply “the hooker.’’
The dismissive treatment of her sister in death mirrored the way she was treated in life, said Lilley. The siblings from Carmacks, Yukon, were separated in the ’60s Scoop, when indigenous children were taken from their parents and placed in non-indigenous homes.
Washpan, whose adopted name was Cindy Burk, became involved in the sex trade. Her body was found near the Alaska Highway in 1990 and in 2009, a British Columbia man was found guilty of second-degree murder in her death.
Today, Lilley still has questions.
“Why did it take 20 years for my sister’s killer to be found? What was the reason?” she asked. “There are a lot of family members who are missing their loved ones and they need answers.”
Lilley is among the dozens of relatives of missing and murdered indigenous women who are expected to share their stories with a national inquiry in Whitehorse where a ceremony will be held today before community hearings start Tuesday. The hearings begin as the inquiry faces intense criticism from families and indigenous groups across Canada about poor communications and delays.
In Whitehorse, families and advocates feel a mixture of hope and anxiety. People who’ve lost loved ones are eager to finally share their experiences but have questions about how their stories will be used, advocates say, while the short timeline is prompting fears that families outside the city will be left out.
“I’m excited about it, that we’re the first one in Canada, but I feel like sometimes we’re being rushed,” said Lilley. “We get last-minute notice. There’s not very much planning.”
Doris Anderson, president of the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council, recently lost her cousin Sarah MacIntosh to a suspected homicide. Anderson expressed fears that not enough “after care’’ would be provided to families who are set to relive their trauma.
“It’s really hard when a family member comes up and says to me, ‘OK, now what? I’m going home but there’s nothing in my little community to help me,’” she said.
Inquiry spokeswoman Bernee Bolton said a health team has met with families and survivors across the territory to make sure they have the help they need and have been offered a support person to be with them when they speak.