February 24, 2009

WOMEN'S MEMORIAL MARCH

We all know that February 14 is Valentine’s Day, but it is an especially important day in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. On a clear Saturday morning a few weeks ago, there were four bald eagles flying overhead, and 2,000 people gathered at Main and Hastings for the 18th Annual Women’s Memorial March. Women sang and drummed the women’s warrior song. It was the largest event the organizers had held to date.

In January 1991 a woman was murdered on Vancouver’s Powell Street. Her name is not spoken today out of respect for the wishes of her family. This woman’s murder in particular was the catalyst that moved women to action years ago. Out of a sense of hopelessness, an annual march on Valentine’s Day was organized to express compassion, community and caring for all women in the Downtown Eastside community. And 18 years later the march continues, with a growing list of names of murdered and missing women in the Downtown Eastside.

The annual march is an effort to ensure that their lives, struggles and stories will not be forgotten as they work towards justice and closure for the family members. The event is organized every year to honour the lives of the missing and murdered women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and the highway of tears. The February 14 Women’s Memorial March remains an important day every year to come to terms with the trauma of lost lives and unanswered questions.

I join my community to renew the call for a public inquiry into the missing women of the Downtown Eastside and now the highway of tears. Each year we’ll continue to march in order to mourn and remember our sisters by listening to their family members, by taking over the streets and through spiritual ceremonies.

Once again, congratulations to Marlene George, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, the family members of the missing women and all the others involved in the 18th Annual Women’s Memorial March for organizing such an important, memorable and elegant event. On behalf of my colleagues in the B.C. Legislature, thank you.