Resources

Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report

In 2006, the Lheidhli T’enneh First Nation, Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Prince George Nechako Indigenous Employment and Training Association, and the Prince George Native Friendship Center created the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report in memory of all the women and girls who have gone missing or been found murdered along the Highway of Tears.

This report captured the personal stories and recommendations shared at the Highway of Tears Symposium on March 30 and 31, 2006 by victims’ families and community members. The report contains 33 Recommendations intended to reduce further violence against Indigenous women and girls in four key areas:

1. Victim Prevention
2. Emergency Planning and Team Response
3. Victim Family Counseling and Support
4. Community Development and Support

The purpose of this report is to present all realistic and achievable Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations. Each Recommendation listed is a specific direction or call for action with supporting rationale.

We continue to work to implement each of the 33 Recommendations and are currently working on a research project to assess which Recommendations have been implemented and which still remain to be done.

We also are working to implement the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

The Recommendations Report can be viewed here: Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report. 

Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG

In 2016, the federal government of Canada responded to persistent calls from families, loved ones, and community members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) for action on this issue by launching a National Inquiry into MMIWG. The Inquiry was asked to recommend concrete actions to remove systemic causes of violence and increase the safety of Indigenous women and girls, as well as to recommend ways to commemorate those who have gone missing or been murdered across Canada.

After investigating these issues, the National Inquiry released its Final Report, titled Reclaiming Power and Place, in 2019. This Report puts forward 231 Calls for Justice designed to address the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls and improve their safety in order to prevent further violence. Some of these Calls for Justice are specifically directed at federal and provincial governments, while others are directed at specific sectors that have contributed to the MMIWG crisis or at all Canadians. 

The Final Report and 231 Calls for Justice can be viewed and downloaded here: Final Report | MMIWG.

When is the Solution Going to Start Happening?

In February 2025, Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) and the Northern Feminist Institute of Research and Evaluation (Northern FIRE) at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) released a research report titled “When is the Solution Going to Start Happening?” 

This research, conducted in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, survivors, and community members, sheds light on the systemic barriers that contribute to the overrepresentation of Indigenous women and in gender-based violence statistics and the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The report provides critical recommendations for service providers, government leaders, and policymakers to address the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

The report can be viewed and downloaded here: UNBC Message from Mary and Julie- January 19 2024.pdf.