Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls

Since March seven signs of Lisa Marie Young placed in Nanaimo have gone missing.

“It’s…hurtful and really disrespectful to Lisa and our family, and her friends,” said Carol Frank, Tla-o-qui-aht member and aunt to Lisa Marie Young. “It’s really disappointing because [of] the effort that went into getting the signs.”

After the first sign went missing in March, a donation came through from the Lisa Marie Young group to make a new sign, which was also stolen. 

Most recently, the last sign was stolen between April 16 and 18. 

Since 1992, women have been gathering on Valentines Day in the Downtown Eastside for the women’s memorial walk in honor and remembrance of the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse peoples (MMIWG2S+).

According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada, British Columbia holds the highest number of MMIWG2S+ cases. Of the 582 missing or murdered cases that the NWAC gathered, 160 were in British Columbia, making up 27 per cent of the organization’s database as of 2010.

Tuesday, February 14th, marked the 32nd year that the streets of the Downtown Eastside flooded with remembrance of murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse peoples. Families from First Nations across Canada came to commemorate their missing and murdered loved ones. 

At the corner of Main and East Hasting Street people began to gather in the morning, organizing for the day's events. The sky was widely blue, and the air was crisp with a coastal winter bite.

Feb. 14 marks a day of remembering, grieving, healing, and honoring the Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse peoples who are missing or murdered. 

The annual women’s memorial walk started decades ago at a time when there was little response or awareness towards MMIWG2S+, said Sarah Hunt, Kwagu’l of Kwakwaka’wakw, an assistant professor at the University of Victoria and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Political Ecology. There was a “lack of systemic response,” she continued.

It’s been 20 years since Tla-o-qui-aht woman Lisa Marie Young went missing from Nanaimo, and family, friends and supporters still walk in her memory each year hoping that someday justice will be served.

Over a hundred walked through the pouring rain today in recognition of the many missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, gathering near a spot where an Aboriginal woman died under suspicious circumstances just a month ago in Port Alberni.

Although the recently announced federal 2022 budget commits $11 billion over six years towards housing, health, social services and education for Indigenous people, Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns says it still falls short of addressing some injustices facing First Nations.

The NDP caucus has entered into a Supply and Consent Agreement with the minority Liberal government. According to Johns, the agreement aims to bring stability to parliament and get Canadians the help they need “following a sustained period of chaos and disruption in national politics.”

Paul Johnson was only eight years old when his mother, Pauline, was murdered in Vancouver. 

It’s been 38 years since her body was found, but to this day, her murder remains unsolved.

With only a short time together, Johnson holds onto memories of his mother through the stories his grandparents, aunts and uncles have shared with him over the years. That, and through the old photos that he keeps of her stored in his cell phone.

“It hurts every day that I can’t say, ‘I love you, mom’,” he said. “Part of me is lost.”

Nearly 20 years since 21-year-old Lisa Marie Young disappeared from a house party after accepting a ride from a man she and her friends had just met, a new incentive has surfaced from an anonymous donor.

Not a trace of her has been seen or heard of since June 30, 2002, leaving Lisa’s family heartbroken and desperate for answers.

Although Lisa Marie Young went missing 19 years ago, Nanaimo police have encountered new information into her disappearance over the last year and a half.

A press conference was held today at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, where family members of the Tla-o-qui-aht woman and police investigators urged others to come forward to keep momentum going on the search for truth. Const. Hayley Pinfold and Corp. Markus Muntener said that since they took over the file in late 2018 police have introduced techniques into the investigation, such as a police dog and ground-penetrating radar.