Highway of Tears symposium
By Cheryl Jahn
Highway of Tears

Public safety ministers attend Highway of Tears Symposium

Apr 8, 2026 | 4:06 PM


PRINCE GEORGE – It was a chance for hundreds to hear what two public safety ministers had to say 20 years after a symposium took place in the city to draw attention to the tragedy of women missing along Highway 16 – which has become known as the Highway of Tears.

“The fact that Indigenous women and girls are so disproportionately at risk for violence,” says Nina Krieger, BC’s Minister of Public Safety. “I think of the families of the victims and those who remain missing and it’s an opportunity to remember.”

Twenty years ago, a march and special series of 33 recommendation came from that event, all geared to ensuring the number of young girls and women are less at risk.

Minister Krieger met with family members today (April 8) and describes how it felt to be part of that conversation.

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“They have not only the lived experience, but enormous amounts of expertise and commitment to advocacy in this area. And really, that is essential to our path forward.”

The second symposium will last the remainder of the week, and Krieger says she will have a very specific message for her cohorts in Victoria.

“A key takeaway for me is that our work must continue with great care and urgency and ongoing partnership, with Indigenous peoples, with all levels of government. And that there is hope in the work that we do, which is very much grounded in Indigenous communities.”

But is there skepticism about follow through?

“You know what it is? It’s not just about changing minds. It’s about changing hearts,” says Mary Teegee-Gray, CAO with Carrier Sekani Family Services. “We’ve had good people in government who have been really committed to this and have come forward. When we did the Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan, those were committed individuals within the Ministry of Transportation that worked with us, that didn’t let up.”

The symposium runs through the course of the week with a special unveiling ceremony scheduled for Friday.

by Cheryl Jahn

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