INSIDE
COMMUNITY
EVENTS B2

TERRACE, STANDARD |

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 30, 1998 - Bt

SECTION B
ALEX HAMILTON
638-7283

IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, six native
women have been either murdered or gone
missing from communities along Highway
16.

A march and candlc-light vigil last Friday
was a tearful reminder of the four murder
victims and two missing women.

Whether native women in the area are
being targeted or not, isn’t the only grave
issuc here. What RCMP are doing to catch
the killers and to find the missing women is
just as important.

At George Litlle Park, families of the
murdered and missing women spoke out
about how RCMP have failed to solve any
of these crimes or to come up wilh new
leads.

“Is it because they were natives or half-
breeds?’’ said Matilda Wilson, whose 16-
year-old daughter, Ramona, was murdered
June 11, 1994 in Smithers. “I hope not.’”

Wanda Good, whose 19-year-old cousin,
Lana Derrick, went missing from Terrace
Oct. 9, 1995 said her family was frustrated
because of how the cases were being hand-
led.

The fact that there aren’t any suspects or
leads angers her. She said the RCMP’s ef-
forl isn’t as apparent with native victims as
with non-First Nations.

She said the way Derrick’s case is being
dealt with has a lot to do with racism and
society’s views of nalive women.

“Native women sit on the bottom rung of
socicty’s ladder and we basically have to
fend for ourselves,”’ she said. “I think
that’s why there’s a lot of anger — because
RCMP hold the same negative views of na-
live women as the majority of society; they
blame the victim.”’

She said Derrick bas been blamed for
being in the wrong place at the wrong time

° and having the wrong colour of skin.

1 > She said her cousins murder didn’t get the
same national coverage that other missing
girls like Mindy Tran or Melanic Carpenter
received,

‘‘Maybe we would have found her,”

Good said.
’ Karen Williams, whose sister, Alberta,
was murdered in Prince Rupert, agreed that
had the RCMP dealt with her sister’s case
faster, perhaps they could have caught the
killer.

Last Friday’s vigil marked nine years

Murdered and missing
native women remain
unsolved mysteries

Victims’ families raise awareness of killings

from the night 24-year-old Alberta dis-
appeared from Prince Rupert.

When Alberta didn’t come home after
work August 25, 1989, Williams went ta
the RCMP to report her sister’s dis-
appearance.

Williams said the RCMP said she should
wait a day or so since her sister could return
home.

When a week went by and there still was
no sign of Alberta, the Williams family
Started putting up posters and searching
dumpsters and ditches.

“Native women sit on the bottom
rung of society’s ladder and we
basically have to fend for our-
selves. I think that’s why there’s a
lot of anger — because RCMP
hold the same negative views of na-
tive women as the majority of
society; they blame the victim.”’

A month later, when hikers found Al-
berta’s dead body along a trail, 35 km cast
of Prince Rupert, the family was hopeful
the murderer would be found,

Almost ten years later, Karen is still look-
ing for closure. Police have failed to come
up with any new evidence in the case.

“Tt wasn’t until last week that RCMP
finally returncd my calls,” she said. ‘I
pestered them to use DNA testing to help
find new clues because there basically has
been a standstill in the case.”

Thanks to Williams’ badgering, Prince
Rupert RCMP are currently testing Al-
berta’s clothes. for DNA in forensic labs,

According to Dave Helgason, an officer
from the general investigation section in
Prince Rupert, there basn’t been much
progress with the investigation.

He said there are a lot of missing people’s
cases and officers don’t have the time to
put in a 100 per cent uninterrupted effort in
these cases.

“But we always have hope,’’ he said.
“We follow up cvery lead.”’

Helgason added: that there was nothing
that he’s seen to show that there is a serial
killer largeting native women.

Fix WiHORY

ALBERTA
eee EASES

ie

Author protests outside C.O. office

PICKETING OUTSIDE the
Terrace conservation office
Sept. 24, Keith Scott held a
billboard sign that read: who
kills more bears — couser-
valion officers or poachers?

The answer, Scott said,
isn’t hard to figure out con-
sidering Terrace’s conserva-
tion officers are. shooting

- every black bear that

_- wanders into town because
‘their budget won’t allow
them to relocate them back
to the woods.

Peter Kalina, a senior con-
servation officer in Smithers
said . Scott’s sign is in-
flammatory and does a dis-
service to conservation of-
ficers.

“Officers are caught be-
tween a rock and a hard
“place,” Kalina said. ‘‘The
public expect that conserva-
ton officers provide some
measure of public safely,”’

Kalina said conservation
officers don’t look forward
to the dirty job of killing

, bears.

‘It's a damn shame to
take the life of an animal,”
he said, ‘It’s more of a
shame when the animal is
killed because of the ir-
responsibility of others.”’

He said people who live in
bear habilats like Terrace
should cxpect to sec bears
and Jeam to take care of
their garbage, fruit and com-
post.

‘We need to absolutely
work te reduce ihe number
of. complaints and bears
destroyed,’’ he said.

So far this year officers
here have handled 201 com-
plaints. and: ‘destroyed 35
“bears, 5...

And as for “money, Kalina
“sald that there's a simple

reality around the resources
officers have.

“We're dealing with an
ever-shrinking piece of
pic,”’ be said.

And given the success
rate of relocating bears, it’s
not something he says he
can afford to consider.

To Scott, a writer and
wildlife photographer for 31
years, his picketing was a
good way to raise awareness
for the need for more fund-
ing.

He was in lown last week
lo draw attention to the kill-
ing spree and to promote his
newest book, My Adven-
jures with Bears,

His book explains what
people should do whenever
they come across a bear
while hiking in the back-
country,

The most important thing
while camping, Scott said, is
to bring freeze dried food.
He explained bears bave a
very strong sense of smell,
so anything smelling un-
usual like perfumes, pow-
ders or food, like bacon,
will attract bears.

While on fishing trips be
said people should clean
their fish at least 90 metres
from where they’re tenting.

People should eat their
meals and clean their dishes
90 metres away from
they’re sleeping as well.
Food should be stored as
high as possible off the
ground.

Scolt. has been touring

around Canada and lectur-

ing al schools (he visits ap-
proximately 125 schools a
year) to teach students out-

-door education. .

- €‘There’s so lite outdoor.
ed, in schools nowadays,”?

BEAR ACTIVIST: Keith Scatt pickets outside the B.C. Access Centre to draw at-
tention to the number of bears killed recently by conservation officers. Scott has
been studying bears in the wild for 31 years. !

Seat said, ‘‘So I con-
centrate on telling kids what
not to do when it comes to
bears,’?

“In - his book, Scott warns

_teaders - that if they come |

across a bear that is eating
— wateh out,

“When a bear catches an
animal, that’s lis claim: So
if any other.animal or hu-
man approaches mney aB-
gressively attack. a

Scolt urges people & to bcarry
bear spray. He said his can

has helped him on a number
of occasions.

“It does work,” he said.
“It stings their eyes, nose

aid ears for up to an hour,

but after: that the bear. is

okay.”’

(Above)
HIGHWAY OF TEARS: A
march and vigil were held
in Terrace Sept. 25 to re-
member four native
women who were mur-
dered and two who are
stil missing from com-
munities along Highway
16. Alberta Willams,
Ramona Wilson, Alishia
Germaine and Roxanne
Thiara were - murdered
and Lana Dertick and
Delphine Nikal are still:
missing persons, None of
these cases have been
solved.

(Right)

SHE CAN'T FORGET:
Karen Williams holds a
sign In memary of. her
sister, Alberta, who was
murdered in Prince
Rupert.

Around Town

Chalky’s billiards

Chalky’s will be having pool tournaments Sundays at
2 p.m. starting Sept. 27. There is a $10 entry fee.

Youth parliament

Are you between 16-21 years of age? Interested in
developing Icadership, public speaking skills and Jearn-
ing about the parliamentary procedure? Then you
should join the 70th BC Youth Parliament. Held at the
Legislature Buildings in Victoria Dec. 27-31. For more
information contact Jeff by Oct, 20 at 635-3259,

Food bank open

The Terrace churches food bank opens its doors Oct.
19 for the first food distribution of the season. The
centre is located at 4634 Walsh Ave. The food bank
will operate Oct. 19-22 from 1-3 p.m. It is important to
bring your LD. card and your dependents I.D. cards.
Donalions of food and money can be made through lo-
cal churches, Overwaitea and Safeway stores. There is
a drop off box located in the customer service area at
these participating stores.

Mother’s time off

The Terrace and District Community Services
Sociely presents Mother’s Time off. All mothers are
welcome to come with their children to the Knox
United Church Monday to Friday from 10-11:30 a.m.
For more information call Trish or Ivy at 635-4147,

Reunion

A search is out for students and teachers who at-
tended Skeena Junior and Senior High from 1954-1964
for a reunion. For more information call Sally Smaha at
635-4243.

Grief support

The Rainbows Grief Support fs a program for chil-
dren who have experienced a loss in their lives as a
result of death, separation or divorce, A registration
and information meeting will be held at Veritas School
today at 6:30 p.m. Regular meetings begin on Wednes-
day; Oct. 14 at Veritas School. For more information
please contact Norma MacDonald at 635-3035,