MMIWG Inquiry in Prince George

Feb 5, 2018 | 3:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — A statement-gathering event has kicked off at the Conference and Civic Centre in Prince George, where it will hear from the families and friends of Indigenous women who have disappeared from the area over the years. The event is scheduled for the next three days. 

“I’m ecstatic as a family member to have this opportunity,” says Brenda Wilson-John, the sister of Ramona Wilson who went missing from Smithers in 1994. “The more we talk about our loved ones, it makes it a little easier to deal with it.”

This event is a statement-gathering event, which is different than a hearing. The statement-gathering event in one-on-one, as opposed to the publicized hearings. 

“I am a believer in the statement-gathering process because it is so intimate,” says Penny Kerrigan, Community Liaison for the Inquiry. She has participated in both hearings and statement-gathering events. “When there’s a hearing, for some families, it’s really intimidating.”