Push to rename stretch of Hwy 16 the Highway of Hope paused after pushback from family of MMIWG

An organization pushing to officially rename Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert, B.C., to the Highway of Hope say they are pausing the campaign after hearing feedback from people opposed to the idea including one prominent advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

A statement from Carrier Sekani Family Services says they are "rethinking how to approach the conversation" around the renaming, pausing it "until there is a more fulsome discussion to think about what Highway 16 means to everyone."

For years the 700-kilometrestretch of Highway 16, west of Prince George,has unofficially been referred to as the Highway of Tears because more than 40 women and girls, most of themIndigenous, have been murdered or gone missing along it. Prince George is around 500kilometres northof Vancouver.

This has ledto several initiatives, including the formation of the Highway of Tears Governing Body, a program run through Carrier Sekani Family Services tosupport victims'families and advocate for improved safety measures along the road.

In August, the organizationunveiled new billboards reading,"We are hope. We are strength. Keep Highway 16 safe,"to honour the resilience of bereaved families.

Anofficial campaign was also launched calling on the B.C. government to officially adopt the Highway of Hope name for Highway 16 West.

But not allbereaved families think Highway of Hope would be an appropriate name.

'Number 1 reason is there is no hope'

During the ceremony unveiling the billboards, Julie Daum, executive director of justice at Carrier Sekani,said the organization had directly partnered with families to create the billboards.

"We reallywant to switch the message and the narrative that has been going on about this place of despair and loss and pain... This is beautiful territory, and that we all deserve to be safe and protected," Daumsaid at the time.

"We don't want to be victims anymore," Mary Teegee, Carrier Sekani's executive director of child and family services and cousin of the murdered Ramona Wilson, said during the ceremony.

"We wanted to make sure our young women understood ...that it's not something that they have done. We want to make sure that they understand we are hope, and we are strength."

Gladys Radek, whose niece Tamara Lyn Chipmanwas last seen hitchhiking outside of Prince Rupert in 2005, explained her opposition to the Highway of Hope name in an interview withDaybreak NorthThursday morning.

"Number one reason is because there is no hope," said Radek.

"We have far too many missing and unsolved murders up here."

Radek has been a fixtureat events across the country often with a car displaying more than 100 photographs of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls to draw attention to cases like her niece's.

WATCH| Gladys Radek tells the story of her car:

Gladys Radek's car displays 113 photographs of missing and murdered Indigenous women

8 years ago

Duration 1:15

Gladys Radek, a long-time activist who works to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women, made a stop in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Radek saidthe name Highway of Tears helped draw attention to their cause from both the public and authorities.

Despite this, lives are still being lost and many people including Radek and her family have not received closure as the loss of their loved ones remains unsolved, she said.

"The name change would take away ... all the work we have done to raise awareness not only nationally, but internationally."

Daybreak North7:13Should the Highway of Tears be renamed?

Advocate pleased with a pause on the idea

Radek said the name Highway of Hope would be appropriate if the RCMP solves more cases, and more resources are going toward preventing future victims.

"We need programs to protect our youth," she said.

"Highway of Tears is a real area where women are needing resources."