On Red Dress Day, BCAFN calls for action on the Highway of Tears Symposium recommendations and the 231 Calls for Justice

Press Release

May 5, 2026

(Lheidli T’enneh Territory/Prince George, BC) – Today, the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) and First Nations across the country gather to honour and remember the lives lost and forever changed by the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+). As we reflect on our grief and the challenges that continue to impact our communities, we renew the call for full implementation of the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendation Report and the 231 Calls for Justice outlined in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

In April 2026, Carrier Sekani Family Services and the Highway of Tears Symposium Planning Committee hosted an event on Lheidli T’enneh territory (Prince George) marking the 20th anniversary of the first Highway of Tears Symposium in 2006 with the continued purpose of raising awareness and calling for action to respond to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit peoples (MMIWG2S+) along Highway 16 in northern BC.

The 2006 symposium produced 33 recommendations in four key themes:

• Victim prevention
• Emergency planning and team response
• Victim family counselling and support
• Community development and support

The 720-kilometre stretch of Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Prince George is known as the Highway of Tears in reference to the many women (most of them Indigenous) who have gone missing or have been found murdered along this section of the highway since the 1960s.

May 3, 2026, marked the 8th anniversary of the day Colton Fleury went missing from his home in downtown Prince George at the age of 16. His mother, Phyllis, continues to search for him and shine a light through her outreach on the many Indigenous men who have also gone missing.

The Final Report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG was published in 2019 and includes 231 Calls for Justice drawn from the testimony of 2,380 people who participated in the inquiry. The Calls for Justice address the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls, including sexual violence.

Regional Chief Terry Teegee calls on all levels of government and institutions to implement the goals of the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report and the National Inquiry Calls for Justice in collaboration with First Nations communities:

• Publicly commit to full implementation of the Recommendations and the Calls for Justice;
• Increase funding to sustain community-led safety initiatives for families, victims, and survivors;
• Invest in Indigenous housing, education, health, and cultural revitalization;
• Ensure accountability through transparent, annual reporting mechanisms.

“The time is now for to put the Highway of Tears Symposium recommendations and the Calls for Justice into action as part of our journey towards reconciliation,” stated Regional Chief Terry Teegee. “Some work has been started, but there is much more to be done to ensure the safety of our people and to address the root causes of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. We can’t wait and risk losing another member from our communities.”

For further information, please contact:
Annette Schroeter, Communications Office, cell phone 778-281-1655.

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