Premier David Eby has issued the following statement acknowledging the annual Women’s Memorial March being held today:

“The first march was organized by women in 1992 to honour the memory of an Indigenous woman who was murdered in Vancouver. The woman’s grieving mother joined others to make the march an annual grassroots event in the Downtown Eastside. For 32 years, people have gathered on the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples to honour and remember beloved Indigenous women and girls who have been murdered or are missing.

“To the families and friends of those taken, we grieve with you and hold you in our thoughts. The loss of a loved one is devastating.

“The pervasiveness of violence against women must be addressed and the cycle of violence must end. Our government has taken important steps to support survivors, including increasing access to sexual assault services and expanding the supply of safe, short-term housing for women and children leaving violence. We’re working to provide the opportunities that everyone needs to build a good life, with housing on and off reserve, access to child care, and breaking down barriers to skills training by making it more affordable.  

“We know there is much more work to be done. We are committed to listening, taking action, and working with Indigenous women and others.

“Today, I encourage all British Columbians to join those honouring the murdered and missing, and to join in our call to end violence against women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse people.”

Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, said:

“First Nations, Métis and Inuit women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people continue to disproportionately experience violence. We all have a responsibility – on this day and every day – to protect those who are most at risk of being targeted with violence.

“It’s critical for this work to continue taking place at every level, and we’re going to support and lead this work in every way we can.”

Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, said:

“We continue to work towards a safer B.C. for everyone. Safe and Supported: B.C.’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan was recently released, and reports on the vital work are underway and actions upcoming, including boosting programming and supports for survivors, stable funding for community-based sexual-assault response services, strengthening government’s response to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, lifting up Indigenous-led approaches, and ramping up prevention and awareness campaigns.

“Initiatives were developed in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous partners and with advice from community service providers and advocates. We will continue this important work because every woman and girl who is at risk of violence deserves all of us working together to ensure their safety.”

Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, said:

“To the people who continue to raise awareness, demand justice and seek to make life safer for all people, we extend our gratitude. No woman, girl or 2SLGBTQIA+ person should ever experience violence or feel unsafe.

“As government, we have a role and a responsibility to lift up the voices of all those who call for an end to gender-based violence, and to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination that are all too often a root cause of violence. We share the anguish, the frustration and the determination to make our province safe for everyone.”

To learn more about B.C.’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/SafeandSupported_GenderBasedViolenceActionPlan_Dec2023.pdf