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Highway of Tears probe hit by budget cuts

The B.C. RCMP's Highway of Tears investigation has become a budget-cutting casualty. Also known as Project E-Pana, the effort will lose six investigators as a result of a $1.4-million reduction in spending on the major crimes section, the B.C.
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The B.C. RCMP's Highway of Tears investigation has become a budget-cutting casualty.

Also known as Project E-Pana, the effort will lose six investigators as a result of a $1.4-million reduction in spending on the major crimes section, the B.C. RCMP confirmed Monday.

In all, the section, which works on special projects and unsolved homicide and missing persons investigations, will lose 13 investigators.

Now in its eighth year, Project E-Pana was launched to investigate the deaths and disappearances of 18 women and girls in B.C.'s northern and central regions, many of them along Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert.

As many as 70 investigators have been assigned to the effort although that number has since dropped to a dozen investigators and support staff.

"While the number of investigators have scaled down, we have the resources necessary to deal with the investigative needs at this time from interviews to forensic analysis," B.C. RCMP said in a statement.

It also noted that additional efforts with respect to education and prevention campaigns are also underway, especially in the North District RCMP region, "and they have not been impacted by the budget reduction."

The cuts were made in response to a $4.8-million reduction in funding from the provincial government. One of the B.C. RCMP's specialized gang force units in the Lower Mainland will also be disbanded as a result, but the Prince George unit will remain unaffected.

Carrier Sekani Tribal Council Chief Terry Teegee said he was disappointed by the news.

"Rather than reducing funding, I think they should be increasing funds considering the fact that some of these cases have reached a dead end," Teegee said.

Teegee also echoed calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has steadfastly opposed such a move.

"It's a situation where it's not just the Highway of Tears, it's other places across this country," Teegee said.

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton was out of country Monday and could not be reached for comment.