First it was John Cummins, a former Conservative MP, saying missing and murdered women who disappeared along British Columbia's notorious Highway 16 were "putting themselves at risk", now we have Conservative MP Bob Zimmer blaming "a lack of jobs" as a contributing cause for the 1,200 murdered and missing women.
Having authored the Highway of Tears 2006 Symposium Recommendations Report, I am disappointed with the lack of understanding being exhibited by these Conservative MPs on the critical issue of a woman's right, not only to feel safe, but be safe, in public places, regardless of their employment status.
I am deeply disturbed by the focus on, and blaming of, murdered and missing women for their own demise, and I can assure everyone that nowhere in the symposium report are victims blamed.
Having researched the Highway of Tears murdered and missing women's cases, as part of the development of the report, a predator versus prey "hunting pattern" clearly emerges around the timelines and places where murdered women were found, or had gone missing in Prince George, and along the Highway of Tears.
It was, and is, during the summer months that the majority of women disappeared while hitchhiking along that highway. However, it was during the winter months that the predator(s) would shift their focus on hunting their prey in the City of Prince George, as there were no female hitchhikers to be found on the highway during those cold winter months.
The offer of jobs to women, who could be the victims of the primitive and animalistic urges of psychopaths and sociopaths, will not prevent those women from being hunted and preyed upon, Mr. Zimmer.
Let's focus on hunting down and prosecuting the predators, Mr. Zimmer. After all is it not your government that is supposed to be tough on crime? If you and your party truly are so concerned about women's rights, perhaps the 1,200 murdered and missing women should be a little higher on your radar.
Don Sabo
Prince George
