Original subtitles

-YOU KNOW, THAT QUESTION

OF WHEN I STARTED THE FORGOTTEN PROJECT...

WAS I NAIVE?

AND, YEAH, I WAS.

I WAS NAIVE TO THINK

THAT I CAN APPROACH THESE ISSUES IN THE WAY I DID

WITHOUT...

EXPERIENCING THE KIND OF CONTROVERSY I HAVE.

[LOUD RUBBING SOUND]

-I WAS WORKING IN THE CENTRE, AND I FOUND IN A DRAWER

SOME PHOTOGRAPHS BY LINCOLN CLARKES

OF THE WOMEN THAT CAME TO MY SHELTER.

AND WHAT I LEARNED WAS THAT HE DROPPED OFF SHOTS

FOR THE WOMEN THAT HE TOOK OF THEM,

AND THE DEAL WAS THEY WOULD PICK THEM UP,

AND THE FIRST THAT I LEARNED

THAT A WOMAN WAS MISSING

WAS SHEILA EGAN.

SHE NEVER CAME TO PICK UP HER PORTRAIT.

IT REACHED MORE OF A FEVERISH PITCH

IN ABOUT 1999,

WHEN THE MISSING WOMEN'S TASK FORCE

RELEASED A POSTER OF THE WOMEN THAT WERE MISSING AT THAT TIME.

-THAT YEAR, WE HAD A DISAGREEMENT

ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT SHE WAS DOING,

AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT

THAT THAT WAS WHY SHE WASN'T PHONING.

SHE WAS STUBBORN. I WAS STUBBORN.

BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS, I KNEW.

I KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG.

-WHEN I HAD FINALLY TALKED TO THE POLICE,

I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING

THAT MARNIE WAS THE FIRST PERSON MISSING.

LITTLE DID I KNOW SHE WAS NUMBER 26.

-THE NUMBERS WERE JUST INCREDIBLE,

AND MANY OF THE WOMEN, YOU KNOW,

WE ALL KNEW ONE OR TWO, AND, YOU KNOW,

WOMEN THAT WERE WALKING WITH US ONE YEAR,

GONE MISSING THE NEXT YEAR.

THEY KNEW AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER.

THEY ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT,

AND THEY WEREN'T TELLING THE PUBLIC.

-IT WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE...

TO RIDICULOUS TO UNBELIEVABLE.

WHAT WE HAVE IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE

THAT OCCURRED HERE IN VANCOUVER,

AND WE DIDN'T STOP IT.

[POLICE SIRENS WHINE]

-IT WAS AROUND SUPPER TIME, I THINK.

I GOT A PAGE, AND IT WAS MARK CHERNOFF,

AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE SEARCHING THE FARM,"

AND I SAID, "WHAT FARM?"

AND HE SAID, "THE PICKTON FARM."

I JUST SAID, "OH, MY GOD."

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM IN '99.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH IN '98,

BUT WE HAD ENOUGH IN AUGUST OF 1999,

AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM.

I JUST STARTED THINKING OF NUMBERS,

AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING 13, 12, 13, 14 WOMEN

THAT PROBABLY DIED IN THAT TIME,

WHEN HE REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN CUSTODY.

-THIS CASE IS NOW THE LARGEST SERIAL KILLER INVESTIGATION

IN CANADIAN HISTORY.

-DURING THE TRIAL

AND IN THE PRE-TRIAL PROCEEDINGS,

THERE WERE LITTLE GLIMPSES OF THE LIVES OF THE VICTIMS,

BUT THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON ROBERT PICKTON.

THE FOCUS ON THIS PERPETRATOR EXCLUDES THE PUBLIC

FROM WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE WOMEN,

AND THEY BECOME SORT OF A CATALOGUE

OF BODY PARTS AND DNA SMEARS ON WALLS.

WHEN SHE MAKES THESE WORKS PUBLIC,

THAT WILL CHANGE THE FOCUS BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE

FOR US AS A SOCIETY,

TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS THAT LED TO THESE KILLINGS.

SEEING THOSE PAINTINGS IN THE BACK ROOM

AND SEEING THE PAINTINGS IN THE FRONT ROOM

RAISED A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR ME ABOUT PAMELA.

WHAT WOULD MAKE A PERSON

WHO WAS BUILDING A CAREER ON BEAUTIFUL PICTURES,

WHAT WOULD POSSESS HER TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT

THAT DREDGED UP THE WORST POSSIBLE ASPECTS

OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR?

-WE STARTED HEARING ALL OF THIS INCREDIBLY BRUTAL STUFF.

WE COULDN'T TELL THE STORY.

I COULDN'T DO MY FULL JOB BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICATION BANS

THAT WERE IN PLACE,

AND THEY WERE VERY STRICT.

THEY FOUND, WHAT, THREE HEADS IN BUCKETS OUT ON THE FARM.

SOME OF THEM HAD...

I THINK ALL OF THEM HAD BULLET HOLES IN THEM.

THE HEADS HAD BEEN BISECTED,

PROBABLY WITH A RECIPROCATING SAW.

THEY HAD THE HANDS INSIDE THE HALVES OF THE HEADS,

AND THEY WERE RESTING ON THE FEET.

-THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

-THANK YOU.

-WELL, WE KNEW SHE'D GONE MISSING, OF COURSE,

SO THEN IT WAS ABOUT 2001.

IF THEY FIND DNA ON ANY OF THE WOMEN,

THEY SEND THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE SERVICES,

ALONG WITH THE RCMP,

AND THEY MAKE A PHONE CALL TO YOU,

AND THEY TELL YOU

THAT THEY'RE COMING OUT TO YOUR HOME

AND THAT THEY'RE BRINGING VICTIM SERVICES WITH THEM.

THEY DON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING ELSE

UNTIL THEY GET THERE.

AND THAT MORNING,

WE SAT AT MY KITCHEN TABLE,

AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN TWO RCMP, I BELIEVE,

AND ABOUT THREE VICTIM ASSISTANCE WOMEN,

AND THE ONE RCMP SAID, "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?"

AND I SAID, "GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHTFORWARD AND DIRECT.

DON'T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH."

AND HE SAID, "WE FOUND DNA ON THE PICKTON FARM

"OF YOUR SISTER,

"AND AS IT STANDS,

"ROBERT PICKTON'S GOING TO BE CHARGED

WITH YOUR SISTER'S MURDER."

I THINK THE BIGGEST THING WITH ME IS, YOU KNOW,

I'VE LET GO OF MY SISTER.

I KNOW SHE'S IN THE BEST HANDS SHE COULD BE IN,

BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW THEY WERE MURDERED,

AND WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT COURTROOM

AND YOU'RE BEING TOLD

THAT THEY WERE STRUNG UP ON MEAT CLEAVERS

AND THEY'RE BEING CUT OPEN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

AND THEY'RE BEING DEGUTTED AND CHOPPED UP

INTO SMALL LITTLE PIECES, LIKE...

THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE. THESE WERE WOMEN.

THEY WEREN'T JUST PROSTITUTES AND DRUGGIES ON THE STREETS.

-IN 1997,

14 WOMEN WERE FOUND DEAD

OR WENT MISSING FROM THE EAST SIDE.

14 WOMEN IN ONE YEAR.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THAT HAPPENED IN WEST VANCOUVER?

YOU CAN'T.

WELL, BEHIND THAT BRUSH STROKE THAT MIGHT LOOK VIOLENT,

VIOLENTLY EXECUTED,

OR THAT SLASH IN THE CANVAS

OR THE COLOUR OF BLOOD

THAT MIGHT REPRESENT SOMETHING

ALONG THE LINES OF THE WOMAN'S DEATH,

I THINK THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A PERSON

BEHIND THE ACT OF VIOLENCE,

WHICH WOULD BE ME IN THIS CASE,

THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE...

NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD REACTION.

IT'LL MIMIC THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO BLAME SOMEONE.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE ME IN THIS CASE.

AND, UH...

[LOUD SCRAPING]

SO, I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE RECEIVED WELL,

THAT PART FOR SURE.

SOME PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO BE WOKEN UP TO THE IDEA

THAT THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING AND THAT IT'S TIME TO CHANGE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT MEMORIALIZING A WOMAN OR ANY OF THESE WOMEN.

I MEAN, I DON'T MEAN TO BE SO HARSH WHEN I SAY THAT

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHY I'M REALLY PAINTING THEM.

IT'S NOT TO MEMORIALIZE THEM.

IT'S TO HAVE THEM STARE US BACK AS A SOCIETY IN THE FACE,

IN OUR FACES.

I JUST HAVE THIS VISION, YOU KNOW?

I DON'T REALLY...

I CAN'T ALWAYS CONVEY THINGS WITH A WORD.

I STARTED PAINTING THE FACES FEBRUARY 2006.

IT'S DAYS BEFORE JULY 2007,

AND...

I'M JUST BELOW 20,

SO THERE ARE 69 THAT I'M PAINTING.

I CAN'T SAY.

I CAN'T SAY WHEN I'LL HAVE THEM DONE.

-VANCOUVER IS A VERY SMALL CITY.

IT'S A MINUSCULE PLACE.

YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH IT IN 15 MINUTES.

IT'S NOT LONDON.

IT'S NOT MARSEILLES OR MEXICO CITY,

THOUSANDS OF SQUARE MILES.

WE'VE ONLY GOT 12 BLOCKS TO WORRY ABOUT.

-THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE,

WHERE I WALK IN THE CAPACITY OF A BEAT OFFICER,

THE PLACE IS LIKE A GOLDFISH BOWL

OF SOCIETY'S PROBLEMS.

DRUG ADDICTION, ALCOHOLISM, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS,

CRIME, POVERTY...

YOU NAME IT, IT'S THERE.

-I THINK MOST URBAN SETTINGS HAVE AREAS THAT ARE SIMILAR.

HOWEVER, THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD, YOU KNOW,

HAS THE HIGHEST REPORTED NUMBER OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN THE CITY,

WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THE NUMBERS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.

-WE HAD TWO PEOPLE STABBED OVER HERE.

WE HAD A GIRL STABBED ON THE STEPS.

AND THEN LAST WELFARE DAY,

ANOTHER GIRL GOT STABBED IN FRONT OF THE DOOR HERE,

NOT THIS DOOR, BUT THE OTHER DOOR.

-I CALLED ON MY CELL PHONE 9-1-1

AND SAID, "I WANT TO REPORT A PERSON MISSING.

IT'S A FRIEND OF MINE."

THE MISSING PERSON'S DEPARTMENT GIVES ME A CALL AT WORK

AND I SAID, "LOOK, I KNOW SARAH.

SHE'S MISSING. SHE JUST DIDN'T RUN AWAY."

AND THEN HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT,

"WELL, YOU KNOW, WOMEN, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"THAT WORK THE STREETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT,

"THEY GO FROM CITY TO CITY.

YOU KNOW, THEY SHOW UP AGAIN."

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID.

"THEY SHOW UP AGAIN."

-IT STARTS FROM THE CHIEF AND WORKS ITS WAY DOWN,

SO YOU'VE GOT RANKING OFFICERS

WHO ARE BEHAVING IN RACIST AND SEXIST MANNERS,

AND YOU FOLLOW THAT LEAD,

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DRILLED INTO YOU

AND INGRAINED INTO YOU

THAT YOU DO AS YOUR SUPERIORS DO.

THE WOMEN WHO SELL THEIR BODIES FOR SEX,

THEY DID NOT DESERVE...

THEY DID NOT DESERVE ANYTHING.

-IN MY SEARCH FOR SARAH,

I PUT OUT LOTS OF POSTERS.

I WAS PUTTING THEM UP EVERYWHERE.

I WALKED THE STREETS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

I HAD THEM ON MY CAR.

I GOT A COUPLE OF TIPS,

BUT THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS BILL HISCOX.

HE CALLED AND HE SAID, "WILLY, A PIG FARMER,

"HAS ALL OF THESE WOMEN'S CLOTHING

WITH BLOOD ON THEM ON THEIR FARM,"

AND LISA YELDS,

SHE IS THE ONE THAT TOLD HIM THIS STORY.

-I HAVE A STEPSISTER WHO WAS VERY CLOSE WITH WILLY

AND WAS ALSO DOING ODD JOBS FOR WILLY AS WELL.

ONE OF THEM WAS CLEANING HIS TRAILER A LOT.

SHE STARTED TO NOTICE THINGS...

GIRLS' CLOTHING, I.D.s, YOU KNOW, INHALERS,

AND SHE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, BILL,

I THINK THIS IS WHERE ALL THOSE WOMEN ARE GOING."

-WE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS.

LISA YELDS, WHO WAS MR. HISCOX'S FRIEND,

WAS EXTREMELY ANTI-POLICE,

IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS,

WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH THE POLICE.

EVERYONE AGREED THIS WAS EXTREMELY COMPELLING,

BUT EVERYONE ALSO SAID,

"YOU'LL NEVER GET A WARRANT ON THAT."

I RAN PICKTON FOR A CRIMINAL RECORD,

AND THE ONLY TWO ENTRIES I GOT ON HIM

WERE ATTEMPT MURDER, FORCIBLE CONFINEMENT,

AND THEY WERE STAY OF PROCEEDINGS,

AND I REMEMBER, I JUST THOUGHT,

"THIS IS THE KIND OF GUY I'M LOOKING FOR."

-SHE ALREADY KNEW

AND WAS ALREADY AWARE OF PICKTON,

AND SHE ALREADY KNEW WHERE THE FARM WAS.

IT WAS, "LET'S SEE IF BILL KNOWS WHERE IT IS,"

AND I TOOK HER STRAIGHT TO THE FARM,

AND I SAID, "THIS IS THE MAN YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING AT,

"NOBODY ELSE.

LOOK AT THIS GUY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY FREAKY IN THERE."

-I FELT STRONGLY

THAT AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION WAS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO,

WHICH I COMMUNICATED TO COQUITLAM RCMP

AND SAID, "LOOK, WE'LL HELP YOU WITH SURVEILLANCE.

"WE JUST CAN'T INITIATE IT OURSELVES

BECAUSE IT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD,"

AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT WAS AT,

AND THEN IT JUST DIED.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL,

AND I EXPECTED, AND THIS IS...

I KNOW I SAID THIS IN MY EVIDENCE,

THERE WAS AN ABSENCE OF ANYONE WHO I WORKED WITH,

SAYING TO ME, "THIS IS HOW WE TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

"THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

"WE'RE THE HOMICIDE GUYS SAYING,

"'LORI, THIS IS A SERIAL KILLER.

"'YOU'RE RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.'"

THERE JUST WASN'T THAT LEADERSHIP.

-THERE WAS JURISDICTIONAL PROBLEMS

BETWEEN THE RCMP AND THE VPD,

AND THEY NEVER PROCEEDED,

AND MORE WOMEN CONTINUED TO DIE.

-I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO RE-ENACT THE KILLING

OR THE DEATH OF THESE WOMEN,

AND SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENED WHEN I DID THIS.

IT FELT EMOTIONALLY

LIKE I HAD PIERCED THE SKIN OF AN INDIVIDUAL,

LIKE, IT WAS JUST...

I CARRIED A LOT OF THAT WITH ME

TO THE POINT WHERE IT REALLY DISTURBED ME.

I GUESS THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND IT

WAS TO GO BACK TO THOSE WOUNDS

AND TO STITCH THEM UP,

AND THEN COVER UP THE STITCHING,

AND IT WOULD ONLY JUST SHOW TRACES

OF MAYBE SOME SORT OF STORY ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL.

I'M DOING THAT NOT JUST WITH THE STITCHING,

BUT ALSO WITH NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS,

SO THE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA IN THEIR LIFE.

YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC WITH THE MEDIA

AND THE STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD,

SO WHAT THE PUBLIC REALLY KNOWS,

AND HOW THERE'S THIS PLACEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY

ON THIS KILLER, YOU KNOW...

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THERE'S A REALLY BIG CHANCE

OF SOCIETY IN GENERAL JUST REALLY PLACING THE BLAME

ON THAT PERSON, THAT INDIVIDUAL,

SO THAT THERE'S NO SOCIAL BLAME.

WELL, WHY DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?

IF A FAMILY MEMBER COMES TO ME,

OR THERE'S A BEEN A FEW

THAT HAVE SENT ME E-MAILS WITH PICTURES,

THEN I'M GOING TO RESPECT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, RIGHT,

BUT I STILL HAVE TO MAKE A FINE BALANCE

BETWEEN THAT AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS,

WHICH SOMETIMES IS A CHALLENGE.

EVEN THOUGH I DON'T MAKE, LIKE,

REALLY MAKING THE DEALS WITH MY COLLECTORS,

I'M STILL MAKING THESE DEALS,

AND I'M PURPOSELY MAKING LARGE-SCALE WORKS

SO THAT I COULD INCREASE MY REVENUE

TO PAY FOR THE FACES.

$22,000. THAT'S FOR THAT SIZE OF WORK.

FOR SOMETHING BIGGER,

FOR SOMETHING THAT'S COMMISSIONED,

IT WOULD NORMALLY BE ABOUT $35,000,

SO THAT'S ABOUT 70 GRAND,

SO YOU GUYS ARE GOING FROM THAT TO 50,

SO YOU'RE... NO, NO,

BUT YOU'RE GETTING ALREADY THE EXTRA 30% OFF FOR THAT.

IF I BUY ALL OF THE ALUMINUM FRAMES

WITH THIS ONE COMPANY,

WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ABOUT $1,500 WOULD BE ABOUT $700,

SO THAT TIMES 69.

THEN THE PAINTS THEMSELVES COST ME

ABOUT $600 IN PAINT SUPPLIES

TIMES 69.

I'D SAY THIS PROJECT'S GOING TO COST PROBABLY ABOUT...

$150,000,

AND BECAUSE I ESTIMATED THAT MUCH,

MURPHY'S LAW'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, $300,000?

[LAUGHS]

I'M NEVER REALLY GOOD AT THAT WHOLE ESTIMATING THING.

OH...

IT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE AGREED UPON, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

[CAR ALARM BEEPS OFF]

-THEY HAD A DETECTIVE BY THE NAME OF KIM ROSSMO

IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT,

ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED CRIMINAL PROFILERS

PROBABLY IN THE WORLD.

-KIM ROSSMO FIRST BEGAN TO COME TO MY ATTENTION

WHEN WE STARTED HEARING ABOUT THIS FORMER BEAT COP

WHO WAS DOING A Ph.D. IN, WHAT WAS IT,

GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING AT SIMON FRASER,

AND HE WAS DEVELOPING THIS METHOD

OF IDENTIFYING CRIME THROUGH MATHEMATICAL PROCESSES.

-IN THE FIVE YEARS I WAS IN THE VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT

GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING SECTION,

WE WORKED CASES FOR THE FBI,

THE GERMAN POLICE,

THE BELGIAN GENDARMERIE,

NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT,

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT,

LITERALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I WENT BACK 20 YEARS,

FOUND THE NUMBER OF UNFOUND MISSING WOMEN

FROM THE SKID ROAD AREA, WHICH IS QUITE SMALL,

UNTIL WE GET TO '95,

AND THEN THINGS SPIKE UP.

ANY EXPLANATION FOR THIS

HAS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FOLLOWING.

WHY ARE WE SEEING THIS IN VANCOUVER?

WE'RE NOT SEEING IT

IN OTHER SKID ROADS IN OTHER CITIES.

WHY ARE WE NOT FINDING ANY BODIES?

AND MOST IMPORTANT,

WHY IS THIS JUST HAPPENING WITH WOMEN AND NOT MEN?

MAJOR CRIME PUT FORWARD A NUMBER OF THEORIES,

NONE OF WHICH COULD EXPLAIN ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

THE ONLY ANSWER THAT COULD EXPLAIN THEM ALL

THAT WE COULD SEE

WAS A SERIAL KILLER.

THE RESPONSE TO MY REPORT WAS THAT,

"HEY, WE'VE HAD YEARS TO FIND ALL THESE MISSING PEOPLE.

"YOU GIVE US ANOTHER FIVE YEARS

AND THIS SO-CALLED 'SPIKE' OF ROSSMO'S WILL FLATTEN OUT."

-IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS PERSONALITY ISSUES

IN THE VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT.

-IT WAS REALLY A STORY OF, I THINK,

VERY POOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

RUNNING A VERY IMPORTANT AGENCY.

-THE PEOPLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION

THAT COULD HAVE CHAMPIONED PICKTON

AS A VERY VIABLE SUSPECT,

THEY WERE STILL SAYING, "WELL, WHERE ELSE COULD THEY BE?"

-THESE WOMEN ARE MISSING,

BUT WE HAVEN'T FOUND THEIR BODIES.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE, YOU KNOW,

MET UP WITH FOUL PLAY.

THEY'RE SIMPLY MISSING.

-AT THE SAME TIME IN VANCOUVER,

THERE WERE A SERIES OF GARAGE ROBBERIES

HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE.

NOBODY WAS HURT.

PEOPLE WERE FRIGHTENED,

AND THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, PHILIP OWEN,

DECIDED TO OFFER A $100,000 REWARD

FOR INFORMATION IN THOSE CASES,

BUT THEN ON PUBLIC, ON TELEVISION,

HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE MISSING WOMEN

AND ABOUT A REWARD IN CASES OF THE MISSING WOMEN.

-WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT UP A $100,000 REWARD

TO HAVE A LOCATION SERVICE.

-IT'S NOT OUR JOB, YOU KNOW?

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE.

THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS.

IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO LOCATE THEM.

-I WAS MARGINALIZED BY MAJOR CRIME.

THEY DID FORM THE ONE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM

TO LOOK AT IT,

BUT THEY WERE UNDER-RESOURCED.

NEITHER AGENCY WAS WILLING TO PURSUE IT, VPD AND RCMP.

AFTER THE WORK ON THE MISSING WOMEN CASE,

THEY DIDN'T ASK ME FOR A SINGLE GEOPROFILE.

-HE WAS SUMMARILY DISMISSED BY THE VPD

AND HE HAD TO TAKE HIS ACTUALLY WORK ELSEWHERE,

EVEN THOUGH SCOTLAND YARD, FBI, AND OTHER PLACES

WERE USING HIS WORK.

-THE HEAD OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID,

"THE RESOURCES WILL BE THERE.

"ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED WILL BE THERE

AS SOON AS THERE'S EVIDENCE,"

AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

AS SOON AS THE PROPERTY WAS IDENTIFIED

AND THEY GOT ON THE PROPERTY,

ALL THE RESOURCES WERE THERE,

BUT THE RESOURCES WERE NEEDED TO GET THERE,

AND THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE.

-IT'S VERY SAD

THAT THEY DIDN'T TAKE ACTION WITH KIM,

WITH DETECTIVE ROSSMO'S INFORMATION,

BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU STRAIGHT UP,

WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAVED ABOUT 15 WOMEN'S LIVES,

AND ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN SEREENA ABOTSWAY'S LIFE,

WHO WENT MISSING IN THE SUMMER OF 2001.

SHE CAME BY TO SEE ME EVERY SINGLE NIGHT I WORKED.

I KNEW HER FROM THE HOLDING CELLS,

AND I KNEW HER SUBSEQUENTLY ON

WHEN I WENT TO WORK ON THE HEALTH OUTREACH VAN.

SEREENA WOULD SHOW UP AND SAY HI.

"HI, MOM, JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU."

MY DAUGHTER KNEW HER.

SHE WAS ACCEPTED.

ON OCCASION, I'D GO TO THE COQUITLAM CENTRE

AND I'D HEAR THIS VOICE, "MOM!"

AND I'D LOOK OVER, AND THERE'S SEREENA.

BLESS HER HEART, SHE'S RUNNING TOWARDS ME FOR A HUG,

AND I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE HER A HUG,

HER IN HER PINK SPANDEX,

BUT THERE SHE IS, SHE WAS OUT VISITING HER FOSTER PARENTS.

WE BUMPED INTO EACH OTHER.

OTHER PEOPLE MAY WONDER, "WHO IS THIS GIRL?"

SHE WAS MY GIRL FOR SO MANY YEARS...

AND TO SEE THIS GIRL'S PICTURE APPEAR ON THAT POSTER

WAS LIKE LOSING MY CHILD.

MANY WILL ATTEST TO THAT,

BECAUSE SHE WAS LIKE A CHILD TO ME.

SHE WROTE ME LETTERS.

-SHE'S KIND OF A FUNNY GIRL, GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR,

BUT HEAVILY ADDICTED TO DRUGS

AND INTO THE PROSTITUTION SCENE IN A BIG WAY,

SO SHE WAS QUITE VULNERABLE.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE SONG?

-SPICE GIRLS.

-WHICH ONE? WHICH SONG, THOUGH?

YOU LIKE THE SPICE GIRLS.

-OH, YEAH, I LIKE THEM WELL, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SONGS.

-WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN FIVE YEARS?

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE DOING?

-I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, ACTUALLY,

BECAUSE I QUIT SCHOOL

WHEN I WAS IN,

ACTUALLY, GRADE 8.

-IF YOU LOOKED AT HER MEDICAL RECORDS,

IT WOULD SHOW YOU THAT SHE WAS HUGELY TRAUMATIZED,

BEATEN ALMOST TO DEATH, AND, YOU KNOW,

HAVING PLASTIC SURGERY DONE TO HER HEAD

AND PLATES PUT IN AND STUFF.

SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, SAVAGELY RAPED,

AND IT'S A WONDER SHE NEVER DIED EARLIER.

-AREN'T YOU WORRIED ABOUT SOME STRANGER PICKING YOU UP?

LIKE, WHAT IF THERE IS SOMEBODY GOING AROUND

MURDERING ALL THESE GIRLS?

AREN'T YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE NEXT TRICK YOU PULL

MIGHT BE HIM?

-YEAH, BUT I ALWAYS GO BY MY SIXTH SENSE.

-INSTINCT. -YEAH.

IF I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE GUY IS,

THEN I WON'T GO WITH HIM.

-YOU KILLED SEREENA AND MONA, AGREED?

WELL, IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

-I WON'T ADMIT TO ANYTHING YET, BUT GO AHEAD.

-WOULD I BE RIGHT IN SAYING, WILLY,

THAT YOU HAD REACHED THE STAGE

WHERE YOU JUST NO LONGER SORT OF REALLY VIEWED THESE GIRLS

AS BEING WORTH ANYTHING?

-MM-HMM.

-AND YOU'D KILL...

-SHE DOESN'T WANT TO HARBOUR ON WHAT HAPPENED

IN HER PHYSICAL BODY

BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED AS A SPIRIT,

BUT SHE WANTS TO SAY

THAT EVERY SORT OF UNIMAGINABLE THING

THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE COULD HAPPEN TO A PHYSICAL BODY,

HAPPENED TO HER,

BUT HER SPIRIT SHINES LIGHTER,

AND THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS TO GET OVER TO PEOPLE,

THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE PHYSICAL GOES THROUGH,

THE SPIRIT SHINES.

SHE'S SO EMPHATIC ABOUT THAT.

SHE'S HERE.

THEY'RE ALL HERE WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON THEM.

[EXHALES]

I'M SORRY, I'VE GOT TO SAY THIS.

"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS."

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS.

IT'S LIKE, "GET OUT OF MY LIFE."

WHEN SHE'S GOT LOVE,

I'M SURE IF SHE WAS IN LOVE,

SHE'D LOVE THIS, BUT SHE'S NOT.

SHE'S PISSED.

THE PART OF THEM THAT DOESN'T WANT TO BE REVEALED

IS THEIR EGO,

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR JOB IS?

THIS IS PART OF HER HEALING, AND, AT LONG LAST,

BOTH SIDES HAVE TO BE SHOWN.

I'M GETTING BIG TINGLES WITH THAT.

THEY HAVEN'T GOT A LOT OF CHOICE NOW, LOVE.

ONE OF THE MANY REASONS YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO DO THIS

IS TO FACILITATE THEIR HEALING.

OH, SOULS GO ON MANY JOURNEYS.

YOU KNOW THAT. YOU'VE DONE THAT.

THAT'S BEEN YOUR JOURNEY.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THIS

BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE IT IN YOUR OWN LIFE.

-MAYBE IT WAS THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS

THAT I USED TO ATTRACT IN MY LIFE.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY FATHER WAS REALLY ABUSIVE,

AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE...

I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE

TO HAVE A FATHER, LIKE, TO GROW UP WITH A FATHER,

AND SO THE ROLE OF A MALE IN MY LIFE

HAS REALLY...

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THIS PATTERN I HAD CREATED,

SO I WOULD ATTRACT TO ME THE SAME TYPE OF MAN,

AN ABUSIVE MAN,

AND I WOULD FEEL SHACKLED AND BOUND TO THIS LOVE

BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS LOVE, YOU KNOW?

I THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED TO BE ABUSED TO BE LOVED.

WAKING UP AND YOU HAVE PURPLE ARMS

BECAUSE YOU WERE BOUND TO A BED AND BEATEN, YOU KNOW?

LIKE, THINGS THAT I'VE REALLY EXPERIENCED

WHERE I HAD TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK OUT OF.

I STARTED DOING THESE PHOTOS,

THESE PHOTOS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER FRIEND OF MINE,

AND I WOULD TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF BOUNDARIES,

AND I GUESS SOME DEEP-SEATED ISSUES

ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH AND...

I'M REALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF IT,

SO I'M SHOWING YOU SOMETHING RIGHT NOW

THAT YOU WOULDN'T NORMALLY SEE

IN THE END RESULT.

LIKE, I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS ON SHOW.

I REALLY WANTED TO BECOME

A LOT MORE PERSONAL ABOUT MY WORK,

LIKE, JUST REALLY GET WHAT'S IN HERE.

GET IT OUT.

MY OWN SHIT, YOU KNOW?

THIS WORK IS MORE BLATANTLY SEXUAL

THAN MY OTHER WORK.

I GUESS THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE WOMEN

COULD BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH POWER WITHIN SOCIETY,

HOW WE USE IT AND ABUSE IT, OURSELVES AND OTHERS.

I FIND THAT A LOT OF MY LANDSCAPES,

MY REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE ETHEREAL, YOU KNOW...

I TEND TO CALL THEM INNER LANDSCAPES.

I FIND THEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT PRETTY.

AND PEOPLE WILL COMMENT IN A SIMILAR CAPACITY,

AND I JUST, I THINK INSIDE OF ME,

ARTISTICALLY,

I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO SAY MORE,

LIKE SOMETHING MORE

BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THAT PRETTY PAINTING,

YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE UNSAID

AND HIDDEN AND EXPERIENCED AND SECRETS.

THE LAST YEAR OF MY CAREER HAS BEEN SO BUSY,

THAT I ACTUALLY TOOK A VACATION.

WHEN I CAME BACK,

I WENT INTO THE GALLERY WHO I SIGNED WITH.

LIKE, I JUST WENT IN TO SAY HI, AND THEY OFFERED ME A SHOW.

THE DIRECTOR IS ON THE WAY TODAY, OF THE GALLERY,

TO SEE WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING.

OUR LAST CONVERSATION,

SHE SAID THAT THERE'S WORK

THAT SHE'S LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHOW

BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPLICIT IN NATURE,

AND THERE'S THAT PART OF ME THAT UNDERSTANDS, RIGHT,

"OKAY, WELL, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SELL THE WORK.

THEY WANT TO BE CONFIDENT IN THAT."

AND THE OTHER PART OF ME WAS JUST LIKE,

"YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M GOING TO PAINT WHAT THE FUCK I WANT TO PAINT."

IN THE END, I HID A LOT OF THE IMAGES

UNDERNEATH THE PAINTINGS.

IT WAS LIKE I WAS PAINTING THESE IMAGES OF MYSELF...

AND WHAT LIVES UNDERNEATH.

AND I JUST WONDER WHAT'S IT ALL FOR, YOU KNOW?

WHY AM I LIKE THIS?

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I'M SEARCHING FOR MEANING

OR SOMETHING STUPID.

-WHEN YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING

THAT'S THAT EVIL AND THAT DARK,

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CHOOSING TO PAINT ABOUT IT...

YOU'RE GOING TO ATTRACT,

YOU KNOW, MORE DARKNESS.

IT'S LIKE PULLING THE PIN OFF A HAND GRENADE, I THINK.

[LIGHT PARTY CHATTER]

-IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE MY SHOW UP,

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE ALL I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT

IS THE PROJECT, THE FORGOTTEN PROJECT.

EVEN THOUGH I'M HERE IN PERSON,

I THINK THAT I'M ALWAYS, LIKE,

ALMOST OBSESSIVE ABOUT THE PROJECT,

BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO FINISH IT.

YEAH.

-WASSUP?

-WASSUP!

I'M REALLY PROTECTIVE.

LIKE, IT'S GREAT FOR HIM TO BE THERE

AT MY SHOWS AND STUFF,

BUT I WANT TO BE PROTECTIVE ABOUT IT,

SO I JUST KIND OF TRY TO SEPARATE THE TWO

A LITTLE BIT.

I WAS GOING THROUGH A BIT OF A SEPARATION AND HAD A BABY.

I FIGURED THAT IT WOULD GIVE ME MORE STABILITY

IF I WAS WORKING FOR A GALLERY.

I WORE A SUIT EVERY DAY,

AND I WAS TRYING TO SELL OTHER PEOPLE'S ART,

AND THEN IT JUST REALLY GOT ME...

INSPIRED, YOU KNOW,

TO SEE ALL THAT AMAZING WORK,

AND SO I WOULD GO HOME

AND, YOU KNOW, I'D BE THERE WITH MY TWO-YEAR-OLD,

TRYING TO BE...

TRYING TO WORK PART-TIME AND BE A MOM

AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING,

AND HE WOULD GO TO SLEEP,

AND I WOULD PAINT FEVERISHLY UNTIL 3:00 IN THE MORNING,

JUST NUTS,

AND THAT'S WHAT GOT ME THROUGH.

-I SAW A NEWS REPORT, I BELIEVE IT WAS 1963,

WHERE THERE WAS A CONCERN BY THE MAYOR OF VANCOUVER,

WHO, YOU KNOW, WAS TALKING ABOUT NATIVE WOMEN

BEING MURDERED IN THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE,

AND WANTED TO CONDUCT SOME KIND OF INVESTIGATION OF THAT.

THIS WAS 1963.

THIS ISN'T NEW.

-THE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THE MOST

WAS THE NUMBER OF FIRST NATION WOMEN

THAT WERE ON THIS POSTER.

-IT'S A WELL-RESEARCHED POPULATION,

AND IN DIFFERENT SAMPLES,

THE PERCENTAGE OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN

FAR EXCEEDS THE PROPORTION

IN THE POPULATION OF STREET-INVOLVED WOMEN,

AND THE TRUTH OF IT IS

YOU'VE GOT THE EFFECT OF 200 YEARS OF COLONIZATION

ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES.

-WHAT I SEE THROUGH ANALYSIS AND ACADEMIA

STEMS FROM INTERFERENCE OF SOME KIND.

INTERFERENCE OF GOVERNMENT,

EITHER THROUGH RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL,

THROUGH FORCED RELOCATION,

THROUGH CHILDREN BEING ADOPTED OUT.

-BASICALLY, WHAT MY FATHER WAS TELLING ME

IS THAT IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

AND BEING DEPRIVED GOOD FOOD,

BUT IT WAS AN ALL-OUT ASSAULT ON THE CULTURE AND THE VALUES

AND THE LIFESTYLES OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE.

I THINK HE WAS MADE TO FEEL ASHAMED OF WHO HE WAS.

-AND THE MESSAGE WAS VERY, VERY CLEAR,

THAT IN ORDER TO CIVILIZE THE SAVAGE OF THE COUNTRY,

YOU NEEDED TO BREAK APART

THE RESPECT AND THE PLACE OF WOMEN,

AND THE MEN ACQUIRED THE SKILL OF DEMEANING THEIR WOMEN,

OF PUTTING THEM IN A LOWER PLACE THAN THEM,

AND ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY AND OTHER WAYS

ABUSING THOSE WOMEN.

SO, WHEN THESE YOUNG BOYS AND THESE YOUNG GIRLS

ARE WATCHING THIS,

WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY RELATE TO

WHEN THEY GET INTO A RELATIONSHIP?

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING HANDED DOWN,

GENERATION TO GENERATION.

I THINK IT'S SOCIETY'S ACCEPTANCE

THAT THE 500 MISSING WOMEN FROM THE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY

ARE NOT IMPORTANT

IN THE OVERALL GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY.

-WELL, IN THE VERY EARLY YEARS WHEN SHE CAME TO LIVE WITH US,

SHE WAS ALWAYS...

SHE GREW INTO A VERY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN,

BUT SHE WAS EXTREMELY CUTE AS A LITTLE GIRL,

AND VERY OUTGOING AND VERY CREATIVE.

SHE LOVED TO DRAW.

SHE LOVED TO ACT, TO PERFORM,

TO DO ANYTHING THAT INVOLVED IMAGINATION.

-I LOOKED AT SARAH AS A VERY INTELLIGENT YOUNG LADY,

AND SHE WAS.

INTELLIGENT, BRIGHT, WITTY.

KNEW WHAT SHE WANTED.

WAS WORKING.

KNEW SHE WAS WORKING. KNEW WHAT SHE WAS SELLING...

AND SHE SOLD IT TO ME.

THE MORE I GOT TO KNOW HER, THE MORE I GOT TO LOVE HER,

AND I WISH THIS WOULD HAVE STARTED OUT DIFFERENT.

I WISH I COULD HAVE MET HER UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

-THIS IS HEROIN RIGHT HERE.

I CAN DO THAT IN ONE FIX, AND IT BARELY EVEN BOTHERS ME.

I'M PRETTY MUCH NUMB TO IT, I GUESS,

BECAUSE I DON'T GET HIGH OFF IT ANYMORE.

IT JUST MAKES ME NORMAL.

IT JUST MAKES ME ABLE TO FUNCTION.

I FEEL GOOD, BUT I'M NOT PARTICULARLY TOTALLY HAPPY...

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE CARRYING

A BIG BALL AND CHAIN AROUND WITH YOU

FOR A PART OF YOUR LIFE.

I WENT TO JAIL FOR A WHILE, GO FOR SIX MONTHS,

AND THEY MADE ME QUIT COLD TURKEY,

AND IT WAS...

I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN DEAD.

IT HURTS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE IT.

IT PHYSICALLY HURTS.

-YOUNG GIRLS IN PARTICULAR WHO ENDED UP ON THE STREET

INVARIABLY, THROUGH MY INTERVIEWS WITH THEM,

I FOUND THAT OVER 80% OF THEM HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED,

AND A LOT OF THEM CAME FROM GROUP HOMES

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY PREFER THE STREET OVER THEIR OWN HOME.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE "BAD DATE" LIST,

THERE'S DOZENS...

THERE'S SCORES OF TWISTED, PERVERTED, VIOLENT MEN OUT THERE

PREYING ON THESE WOMEN.

IF THEY'RE NOT KILLING THEM, THEY'RE KILLING THEIR SOUL,

AND THEN THE DRUGS WERE A WAY OF COPING WITH THAT ABUSE

AND COPING WITH THE LIFESTYLE

THAT THEY'D FOUND THEMSELVES INTO

TO SUSTAIN THEIR HABIT.

I MEAN, THE BIGGEST PIMP

OF ALL THE LOW-CLASS WORKING GIRL DOWN THERE,

THE LOW-CLASS STROLL,

ARE DRUGS.

-IT'S HARD TO PROCESS,

AND SO YOU START TO USE DRUGS TO COPE.

THE AMAZING THING ABOUT CRACK COCAINE

IS THAT IT WILL WIPE YOUR MEMORY RIGHT NOW.

IT TOTALLY NUMBS YOU

AND STOPS THAT ANXIETY, THE PANIC,

THE FEELINGS THAT COME

WITH THAT KIND OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS BEING TRIGGERED.

-I CAN RELATE TO THE MISSING WOMEN

BECAUSE OF THE ADDICTION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL JUST LOOK AT ADDICTION

AS SOME KIND OF, A PROBLEM OF WILLPOWER.

"WELL, JUST STOP!"

IT'S NOT THAT EASY.

I'M THE GUY WHO'S WEARING THE SUIT AND TIE TO COURT,

BUT AS 2007 STARTED AND THE PICKTON CASE STARTED,

MY ADDICTION WAS DEEPENING.

I WAS DOING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CRACK COCAINE A DAY,

AT TIMES HEROIN AS WELL.

THERE WERE TIMES

WHEN I WAS SO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE

ABOUT MY CRACK COCAINE USE,

THAT I WAS LEAVING THIS COURTHOUSE BEHIND US,

GOING DOWN TO THE DOCKS AND SMOKING CRACK,

AND THEN COMING BACK AND COVERING THE COURT.

TO LEAVE THE COURTROOM, GO AND FILE MY STORY,

AND THEN GO AND GET HIGH.

I'M OUT DOING HEAVY ILLICIT DRUGS,

AND I'M SURROUNDED BY SHERIFFS, POLICE, LAWYERS,

AND A SUPREME COURT JUDGE,

AND A SERIAL KILLER SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

A LOT OF TIMES, IT GOT TO THE POINT

WHERE IT JUST WASN'T COMPUTING IN MY HEAD ANYMORE.

IT WAS JUST SO CONFUSING.

ONCE YOU START USING,

YOU WILL OBSESSIVELY THINK ABOUT IT,

AND YOU WILL ACT COMPULSIVELY.

YOU WILL VOID ALL VALUABLE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE.

YOU WILL NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ANYTHING.

ALL YOU WANT IS THAT DRUG.

SO, IF A BEAT-UP OLD TRUCK

WITH SOME FILTHY MAN STINKING OF PIG SHIT

COMES UP AND OFFERS A HANDFUL OF CRACK COCAINE,

YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES

TO GET WHAT'S IN HIS HAND.

-I DON'T REALLY CONSIDER MYSELF A PORTRAIT ARTIST.

I CAN LOOK AT ONE FACE

AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH IT

ON A, LIKE, A TECHNICAL LEVEL,

AND IT'S ALWAYS A QUESTION FOR ME.

AM I REALLY SAYING WHAT I WANT TO SAY?

-SOME PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT SOME STRANGER THINGS THAN THIS.

-I'M KIND OF MAKING MY WORK A BIT MORE CONTEMPORARY IN FEEL,

YOU KNOW, AND CHANGING IT UP A BIT,

CHALLENGING THE VIEWER...

TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK,

YOU KNOW, IF YOUR MOUTH IS STAPLED.

I GUESS IT'S A PRETTY HARSH WAY OF SAYING IT,

BUT IN A WAY IT'S NOT SOMETHING

THAT SOMEONE WOULD RECOGNIZE EASILY,

AND WHEN THEY DISCOVER WHAT IT IS IN THE PAINTING,

I THINK THE REACTION IS STRONGER THAN WITHOUT IT.

A LOT OF TIMES AS A YOUNGSTER, AS A TEENAGER GROWING UP,

I REMEMBER FEELING THIS IN SO MANY WAYS,

THAT SEXUALITY AND A WOMAN'S WORTH

WAS REALLY DEPENDENT ON THE OUTER APPEARANCE,

AND I THINK IN MEDIA AND OUR CULTURE, POP CULTURE,

WE REALLY HAVE A DISPLACEMENT OF THOSE VALUES.

YOU KNOW?

THIS IS HOW SHE MADE A LIVING.

THE FACT THAT I'M PREPARING TWO CANVASES,

ONE THAT HAS PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES

BESIDE THIS RELIGIOUS-FEELING,

RIGHT AND WRONG KIND OF THING,

YEAH, IT MAKES ME QUESTION A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT, WELL,

EVEN SOCIETY, RIGHT?

LIKE, THIS IS RIGHT.

IT HAS TO BE RIGHT BECAUSE WE VALIDATE IT.

AND SO WHAT I'M DOING

IS I'M KIND OF MAKING THIS WHITE VEIL

BENEATH THOSE IMAGES

AND THE FACE THAT I'LL PAINT.

I'M TRYING TO TELL THE VIEWER SOMETHING.

-WITH PAMELA'S PAINTINGS,

THE WAY I FOUND OUT ABOUT THEM WAS REALLY UNFORTUNATE.

I WAS CALLED BY 16:9,

AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE PAINTINGS,

WHICH I HAD NEVER HEARD ABOUT BEFORE,

AND THEY WANTED ME TO GO AND SEE THEM,

AND THEY WANTED TO FILM ME SEEING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME,

AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS DISGUSTING,

AND I HAD NO INTEREST IN DOING THAT,

AND THAT GAVE ME THE FEELING

THAT THIS WASN'T ABOUT THE WOMEN,

THAT THESE PAINTINGS WERE...

IT MADE ME MISTRUST THE ARTIST AS WELL,

BECAUSE HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

-THEY WERE 69 INNOCENT WOMEN WHO WENT MISSING,

MANY OF THEM VICTIMS OF SERIAL KILLER ROBERT PICKTON.

SOME WERE SHUNNED BY SOCIETY,

OTHERS SIMPLY IGNORED BY THEIR FAMILIES,

AND EVEN IN DEATH, THEY WERE FORGOTTEN...

UNTIL NOW.

[SOBS]

-OH, DEAR.

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOU CRY.

I'M SORRY.

-THEY ARE TEARS TO REMEMBER THE FORGOTTEN.

-THE IDEA OF THEIR MUG SHOTS, IN MANY CASES,

OF HAVING THEM BE REMEMBERED IN AN EXHIBIT

CALLED "THE FORGOTTEN"

AS HUGE, ONE-DIMENSIONAL VICTIMS,

MADE US SICK.

-YOU CAN'T HELP BUT HAVE PERSONAL THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

TRIGGER STUFF IN YOU, AND WE REACT.

AND OF COURSE, I'M GOING TO BECOME DEFENSIVE

AND I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, "HOW DARE YOU DO THAT?"

YOU KNOW, "I'M ANGRY, MAD, UPSET, PISSED OFF."

YOU KNOW, MORE HURT THAN ANYTHING,

BECAUSE I SEE THAT, AND THAT'S A REMINDER

OF WHAT THE WOMEN HAD GONE THROUGH.

THAT'S A REMINDER WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME.

THAT'S A REMINDER ABOUT WHAT STILL CONTINUES TO GO ON.

-YEAH, I'M PRETTY ATTACHED.

[LAUGHS]

I DON'T WANT TO BE, BUT...

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING SO BAD,

AND YOU THINK THAT,

"OKAY, WELL, WHAT WILL BE WILL BE,"

BUT I DON'T KNOW,

IT WOULD JUST BE SO GREAT

TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON,

YOU KNOW, AT THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY.

THIS IS A MOMENT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER NOW.

LIKE, I'VE ALREADY PAINTED HOW MANY, YOU KNOW,

AND THEY'RE COMING IN... BY THE TIME THEY COME IN,

THERE'S GOING TO BE ALMOST 50.

I'M JUST GOING TO SHOW MY WORK

AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

AND, UH...

TELL HER HOW MUCH I THINK IT BELONGS AT THE VAG.

IT'S EXHAUSTING EMOTIONALLY.

LIKE, IT'S BEEN AFFECTING MY STOMACH

AND I JUST, WHEN I START,

SOMETIMES, I'LL PASS OUT IN THE STUDIO,

AND IT'S NOT THE LACK OF WATER.

I THINK IT'S JUST THE EMOTIONAL BURDEN SOMETIMES,

THAT I JUST GO THROUGH THIS.

LIKE, I'LL SEE VISIONS OF, YOU KNOW, THE TRAUMA AND STUFF,

AND I JUST...

JUST START CRYING, LIKE, IT'S SO...

SORRY.

SHE CAME IN HERE AND BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW,

"WE'RE BOOKED UP UNTIL 2/13,

"SO EVEN THE TALK OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW,

"PROBABLY TOO LATE FOR YOU,

BUT LET ME SEND THE CURATORS BY."

I DIDN'T GET A SENSE

THAT SHE REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE SCOPE OF IT,

AND SHE BASICALLY SAID,

"WELL, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE US SHOWING ONE OF THESE,"

AND AS SOON AS SHE SAID THAT, I KNEW,

"YOU DON'T GET IT.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THIS

"UNTIL IT'S 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD,

"AND YOU GO, 'OH, MY GOD.

"'WE TOTALLY LOST SIGHT OF THAT,

"'THE CULTURAL AND THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

OF THAT BODY OF WORK.'"

AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.

SO, THE GALLERY DIDN'T WORK OUT,

BUT, YOU KNOW, A FEW DAYS LATER,

LITERALLY A FEW DAYS LATER,

I WAS CONNECTED WITH THE DIRECTOR

OF THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY.

THEY CAME IN AND, YOU KNOW,

IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE,

YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN

AND YOU'RE SHOWING THE WORK,

AND AFTER YOU SHOW ABOUT 20, 30 PAINTINGS,

YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY...

HAVE BECOME DISTURBED.

THEY'VE BEEN AFFECTED EMOTIONALLY,

AND THEY SAY, "STOP. WE WANT TO HAVE A SHOW."

-I THINK IT'S ONE THING TO BE AWARE OF SOMETHING

AND SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT

TO ACTUALLY FEEL EMOTIONALLY ENGAGED WITH IT, CERTAINLY,

AND THAT'S WHAT PAMELA'S WORKS DID FOR ME.

SUDDENLY FROM STATISTICS AND NEWS STORIES,

THERE WAS A REALITY THAT EMERGED FROM THE CANVASES,

AND THIS IS WHAT HIT ME.

OUR CHALLENGE IS TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC

THAT WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A NORTHWEST COAST ART MUSEUM.

WE'RE A FORUM,

AND, YOU KNOW,

WE'RE VANCOUVER'S INSTITUTION,

WHICH ISN'T AFRAID TO EXPLORE SOME AREAS

THAT OTHER INSTITUTIONS

MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RELUCTANT TO EXPLORE

BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY AROUND THEM.

-I EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T CONNECTED WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS SO MUCH

BECAUSE I HAD TO FOCUS ON MY WORK

AND THE TRUTH OF THE PROJECT,

THAT JUST TO SAY, "OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

"MY DOOR'S OPEN TO YOU.

"I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PROJECT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SHOW YOU THE PAINTINGS."

I'M NOT TRYING TO OPEN UP ANY WOUNDS WITH THE PROJECT,

BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE,

OR SOME OF THE FAMILIES

WILL FEEL THAT CONNECTION AGAIN

WHEN THEY SEE THE PAINTINGS,

AND SO IT'S KIND OF...

JUST...

I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY GENTLE, YOU KNOW?

-TWO WEEKS FROM RIGHT NOW,

THERE WILL BE ABOUT THREE BILLION PEOPLE

TUNED IN RIGHT HERE, RIGHT AROUND US IN VANCOUVER,

TUNED IN TO WHAT OUR CITY REPRESENTS,

TUNED IN TO THE ATHLETES,

WHO ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT,

AND SHOULD BE THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION,

AND THAT'S GREAT. WE LOVE IT.

WE NEED TO ALSO BALANCE THAT

WITH WHAT ART AND CREATIVITY REPRESENTS,

AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE PAMELA

FOR AN UNBELIEVABLE...

GIFT TO ALL OF US,

TO ALL OF THESE WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SHE'S DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY THING.

[APPLAUSE]

-SO, IN FEBRUARY OF 2011,

WE'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING PAMELA'S "THE FORGOTTEN,"

AND I THINK THAT WILL REALLY MARK

A NEW JUNCTURE IN THE HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM,

AND A LEVEL OF SOCIAL COMMITMENT

THAT I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRESERVE OVER THE FUTURE.

[PUMPING CLUB MUSIC]

HELLO.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

-PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

-PAMELA'S PREVIEW WAS INTERESTING

IN THAT IT BROUGHT OUT SORT OF TWO SETS OF PEOPLE.

IT BROUGHT OUT, YOU KNOW,

I GUESS WHAT YOU'D CALL THE GLITTERATI,

AND THERE ARE THE OTHER PEOPLE.

-THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE

THAT HAD ZERO INTEREST IN THOSE FORGOTTEN WOMEN,

ABSOLUTELY ZERO.

THE REASON WHY WE WERE THERE,

THE SOLE REASON,

WAS PRECISELY FOR THESE WOMEN,

AND AS I RECALL,

I BELIEVE PAMELA WAS TRYING TO STATE THAT THAT NIGHT,

AND I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY GOT IT.

SHE EVEN HAD THIS ONE LADY COME UP

WHO TALKED ABOUT THE SITUATION

BECAUSE SHE WAS CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE LADIES

THAT HAD BEEN MURDERED.

-I JUST KNOW A LOT OF THEM FROM DRINKING

AND WORKING THE STREETS WITH THEM.

SHE SHOULD'VE HAD A LITTLE SCAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE PICTURE,

BUT SHE HAD, LIKE, A LITTLE SCAR ON HER LIP.

BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT.

WE USED TO HAVE A TARP, TIE IT ON HERE,

HOOK IT UP, HAVE A COUPLE OF BLANKETS,

AND SLEEP HERE

UNTIL THE GUY IN THERE USED TO CHASE US AWAY,

BUT SOMETIMES HE DIDN'T.

FOR TWO YOUNG GIRLS, IT'S DANGEROUS.

MY MOM WOULD BRING HOME GUYS THAT WILL SEXUALLY ABUSE ME.

ONE TIME I HOLLERED TO HER, AND SHE STOOD IN THE DOOR,

AND I STILL CAN HEAR HER SAY,

"BE A BIG GIRL. BE A BIG GIRL."

-TONIGHT IS THE SHOW FOR THE WOMEN OF THE SHELTER.

WE HAVE A SHOW HERE ON MAIN STREET

OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE.

WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS INTEGRATE

THE WOMEN OUTSIDE OF THE CORE OF THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

INTO ANOTHER AREA OF THE CITY

AND GET THEM TO, YOU KNOW, FEEL A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

BY HAVING THEIR OWN SHOW,

HAVING THEIR WORK UP ON THE WALL,

AND LETTING THEM SHINE.

-I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT I CAN DO

WITHOUT DOING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

THIS IS SOLD?

HOLY...

MOLY!

[LAUGHS]

WOW!

I AM IN SHOCK!

-YAY!

WHOO!

-DAMN!

-DON'T WORRY. IT'S NOT A SWEAR.

"SHIT" IS.

[BOTH LAUGH]

[DRUMMING, WOMEN SINGING ABORIGINAL SONGS]

-WHEN THE FIRST FEBRUARY 14th WOMEN'S MEMORIAL MARCH BEGAN,

THERE WERE ABOUT 28 WOMEN THAT WALKED IN THAT MARCH,

AND LAST YEAR THERE WERE 4,000 TO 5,000 PEOPLE.

FEBRUARY 14th UNIVERSALLY IS A DAY

OF SHOWING LOVE, CARING, COMPASSION,

AND WE WANTED TO HAVE FEBRUARY 14th AS THE DAY

TO EXPRESS OUR LOVE FROM THE COMMUNITY

FOR THE MURDERED AND MISSING WOMEN.

WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT PAMELA MASIK'S DISPLAY

WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN AT THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY,

IT WAS REALLY SURPRISING

THAT THE MUSEUM...

FIRST, IT'S ON FIRST NATIONS LAND...

WOULD ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO BE DISPLAYED,

THAT HORRIFIC.

-WE HAD ALWAYS TAKEN GREAT CARE

TO HONOUR THE MEMORIES OF WOMEN THAT WE KNEW

AND THAT HAVE GONE MISSING

FROM THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE COMMUNITY

AND WOMEN THAT HAD BEEN MURDERED,

VERY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THAT,

TO THE PROTOCOL AND CARE,

AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS ARTIST

THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD NOT TAKEN THAT CARE.

-OUR ISSUES WERE VERY POINTED

AT THE WHOLE RACIAL DISCUSSION WITHIN,

WITH WHAT THE ARTWORK WAS PURPORTING TO REPRESENT.

WAS MASIK, AS AN ARTIST, THE RIGHT PERSON

TO ADDRESS ABORIGINAL WOMEN ISSUES?

THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

DID MOA PROVIDE THE CORRECT CONSULTATION PROCESS

FOR THOSE ABORIGINAL FAMILIES WITHIN THE PAINTINGS?

-ANTHONY BECAME... I SAID THAT, YOU KNOW,

THERE'S LIKELY THAT IF THE EXHIBIT WENT AHEAD,

THAT THERE WOULD BE A PROTEST,

A PRETTY STRONG PROTEST,

AND HE WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

HE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HEIGHTEN THE INTEREST

IN THE WHOLE EXHIBIT.

-THE FUNCTION OF A MUSEUM

IS NOT JUST TO SHOW BEAUTIFUL THINGS.

THE TASK OF A MUSEUM, I THINK, IS TO ENCOURAGE DEBATE

AND TO BRING THE ARTS AND CULTURE TOGETHER,

AND, CERTAINLY, THAT IDEA OF THE MUSEUM AS A FORUM

IS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO DRIVE MOA.

PAMELA HAS KIND OF ALLOWED US,

SHE'S GIVEN US A STARTING POINT

WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT THESE ISSUES WORLDWIDE,

AND WE CAN SEE JUST WHAT AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM IT IS

AND WHY WE NEED TO ACT AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY,

NOT JUST IN VANCOUVER, NOT JUST IN CANADA,

BUT WORLDWIDE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST

IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 21st CENTURY.

IT'S A CRIME, OR CRIMES, AGAINST HUMANITY,

AND IT'S BEING PERPETRATED ON SUCH A LARGE SCALE,

IN SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES,

THAT IT'S GOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY,

AND IT'S GOT TO BE ENGAGED WITH,

AND IT'S GOT TO END.

-IF WE LOOK AT THE ORIGIN OF PROSTITUTION IN LAW,

THE LAWS THAT WERE WRITTEN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY

WERE THOSE THAT PREVAILED UP UNTIL ABOUT 1972.

IT BECAME WHAT WAS CALLED "THE SOLICITING LAW."

BASICALLY, WHAT IT SAID

WAS THAT YOU CAN'T SOLICIT IN A PUBLIC PLACE

FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROSTITUTION.

-YOU KNOW, THE TRADITIONAL PICTURE YOU SEE

OF THE SEX WORKER, LEANING IN THE WINDOW OF THE CAR,

NEGOTIATING HER TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, IF YOU WILL...

IN THAT TIME, SHE'S DOING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

TO SEE IF THE GUY'S GOT A GUN, YOU KNOW...

IS HE SOBER? IS HE LIVING IN HIS CAR?

YOU KNOW, SHE'S ASSESSING THE DANGER LEVEL.

UNDER THIS LAW, THAT'S ILLEGAL,

SO YOU HAVE TO GET IN THE CAR AND CLOSE THE DOOR

IN ORDER TO HAVE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION.

-PROSTITUTION THEN MOVED AROUND THE CITY.

IT WAS DISPLACED DELIBERATELY AND ACCIDENTALLY

AS A RESULT OF A SERIES

OF DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES.

-WHERE WE GO, IT'S COLD OVER THERE.

I MEAN, IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL SPRAWL.

IT'S DARK. THERE'S NO TRAFFIC.

YOU'RE FREEZING.

-AND IT'S IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES

WHEN WOMEN ARE ISOLATED ON A CORNER,

THAT THEY CAN BE PICKED UP, UNSEEN.

ALL ONE HAS TO DO

IS LOOK AT THE PATTERNS OF SERIAL KILLING

OF WOMEN INVOLVED IN SEX WORK.

IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS

STREET PROSTITUTES WHO ARE SELECTED.

I MEAN, YOU CAN GO TO THE GREEN RIVER KILLER,

THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER.

ANY NUMBER OF OTHER KILLERS

OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PROSTITUTION

CHOOSE STREET PROSTITUTES.

-TO THE FAMILIES OF THE MISSING WOMEN,

I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT I WISH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART

THAT WE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT HIM SOONER.

I WISH THAT THE SEVERAL AGENCIES INVOLVED,

THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER IN SO MANY WAYS.

I WISH THAT ALL THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE

WE COULD UNDO,

AND I WISH THAT MORE LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.

-SO, THIS IS THE AUDAIN GALLERY.

IT'S OUR NEW, TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACE.

IT MEASURES ABOUT 6,000 SQUARE FEET,

AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THAT

FOR THE MASIK EXHIBITION.

UNIVERSITIES ARE OPEN INSTITUTIONS.

THEY'RE INSTITUTIONS OF DIALOGUE.

THEY'RE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE CRUCIAL FOR LIFE

IN ANY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION, AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION,

TO MOUNT SHOWS LIKE THIS.

-THE OVERALL FEEL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE

IS TO HAVE THE VIEWER FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ON EXHIBITION,

AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO LARGE AND DEMANDING, IN A WAY.

THERE'S THAT QUESTION OF WHO'S LOOKING AT WHO,

KIND OF THING.

-WE THOUGHT THAT THE IMPACT OF THE EXHIBITION

IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY STRONG.

IN FACT, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO

IS COME UP WITH SOME SCHEMES,

AND IN ORDER NOT TO MAKE IT SO SPECTACULAR,

BUT TO TONE IT DOWN SOMEWHAT, AS A PART OF THIS,

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT CREATING A SECOND ROOM, A SECOND GALLERY,

WHICH WILL BE ALMOST LIKE A DECOMPRESSION ROOM.

-I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

-BECAUSE THE MUSEUM SHOW IS IN PLACE,

BECAUSE THERE'S A SENSE OF HOPE

THAT THE SHOW AND THE WORK

IS GOING TO BE TAKEN QUITE SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW,

I'M PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

SO, I'M IN A GOOD HEAD SPACE RIGHT NOW,

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A RIDE.

IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY.

IT'S BEEN...

CHALLENGING, YOU KNOW?

♪ CKNW ♪

♪ NEWS TALK 980 ♪

♪ VANCOUVER ♪

-AN EXHIBITION OF PORTRAITS OF MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN

HAS BEEN CANCELLED BY THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY.

THEY APPARENTLY ARE CONCERNED

THAT THE WORKS WILL BE DISTRESSING TO THE PUBLIC.

-IN THIS CASE, YOU HAVE A MUSEUM

THAT WAS REBRANDING ITSELF

AS AN INSTITUTION WITH A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE

THAT WAS GOING TO PUT ON CONTROVERSIAL SHOWS,

THAT HAD REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC

ABOUT ISSUES THAT WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR SOCIETY,

AND WHEN THEY CENSOR AN EXHIBIT LIKE THAT,

IT BECOMES WORSE THAN CENSORSHIP.

IT'S CENSORSHIP WITH HYPOCRISY.

-THERE WAS NO CENSORSHIP WHATSOEVER.

CENSORSHIP, IT WAS NEVER EVEN REMOTELY CONSIDERED.

-JUST TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT BULLSHIT.

IT'S CRAZY BECAUSE IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN SEEN,

YOU KNOW, LIKE, IN PERSON.

-MARLENE GEORGE IS COORDINATOR WITH THE MEMORIAL MARCH.

-PAMELA MASIK'S DISPLAY OF THE 69 PORTRAITS,

THEY'RE NOT VERY FLATTERING PICTURES.

SHE HAD FURTHER DEFACED THE PORTRAITS

TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE GROTESQUE.

-SHE'S A FAIRLY RICH, MIDDLE-CLASS WHITE WOMAN,

PAINTING PICTURES OF SOME OF THE POOREST OF OUR SOCIETY.

IF SHE'D JUST TAKEN THE TIME TO GO TO THE FAMILIES

AND SAY, "IS THIS OKAY?"

SHE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

-I THINK THAT PAMELA'S MESSAGE IS NOT TO FORGET THESE WOMEN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE IT.

THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY.

THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT GO AWAY,

BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD SEE.

-ANTHONY SHELTON WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS

TO GET OUT THERE.

THE MAYOR HERE, MAYOR GREGOR ROBERTSON,

WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS

NOT TO COVER THIS UP, YOU KNOW?

NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THIS BRUSHED UNDER THE CARPET,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

ALL I GOT FROM ANTHONY WAS ACADEMIC GOBBLEDYGOOK.

-WE'D BEEN TRYING TO CREATE THIS CONSENSUS

AND PUT THIS CONGLOMERATE OF DIFFERENT INTERESTS TOGETHER,

AND WHEREAS SOMETIMES IT HAD COME,

IT STARTED TO LOOK AS IF IT WAS TAKING PLACE,

IT THEN DISSOLVED AGAIN,

AND REALLY, WE WERE UNABLE TO CREATE

THIS BROAD, UM...

THIS BROAD ARRANGEMENT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS

WITH CONSENSUS THAT WE WOULD USE IT TO DO

ALL THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVENTS AROUND THE EXHIBITION.

-IT SADDENS ME THAT IT WAS CANCELLED,

BUT FROM THE BEGINNING, WITH THE INTENTION I HAD,

I TRULY REALLY WANTED TO SPEAK FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T SPEAK.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE,

THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE A MEMORIAL COLLECTION.

IT'S MEANT TO CONFRONT THE ISSUES

THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,

AND I SAW MY ART AS A WAY TO REACH PEOPLE

THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY HAVE LOOKED AT THE ISSUES

THAT WERE IGNORED FOR SO MANY YEARS.

[TAKES SHAKY BREATH]

MY VISION FOR THAT PROJECT

AND WHERE...

WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO AND WHAT I FEEL...

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT HAVING A MUSEUM SHOW

ON MY RESUME OR, YOU KNOW...

IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT THAT AT ALL.

THAT'S NOT WHY I DID IT, AND REMEMBERING THAT.

-IT JUST BECAME MORE AND MORE SHOCKING FOR US,

AND WE WERE UNABLE

TO LET THAT KIND OF EXPLOITATION HAPPEN.

-WE WERE AWARE OF THOSE ATTACKS ON PAMELA

AND THE REASON FOR DOING THIS PARTICULAR BODY OF WORKS.

THEY WERE NOT PRESENTED IN A FORMAL WAY

BY ANY OF THOSE GROUPS TO THE MUSEUM.

-I WROTE A FORMAL LETTER TO ANTHONY SHELTON

TELLING THEM ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT THE MEMORIAL MARCH HAD

ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT.

-I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.

"IT WAS VERY OFFENSIVE TO MANY OF THESE FAMILIES

"THAT THE IMAGE OF THEIR BELOVED DAUGHTERS, MOTHERS,

"SISTERS, AND AUNTIES HAS BEEN STOLEN AND USED

"BY THIS AMBITIOUS ARTIST

"TO FURTHER HER OWN CAREER.

"SHE CASTS HERSELF AS A HEROINE TO THIS COMMUNITY

"AND TO THESE WOMEN.

"IN FACT, SHE'S PAINTED THESE IMAGES

"LARGELY WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THEIR FAMILIES

"AND SHOWN THEM LITTLE TANGIBLE RESPECT.

"MS. MASIK'S WORK VIOLATES THESE WOMEN.

"HER IMAGES SHOW THE WOMEN WITH FACES SLASHED,

"STITCHED TOGETHER,

"AND OVERLAID WITH LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY

"THAT IS VERY DISTURBING TO THE PEOPLE

WHOSE VOICES SHE CLAIMS TO REPRESENT."

THE MEDIA HAS BEEN USING THOSE IMAGES FOR YEARS.

I'VE USED THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN

WITH CONTENT ASSOCIATED

MUCH MORE DISTURBING THAN PAMELA'S SHOW.

-WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE

THAT THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY

THAT SOME OF THE PRODUCT FROM THE PICKTON FARMS

MAY STILL BE SITTING IN SOME PEOPLE'S FREEZERS

IN THE LOWER MAINLAND,

BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY OF THIS MATERIAL

WENT INTO THE COMMERCIAL FOOD TRAY.

-WE ARE ASKING THAT ANYONE

WHO IS STILL PERHAPS IN POSSESSION

OF ANY MEAT THEY OBTAINED FROM THAT PROPERTY

TO PLEASE CONTACT THE MISSING WOMEN TASK FORCE.

[PLAYING ACCORDION]

-THE ROPE WAS TIGHT. THE KNIFE WAS SHARP.

SHE BARELY FELT A THING.

BOBBY KICKED UP THE GENERATOR

AND BEGAN PROCESSING.

[HORRIFIED LAUGHTER]

THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO MARKET.

THIS LITTLE PIGGY STAYED HOME.

THIS LITTLE PIGGY ATE MARGARET,

AND THIS ONE SUCKED ON THE BONE.

[SCANDALIZED LAUGHTER]

-AT FIRST, YOU ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF MONSTER

IS DOING THIS PERFORMANCE

AND MAKING LITTLE OF THESE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE?

THEN YOU ASK YOURSELF WHAT KIND OF MONSTERS ARE IN THE CROWD

ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO IT?

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

THERE'S PLENTY OF SUBJECTS IN MODERN SOCIETY

THAT ARE TOO UNPLEASANT TO BE PART OF EVERYDAY DISCOURSE

AND OFTEN THROUGH COMEDY,

EVEN BLACK COMEDY,

IT'S THE ONLY WAY THESE MATTERS ARE ALLOWED TO SURFACE.

NOBODY REALLY CARED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON

FOR YEARS AND YEARS

UNTIL THEY FOUND A SCAPEGOAT, BUT IT'S OKAY

BECAUSE NOW WE FOUND THE ONE GUY WHO'S THE PROBLEM,

AND HE'S IN JAIL,

SO NO SEX WORKERS ARE GOING TO BE VULNERABLE

EVER AGAIN, RIGHT?

-THE ARTIST'S MOTIVATIONS DON'T MATTER.

WHAT MATTERS IS THE ART THAT'S PRODUCED,

WHAT IT SAYS, HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.

-I DO UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S UPSETTING FOR THE FAMILIES

AND FOR OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY,

BUT THAT'S WHAT ART IS SUPPOSED TO DO.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU THINK. IT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU FEEL.

-PART OF WHAT'S ALWAYS HAPPENED

WITH THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE NEIGHBOURHOOD

AND WITH INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND WITH WOMEN, SEX WORKERS,

WITH SEX WORKERS,

HAS BEEN THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO AREN'T INVOLVED

TELL THE STORY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE OF SPEAKING FOR.

-WHEN THE MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY

ARE SAYING, "HEY, DON'T TALK ABOUT US THAT WAY,"

IS THAT CENSORSHIP?

AND WHEN THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY

LISTENS TO THOSE VOICES,

IS THAT CENSORSHIP,

OR IS THAT FINALLY SOMEONE HEARING THE VOICES

THAT ARE NOT HEARD SO MUCH?

-OUR QUESTIONS AND OUR ANALYSIS ALWAYS STAND ON,

"WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE VIEWER?"

THE HISTORY OF CANADA IS NOT WELL KNOWN

REGARDING ABORIGINAL PEOPLE,

SO IF I LOOKED AT AND EXAMINED

WHO WOULD BE WALKING THROUGH THOSE DOORS,

WOULD THEY HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION

TO VIEW THESE PAINTINGS, PARTICULARLY ABORIGINAL WOMEN,

AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE STREET?

-CERTAINLY, I THINK

THAT COMMUNITIES

AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE

HELPED US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE ISSUES

THAT THE EXHIBITION

MIGHT PROVOKE IN THE COMMUNITY.

-I WAS REALLY STUNNED, ACTUALLY.

WHAT ANTHONY SHELTON TOLD US,

HE LEARNED A LOT THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING

THAT WOULD REALLY RAISE AWARENESS,

AND HE REALIZED THAT WHAT THEY WERE DOING

WASN'T GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT.

-I THOUGHT IT WAS A FORM OF CHICKEN SHIT IS,

QUITE HONESTLY, WHAT I THINK IT WAS,

AS MUCH AS IT WAS AN ISSUE OF CENSORSHIP.

I TOLD THE FOLKS AT THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY,

"I FIND IT A LITTLE IRONIC THAT WE'RE HERE, ACTUALLY,"

AND I POINTED AROUND

TO ALL THESE ANCIENT CARVINGS AND WORKS OF ART

THAT WERE ONCE PANNED AND CALLED "EVIL WORKS,"

WERE "THE WORK OF SAVAGES,"

AND NOW A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SHOW UP HERE SAYING,

"HER WORK ISN'T WORTH A PINCH OF COON SHIT."

THAT REALLY OFFENDED ME AND REALLY GOT ME ANGRY.

-WHEN I FIRST SAW ANYTHING ON THE PAINTINGS,

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THEM THERE

THAT JUST REALLY UPSET ME,

AND WHEN SHE EXPLAINED IT TO ME, I COULD KIND OF UNDERSTAND,

BUT I THOUGHT,

"OOH, I DON'T THINK I'D EVEN WANT THE FAMILY MEMBERS

TO SEE THESE."

-TO LOSE A LOVED ONE

AND THEN TO HAVE YOUR LOVED ONE PORTRAYED

IN SUCH A HORRIBLE, UGLY WAY

IS BEYOND IMAGINABLE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MY DAUGHTER WAS MURDERED.

I ENVISION ALL KINDS OF HORRIBLE THINGS

HAPPENING TO HER,

SO TO SEE THAT UGLINESS WOULD JUST...

INTENSIFY, YOU KNOW,

THE THOUGHT OF HOW YOUR DAUGHTER DIED.

-WELL, I'M SURE WITH SOME OF THEM BEING SO ABSTRACT,

THAT, YOU KNOW,

MAYBE IT IS GOING TO HURT SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS

BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT A PORTRAIT OF THEIR LOVED ONE,

BUT I'M REALLY HOPING AND PRAYING

THAT THEY LOOK AT THIS

AS PAMELA DRAWING OUT THE HURT AND THE PAIN

SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD

THAT THESE WOMEN WENT THROUGH HORRIFIC THINGS IN THEIR LIFE.

-I STILL FEEL LIKE

MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE REALLY LOOKED AT HER WORK.

MAYBE WE COULD HAVE REALLY LOOKED

AND SEEN WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT.

MAYBE WE COULD HAVE USED IT TO BRING ATTENTION

TO MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL THESE MAYBES,

SO WHY DO WE REACT SO QUICKLY?

WHY DO WE... WHY DO WE...

WHEN, YOU KNOW,

WHEN IT'S STILL HAPPENING,

BUT WITH OTHER GROUPS?

WHY DO WE CHOOSE AND PICK ONLY ONE PERSON?

-I GOT PNEUMONIA.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE PROJECT GOING ON

ANOTHER YEAR.

I WANT IT TO DO SOME GOOD,

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO PULL OFF

WHAT I NEED TO.

I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST TO DO IT.

I CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE PROJECT GOING ON WITHOUT,

I DON'T KNOW...

[SNIFFLES, WEEPING]

[WHIMPERS INDISTINCTLY]

-PEOPLE CONFLATE THE MURDER AND THE LIFE THAT SHE LIVED

AS IF THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME THING.

THEY ARE NOT.

AS IF SHE STARTED TO DIE WHEN SHE RAN AWAY,

OR WHEN SHE STARTED USING DRUGS,

OR WHEN SHE STARTED SELLING SEX, OR...

NO.

SHE DIED WHEN SHE WAS MURDERED. THAT'S WHEN SHE DIED.

SHE WAS ALIVE.

SHE WAS LIVING,

AND HER LIFE WAS FILLED WITH MEANING,

AND IT HAD LOVE IN IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH

UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN FROM HER.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.

-HE, PICKTON, NOT ONLY RUINED OUR LIVES,

HE'S RUINED 78 CHILDREN'S LIVES.

THOSE CHILDREN, WHEN THEY GROW UP,

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE GRANDMOTHERS,

SO HE'S RUINED GENERATIONS TO COME,

NOT JUST THE PEOPLE HERE NOW.

HE'S RUINED A LOT OF LIVES.

-THIS IS WHAT THE CORONER HAD GAVE US TODAY.

THIS IS ALL WE HAVE OF MARNIE.

AS PARENTS AND CARING PEOPLE AND RELATIVES

WHO KNEW AND LOVED MARNIE,

AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMETHING.

A LOT OF THE FAMILIES HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

-I'M A LITTLE BIT JEALOUS.

IT'S STUPID TO SAY THAT, BUT FOR THE FACT IS,

THEY HAVE REMAINS.

THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING HOME,

LIKE, JUST A FRAGMENT OF A BONE, THE TIP OF A FINGER.

ANYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN SATISFACT...

THAT I COULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST THAT,

BUT I HAVE NOTHING, AND THAT'S HARD, WHEN YOU...

MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD ME AND ALWAYS FELT

THAT IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT SOMEONE'S DEATH

WHEN THERE IS NO FUNERAL.

-I HAD TO SLOWLY PUZZLE PIECES BACK TOGETHER

BECAUSE I WAS STILL LIVING IN THE FOSTER HOME,

SO A LOT OF THINGS WERE HIDDEN FROM ME.

EVERY ARTICLE, ANYTHING THAT HAD MY MOM'S NAME IN IT,

ANYTHING TO DO WITH PICKTON I WOULD KEEP,

AND I ENDED UP HAVING A REALLY, REALLY LARGE SCRAPBOOK.

I FINALLY REALIZED I WAS GETTING REALLY SICK

AND, LIKE, JUST OBSESSED WITH IT.

I'M NOT REALLY GETTING TOO MANY ANSWERS.

I'M JUST OBSESSING OVER THE WRONG THINGS.

THE LAST TIME I SAW MY MOM, I WAS FIVE,

AND THEN AT EIGHT, I FIND OUT SHE'S DEAD,

AND I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE HER AGAIN,

SO FOR THAT, BURNING THE BOOK,

IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR ME,

LIKE, JUST HEALING EVERYTHING.

SAIL ON CHILDREN, SAIL ON BY

'CAUSE TIME IS AN OCEAN AND IT ENDS UP ASHORE.

SHE'S BEEN GONE FROM OUR TOUCH, BUT NEVER OUR MEMORIES.

GONE FROM OUR SIGHT, BUT NEVER OUR HEARTS.

SO, I WROTE THAT FOR MY MOMMY.

-WELL, I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAD 11 ACRES OF LAND,

AND I WOULD SPEND A LOT OF MY LIFE IN THE FOREST

JUST IN TREES, AROUND NATURE,

LYING IN THE GRASS.

AND THE FOREST TAUGHT ME ONE THING.

THERE ARE NO ENDS. THERE'S JUST BEGINNINGS.

MY MOTHER LIVES ON EVERY DAY IN ME.

WE LOOK ALMOST IDENTICAL,

SO SHE LIVES ON IN EVERYTHING I DO.

I'M LIVING THE LIFE SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD

BUT SHE COULDN'T HAVE,

AND I EMBRACE THAT EVERY DAY.

-I KNOW IT'S BEEN SO MANY YEARS,

AND THEY'VE DUG UP THE DIRT AND THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING,

BUT FOR SOME STRANGE REASON...

I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, SOME SPIRITUAL REASON...

I NEED TO WALK ON THAT FARM.

-I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO OUT TO THE FARM.

IT WAS JUST AN INNER THING WITH ME,

THAT ONCE I SAW THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THAT HOLE IN THAT GATE,

I WAS GONE.

-I'M STANDING AT THE FENCE,

AND I KNEW THAT I COULDN'T GO ON THE PROPERTY.

I THINK THAT WOULD CAUSE ME TO BREAK DOWN.

ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH,

THERE'S A LITTLE PART OF YOU,

JUST A LITTLE SPARK LEFT IN YOUR HEART

THAT HOPES YOU'LL TURN A CORNER AND YOU'LL SEE THEM THERE.

-GO A LITTLE BIT CLOSER SO YOU CAN GET THE OTHER PART

OF THE CONVEYOR BELT.

WALKING OVER THE MOUND

AND FINDING ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE DID SEE THERE,

KNOWING THAT THAT'S HIS PROPERTY,

THAT'S HIS THINGS...

LIKE, TO ME, I ALWAYS ASSUMED

THAT THAT PROPERTY WAS ALL CLEARED UP.

GARBAGE, IT'S BASICALLY GARBAGE, BUT...

GARBAGE TO MOST PEOPLE,

BUT THERE COULD BE TREASURES FOR ME IN THERE,

SO I'M GOING DOWN THERE TO LOOK.

ARE YOU COMING, LILLIANE?

AND IT'S BEEN BURNED NOT THAT LONG AGO,

BECAUSE I CAN STILL SMELL THE HEAT.

I CAN STILL SMELL BURNED ASHES.

OH, MY GOD.

OKAY, THERE'S A SHIRT HERE.

-OH, YES.

-A WHITE SHIRT. A MAN'S SHIRT.

A DIRTY OLD SHIRT, PROBABLY WILLY PICKTON'S.

OKAY... STAY CALM, LYNN.

MARNIE WAS ON THAT PIECE OF LAND,

AND AT LEAST I CAN BE SAYING,

"I WAS THERE LOOKING FOR YOU, MARNIE,

AND I WALKED IN YOUR SHOES, MARNIE."

NOT THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED TO HER,

BUT AT LEAST I WALKED THE SAME DIRT.

-I FELT THAT THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED TO DO.

THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED TO BRING MYSELF CLOSER TO MY SISTER,

WOULD BE TO BE ON THE GROUNDS THAT SHE WALKED.

-OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME,

THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE...

-WE SMILED, AND WE LAUGHED, AND WE CRIED, AND...

AND WE SAID GOODBYE.

-AFTER THE MUSEUM SHOW WAS CANCELLED,

I STORED THE PAINTINGS,

AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE IN STORAGE

UNTIL THEY'RE SHOWN IN THE RIGHT PLACE,

IN THE RIGHT LIGHT,

AND FOR ME, IT NEEDS TO BE IN A PLACE

THAT'S VERY WELL RESPECTED

AND THAT THE WORK GETS RESPECTED AND THE WOMEN GET RESPECT.

AT THE TIME WHEN I STARTED IT,

I WAS DOING A LOT OF PERFORMANCE WORK.

I HAD SOME RECORD YEARS WITH SALES,

AND INSTEAD OF DOING SOMETHING WITH THAT INCOME

TO EITHER FURTHER MY POSITION IN MY INDUSTRY

OR MY PERSONAL LIFE,

I ESSENTIALLY TOOK EVERY PENNY

AND PUT IT INTO THIS COLLECTION.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

YEAH, IT WAS WORTH IT.

IT ALLOWED ME TO GROW AS WELL.

LIKE, IT GAVE ME A GIFT

TO, FIRST OF ALL,

ACCEPT AND LET GO OF WHERE I'VE COME FROM.

THERE IS A MOMENT WHERE I REMEMBER

WRITING A LETTER TO MY MOM,

AND IT WASN'T A NICE LETTER,

AND IT WAS A MOMENT

WHEN I STOPPED TALKING TO HER, AND I WAS VERY ANGRY.

I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HER BECAUSE...

I SAW THIS WOMAN WHO WOULDN'T SPEAK UP

AND PROTECT HER CHILDREN.

AND THEN THERE CAME A POINT IN THE COLLECTION

AS I WAS PAINTING,

THAT I UNDERSTOOD

THAT JUST LIKE ME AND THESE WOMEN,

THAT MY MOTHER IS A WOMAN, TOO,

AND SHE HAD HER FEARS,

AND SHE HAD HER LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY PRETTY,

AND SHE WAS SCARED,

AND MY FATHER SCARED HER.

SO, I LEARNED HOW TO FORGIVE,

AND I LEARNED HOW TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WASN'T HER FAULT.

I CAN'T TAKE BACK WHAT I'VE DONE.

THE WORK IS GOING TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF.

BUT IF I CAN TAKE BACK ANY OF THE HURT,

I WOULD, YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE THE FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

AND EVERY DAY, THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHAT HAPPENED.

AND WHEN I WAS CREATING THIS WORK,

AND ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW,

I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD BE SEEING

THAT I WAS DOING SOMETHING FOR THEM,

BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAINTINGS NOT BEING MEMORIALIZED,

THEY'RE... YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT HAVING A VOICE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING SEEN, NOT BEING HEARD.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY BECAUSE IT'S NOT PRETTY.

THIS IS, TO ME, WHAT NEEDS TO BE CONFRONTED.

-THIS INQUIRY HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.

WE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING IT WOULD NOT BE EASY.

HOW COULD IT BE?

WE'RE DEALING WITH THE WORST MASS MURDER

IN CANADIAN HISTORY.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE WOMEN,

MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN,

WERE FORSAKEN TWICE,

ONCE BY SOCIETY AT LARGE AND AGAIN BY THE POLICE.

I'VE REVIEWED IN GREAT DETAIL THE EVIDENCE

THAT THE CRITICAL POLICE FAILINGS WERE MANIFEST

IN RECURRING PATTERNS OF ERROR, AND THE RESULTS...

[WOMEN SINGING ABORIGINAL SONG]

I...

[WOMEN SINGING ABORIGINAL SONG]