As Indigenous groups welcomed the launch of a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, calls grew louder for Inuit representation on its five-member commission.
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It also reflects the sustained advocacy and leadership of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action, and other indigenous and women’s rights advocates.
To date, the only formal figures available are from the RCMP.
The national probe into the more than 1,200 cases of missing and murdered women since 1980 is set to begin after the announcement on Wednesday of the commissioners who will lead the process.
Williams said that, while optimistic, she’s concerned the newly announced inquiry will focus on systemic issues without fixing them, and urged the government to develop a plan to implement the findings, along with more than 700 recommendations already generated from other reports.
Bridget Perrier, whose adoptive daughter’s biological mother was killed by British Columbia pig farmer and mass murderer Robert Pickton between 1999 and 2002, said police accountability is imperative to understanding why Indigenous women disappear and die.
The enormity of the situation was visible on Wilson-Raybould’s face Wednesday, as she fought back tears.
“But we can not wait for the inquiry’s recommendations before acting”, Kelley said. After documenting how indigenous women and girls were under-protected by the police in northern BC-as well as how some had experienced outright police abuse-we saw the urgent need for an independent, impartial inquiry.
“She’s a highly respected judge”, he said. Since then, she has worked on numerous initiatives for legal education, including the precursor to the Akitsiraq Law School in Nunavut – where she’s also worked as a professor – and later helped develop the U of S Indigenous People’s Resource Management Program.
The Government of Nunavut weighed in on the inquiry August 3 in a carefully-worded statement that offered its cooperation with the federal inquiry, while chiding Ottawa on its choice of representative.
“It’s because of these courageous women and families, who knew something was very wrong, that we are here today”, Bennett said.
The Liberal government originally committed $40-million over two years to conduct the inquiry. Instead, informal processes will likely be considered.
“Police and the child welfare system are going to be addressed within this inquiry and that is fundamental because we known those systems are broken”.
“Obviously we trust that commission will make arrangements to make sure anybody who needs to be heard will be heard”.
Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde adjusts a blanket presented to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December.
“No question”, Bellegarde told The Canadian Press. The federal government disclosed Wednesday the commission will need more money to fulfil its mandate. “It is important that the Government of Canada has finally responded to the call for a national inquiry”.
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“I just want to pray for the families that they get the answers they deserve”, Denise One-Breath Mitchell said.
