Trudeau also recommitted to fulfill his election promises to indigenous peoples, including calling a national inquiry into how more than 1,200 indigenous women and girls are murdered or missing in Canada.
Advertisement
The Liberal government is expected to shed light today on how it will prepare for an inquiry to examine missing and murdered aboriginal women across Canada.
While former Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted with indifference and did not commit to implementing any of the proposed steps for reconciliation, Trudeau’s Liberal Party immediately vowed to adopt all 94 recommendations. She has stated she wants a thorough consultation process with the families to get the inquiry right. “What we hope it achieves is a comprehensive national strategy as well as a local and regional community strategy on reducing the incidents of violence”, she said.
“No inquiry, as we know, can undo what happened nor can it restore what we have lost”.
“We recognize that a number of factors, like racism, marginalization, sexism, and poverty have contributed to the ongoing tragedy of murdered and missing indigenous women and girls”, said the Minister of the Status of Women, Patty Hajdu.
That first phase will last two months, to be followed by a period of public feedback gathered online.
“The victims deserve justice; their families, an opportunity to heal and to be heard”, Trudeau said in a speech earlier today. He received a standing ovation when he committed to an inquiry into MMIW, saying those touched by this have waited long enough.
The prime minister said the new relationship with First Nations must recognize that the “constitutionally guaranteed rights of First Nations in Canada are not an inconvenience but rather a sacred obligation”.
Indigenous women make up four per cent of Canada’s female population, and 16 per cent of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012 were Indigenous women. The national advocacy organization represents aboriginal communities, which includes more than 900,000 people living in 634 First Nation communities across the country.
He also reiterated numerous pledges he made on the campaign trail before the October vote that saw large numbers of First Nations people turn out to the polls and 10 indigenous people elected – two of whom were named to Mr. Trudeau’s cabinet.
Under Harper, the Canadian government had tense relations with the aboriginal community.
Trudeau said his government won’t take the same approach employed by the Conservatives.
Advertisement
“There is no relationship more important to me – and to Canada – than the one with First Nations, the Métis Nation, and Inuit”. “It is time for a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations peoples”, he told an assembly of chiefs in Ottawa.
