On Wednesday, the Canadian government launched an inquiry into their deaths, and pledged $11.67 million in funding over three years for police liaison units to give families information about their loved ones’ cases.
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“This inquiry is needed to achieve justice and healing and to put an end to this ongoing and awful tragedy”, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said on Wednesday.
A United Nations watchdog past year urged Canada to launch an inquiry.
To date, the only formal figures available are from the RCMP.
Kelly White burns sage during a news conference regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, August, 3, 2016.
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. This campaign will focus on changing public perception and attitudes to help end violence against Indigenous women and girls.
“They may not be flawless, but we’re off to a solid start”, said Ernie Crey, Chief of the Cheam First Nation in B.C.
“But we can not wait for the inquiry’s recommendations before acting”, Kelley said. [Police liaisons] are not really going to do any good for my family.
My cousin Tanya Hollick went missing in 1996.
“Now granted, it may not be at the same level as (British Columbia) or Alberta or Saskatchewan but you know, we’re still here and we don’t want to be ignored”, she said.
“Saying the police are involved or co-operative is not enough and this is not the time to be vague”, Smith-Tague said.
“I want justice so badly”.
“I feel very overwhelmed, emotional, yet hopeful at the same time”.
The Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett made the announcement, which saw women take four of the five positions.
As the inquiry gets under way, communities must engage in truth-telling and asking the hard questions. More importantly, we recognize the courage of the women who have shared their experiences and dared to break the silence.
The inquiry will be led by five commissioners when it is up and running on September 1st.
The inquiry is expected to cost the federal government C$53.8 million ($41.05 million), more than the C$40 million over two years it had earmarked in its budget earlier this year. Instead, informal processes will likely be considered.
“We’re pleased with some of the terms of reference in terms of dealing with police relations and also how the child welfare institutions have played a part”, Achneepineskum said. The province is investing up to $72 million into this strategy which includes Indigenous-led approaches to support culturally relevant services and responses – designed, developed, and delivered jointly with Indigenous partners.
The terms of reference, published online on Tuesday, make no official mention of a police probe. “It would be great to have a seat at the table, but certainly our voice will be heard and we will ensure that is the case”.
Wilson-Raybould, a former B.C. regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, appeared to be almost overcome with emotion at one point as she looked out across a room filled with the family members of missing and murdered women. “There is support for that to happen”.
There were also concerns about the composition of the commission.
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December 2014: Oppal, head of the B.C. inquiry into missing women, says a national inquiry isn’t needed.
