Ministers of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet will meet with the families of missing and murdered indigenous women this Friday, an important first step that indigenous leaders and advocates urged for when the Liberal government first announced plans to launch the inquiry.
Advertisement
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says those affected by the tragedy of missing and murdered aboriginal women have waited long enough.
Calls for an inquiry have grown since a review found 1,181 indigenous women had been murdered or gone missing since 1980.
The federal government under Prime Minister Trudeau is moving quickly to honour campaign promises made to Canadians during the election.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Status of Women Minister Patricia Hadju are expected to hold a press conference Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. local time to announce the inquiry.
Hajdu said Monday the Liberals are in the “very beginning stages” of their work and have no pre-conceived ideas about what the study should look like.
The move marks a political U-turn from the policies of Trudeau’s predecessor, Stephen Harper.
He said the Liberals would also provide additional money for long-awaited education reforms to be led by First Nations communities themselves, another long-standing sticking point with the previous Conservative government.
“I think initially what it brings is validation, that the fact that someone is actually listening and that someone does care about the issue”.
Last year’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police report said aboriginal women represent 4.3 percent of the total female population but that 16 percent of all female homicide victims are from First Nations, as Canada’s indigenous people are called.
“Working together as partners, I am confident that we can make meaningful and immediate progress on the issues that matter most to First Nations communities”, Mr Trudeau said. A special screening of “1200+ Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women”, a film produced by Leonard Yakir and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson will take place Wednesday evening.
The removal of the funding cap, which was imposed originally to keep transfer payments in line with inflation, has been at the top of the First Nations wish list for years. I see that change has already begun.Under Harper, the Canadian government had tense relations with the aboriginal community.
Advertisement
Mr. Trudeau said he would start the process of acting on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that investigated abuses at the former Indian residential schools.
