Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Status of Women Minister Patty Hajdu unveiled the plan for the missing and murdered indigenous women inquiry this morning at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. “Families who say the death of their loved one was called a suicide or an accident or an overdose, as opposed to a murder-those patterns are the kinds of things the commissioners will have to look into”, she said, adding that having both sides “lawyer up” is not the best use of the commissioners’ time.
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During a news conference on Wednesday, Bennett said it will be up to indigenous leaders to work in co-operation with commissioners as they go about their research.
“This inquiry is needed to achieve justice and healing and to put an end to this ongoing and awful tragedy”.
Canada has launched an investigation into missing and murdered indigenous women that will cost almost C$14m (£8m) more than expected.
The RCMP says there are on the books since 1980 a bit over 1200 (estimated) cases of missing and murdered women and girls.
Brian Eyolfson, First Nations and human rights lawyer, former vice-chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. It will be up to the commission to decide what factors to examine – be they historical, social, economic, institutional or cultural – and report on.
“Federal government leadership will be needed to ensure these do not become obstacles or shortcomings”, he said in a statement.
After years of delay, the federal government announced a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.
Marion Buller, the province of British Columbia’s first female First Nations judge, will be the chief commissioner, one of five appointed to conduct the inquiry.
The commission falls under the part of the federal Inquiries Act governing public inquiries, which means it will have the power to summon witnesses and compel evidence and testimony, just like a civil court. The inquiry will be able to issue recommendations that are non-binding.
A final report on improving native women’s safety and ways to commemorate the dead will be released in 2018. North Wilson said. “They are the ones who deserve the credit for the fact that we are now talking about an inquiry because they pushed the issues”.
“How well the inquiry can actually serve that goal is going to depend to a large degree on the co-operation that it receives from the provincial and territorial governments, from policing services – and questions remain about that”. The 450 kilometre route is where police say 19 women have been murdered or gone missing.
“We’re not including the justice system”.
“It hasn’t stopped happening”, she said of indigenous women going missing or being killed.
Indeed, there is tremendous distrust of police and government forces in Indigenous communities, as the police for decades abducted Indigenous children and forced them into the abusive residential school system.
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Craig Benjamin of Amnesty International Canada said it remains to be seen whether the inquiry is equipped to address the concerns raised by international groups.
