It was an emotional scene in Gatineau today as the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls presented their Final Report.
Indigenous women impacted by the tragedies made their way across the stage at the Canadian Museum of History one-by-one, presenting the 231 calls for justice made in the report.
Titled “Reclaiming Power and Place”, the report brings together truths, testimonies and experiences of over 23 hundred participants.
Even still, Chief Commissioner Marion Buller says that the government’s denial of their full 2 year extension request left many truths unheard.
In a preface to the Report, Buller says it uses “hard words to address hard truths”, such as genocide, colonialization, murder, and rape.
But Buller says that, through all that, the Report represents hope and the belief that change can happen.
Recommendations in the report, deemed Calls to Justice, are split in to categories aimed at specific groups from government, to media, health care providers, police, and more.
Furthermore, the Calls address four pathways to regress what it refers to as a “genocide”: intergenerational trauma, marginalization, influence of the statud quo, and ignoring the agency and expertise of Indigenous groups.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the report today, saying it’s findings won’t simply be placed on the shelf.
You can view the full 12 hundred page report by following this link.
Premier Reacts
Premier John Horgan praised the immense courage and leadership of those involved as he reacted the National Inquiry in to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Final Report.
In his statement, Horgan said there is no statement he could issue that would do justice to the pain endured by those impacted.
He went on to say that BC is committed to taking action and enacting the change necessary to dismantling the underlying and systemic issues that result in higher rates of violence against Indigenous women.
Plans to undergo community-based engagements and collaborations are already underworks, with plans to start this summer and continue through the fall.
