Families await inquiry into missing and murdered Native women

Thursday, January 7, 2016  

The REDress Project raises awareness of missing and murdered Native women in Canada. Photo from Facebook

Top officials in Canada are holding consultation meetings in advance of launching a formal inquiry into missing and murdered Native women and girls.

The inquiry is a key campaign promise of new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His Liberal party is taking action after the prior administration refused to take a closer look at the thousands of Native women and girls who have gone missing or have been killed across the country.

Some families are now asking the government to expand the inquiry to address cross-border issues with the United States, CBC News reported. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett heard from at least two families who believe their loved ones were sold into sex trade through ships on Lake Superior.

"Like we'd heard during Idle No More, they went to the ships, then they disappeared," Bennett told CBC after a meeting in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Additional meetings are taking place this month in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

"We want to hear from Canadians on this issue of national significance. I encourage everyone to read the discussion guide and participate in this process via the online survey," Bennett said in a statement. "We need to hear from all Canadians – especially survivors, families and loved ones, Indigenous organizations, and provinces and territories – to help us identify the best process for this inquiry."

Get the Story:
Indigenous women disappear on ships on Lake Superior, Carolyn Bennett told (CBC 1/7)
Missing and murdered indigenous women: 5 things an inquiry should consider (CBC 1/6)
Missing, murdered indigenous women pre-inquiry meetings begin in Thunder Bay, Ont. (CBC 1/4)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Report:
Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women: A National Operational Overvie (May 2014)

Lenard Monkman: Raising our girls to be indigenous and fierce (12/14)
Tim Fontaine: Native people seeking action and justice in Canada (12/09)
Ruth Hopkins: Native woman leads inquiry into our missing sisters (12/09)
Mark Trahant: A new era of reconciliation emerges in Canada (11/09)
Native women report years of abuse at hands of police officers (10/26)
Carly McIntosh: Justin Trudeau campaigns on change in Canada (10/26)
Carly McIntosh: Finding our missing and murdered Native women (10/22)
Mark Trahant: Far too many missing and murdered Native women (10/06)
Rosanna Deerchild: A terrifying reality facing indigenous women (10/05)
First Nations launch inquiry into missing and murdered women (09/10)
Manitoba agrees to pay funeral bill for murdered Native woman (04/16)
Native girl is one of six murdered from same reserve in Manitoba (04/09)
Opinion: Native women won't feel safe without action in Canada (03/02)
Mother seeks to draw more attention to missing Native men (02/05)
Police open probe after officers let missing Native teen girl go (09/25)
Group starts dragging of river in search of missing Native women (09/17)
Police in Manitoba seek information on two missing Native sisters (09/02)
Authorities in Manitoba probe murder of 15-year-old Native girl (08/18)
Native Sun News: Site documents missing and murdered women (07/30)
Editorial: Take action for missing and murdered Native women (05/23)
RCMP cites high number of missing and murdered Native women (05/19)