By rdnewsNOW staff

231 recommendations made

Red Feather Women hope MMIW report leads to change

Jun 4, 2019 | 6:25 PM

A group representing First Nations women hopes changes are finally made now that Canada’s inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women has issued its final report.

In their report, the inquiry’s commissioners argue that through its actions and omissions, Canada has been — and continues to be — complicit in a “genocide” against Indigenous women and girls.

The report points to examples of harms suffered by Indigenous women, LGBTQ and two-spirited people at the hands of Canadian authorities, including the failure to protect them from exploitation, trafficking and killers; deaths in police custody; physical, sexual, and mental abuse in state institutions; the removal of children; forced relocations; the lack of funding for social services and coerced sterilizations.

“Everything that has happened and is happening to Indigenous women and our relationship with Canada is because of Canadian Law, Man-Made law,” said Theresa “Corky” Larsen-Jonasson, Community Elder and founding member of Red Feather Women. “Unfortunately, and with some trepidation, the only way we will see improvements will be under the umbrella of Canadian law and that is the responsibility of our law makers, our leaders.”

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A statement from the Red Deer Feather women on Tuesday says they “honour all the spirits of their stolen sisters and acknowledge with gratitude the survivors, family members, Knowledge Keepers and experts who shared their stories throughout the Inquiry.”

They went on to say that the report “exposes this crisis that has embedded itself into our nation’s history.”

Red Feather Women call on all levels of government, communities and individuals to enact the 231 Calls for Justice as recommended by the MMIWG Inquiry Report.

(Troy Gillard, with file from The Canadian Press)