Tansi Nîtôtemtik,
Last week, a national roundtable convened on missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTIQQIA+ people. On January 10, 2023, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced the national roundtable, composed of Indigenous leaders and partners, and representatives from federal, provincial, and territorial governments. [1]
The minister also announced the appointment of Jennifer Moore Rattray as Ministerial Special Representative, and the appointment of the Indigenous organization Innovation 7, to “develop recommendations for an oversight mechanism to enhance accountability and progress in ending violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people”. [2]
This announcement furthers the government’s commitment to the Calls for Justice that emerged following the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The appointment of a Ministerial Special Representative furthers Call for Justice 1.7, the call for a National Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson and a National Indigenous Human Rights Tribunal. Appointing Innovation 7 to provide oversight furthers Call for Justice 1.10, the call for an independent mechanism to report on the implementation of the Calls for Justice. [3]
The National Inquiry is believed by some to be the fulfillment of Call to Action 41- “We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal organizations, to appoint a public inquiry into the causes of, and remedies for, the disproportionate victimization of Aboriginal women and girls.” [4] However, others believe that the Inquiry falls short of fulfilling CTA 41, because it does not measure the success of the Inquiry’s goals. [5]
Whether CTA 41 has been met or not, the announcement of the roundtable and the appointments demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the Calls for Justice.
After the National Action Plan and Calls for Justice were released in 2021, Neskonlith Kukpi7 (Chief) Judy Wilson, secretary-treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, criticized the plan for the lack of Indigenous input and involvement in its development. [6]
As part of the announcement, Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, chair of the National Family and Survivors Circle (NFSC), highlighted the importance of having accountability mechanisms in place to monitor the Calls for Justice. [7] The National Family and Survivors Circle stands behind the powerful statement “Nothing About Us, Without Us”, and has been, and continues to be, an integral part of the development and implementation of the National Action Plan. [8] The inclusion of NFSC in the roundtable and ongoing implementation of solutions is a demonstration of reconciliACTION.
Ending race and gender-based violence requires input from the communities affected by it. To be successful and meaningful, any actions taken to support the Calls for Justice must be informed by the cultures, languages, ways of life, and experiences of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit peoples. A pan-Indigenous approach is inadequate, and the continued involvement of the National Family and Survivors Circle ensures that the voices of survivors and families continue to be heard.
There are 231 Calls for Justice to be met, and through these appointments, the government is showing commitment to meeting them in a culturally appropriate and thorough manner. It is imperative that the findings and recommendations from the National Inquiry continue to be a focus of the federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
Until next time,
Team Reconcili-ACTION YEG
[1] Yahoo! Finance, “Minister Miller convenes national roundtable on missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people” (10 Jan 2023), Yahoo! Finance, online: <https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/minister-miller-convenes-national-roundtable-013200093.html?>.
[2] Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, “Government of Canada appoints a Ministerial Special Representative and an Indigenous-led organization to address Calls for Justice” (10 Jan 2023), Government of Canada, online: <https://www.canada.ca/en/crown-indigenous-relations-northern-affairs/news/2023/01/government-of-canada-appoints-a-ministerial-special-representative-and-an-indigenous-led-organization-to-address-calls-for-justice.html>.
[3] National Family and Survivors Circle, “NFSC Welcomes Federal Announcement on the Path Forward for Accountability on MMIWG2S+” (11 Jan 2023), National Family and Survivors Circle, online: <https://familysurvivorscircle.ca/2023/01/11/nfsc-welcomes-federal-announcement-on-the-path-forward-for-accountability-on-mmiwg2s/>.
[4] CTA 41
[5] Indigenous Watchdog, “How many of the TRC Calls to Action are complete? Don’t ask the federal government.” (last visited 16 Jan 2023), Indigenous Watchdog, online: <https://www.indigenouswatchdog.org/2022/04/26/how-many-of-the-trc-calls-to-action-are-complete-dont-ask-the-federal-government/>.
[6] Ka’nhehsí:io Deer, “MMIWG national action plan is an inadequate response to the crisis, says Indigenous women’s advocates” (3 Jun 2021), CBC News, online:
<https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/mmiwg-national-action-plan-indigenous-women-advocates-1.6052156>.
[7] Supra note 3.
[8] National Family and Survivors Circle, “Our Goals” (Last visited 16 Jan 2023), National Family and Survivors Circle, online: <https://familysurvivorscircle.ca/#our-goals>.