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Women’s Commission chair agrees MMIWG inquiry needs extension

Mar 9, 2018 | 11:00 AM

An extension of the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is something the Prince Albert Grand Council’s Women’s Commission would welcome.

On March 7, the commissioners of the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls formally asked for a two-year extension. The extra time would allow the inquiry to reach more women and girls, host more hearings, and conduct original research.

The commissioners said they could still complete their task by the 2018 deadline, however an extension would allow them to produce a more in depth and compelling report.

The chair of the Prince Albert Grand Council Women’s Commission, Shirley Henderson, agrees.

“I think the two-year extension would be good to hear from more families,” Henderson said, adding she thinks an additional two years of work would be enough time for the inquiry to properly address its wide mandate. When the national inquiry was launched, commissioners were directed to address the systematic causes of violence and sexual violence toward Indigenous women and girls.

In order to complete their task, the commissioners asked the federal government for an additional $50 million on top of the $54 million they were originally given to conduct the inquiry.

Henderson said the additional funding could help the inquiry reach communities like Prince Albert which the group wasn’t able to reach before. She and other community members are lobbying for the community to be included in the inquiry. 

Henderson said she sees parallels between the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was plagued by employee resignations before work officially got underway. The TRC also required a one-year extension in order to properly complete its task. Eventually, in 2015, the TRC produced 94 calls to action regarding reconciliation with Indigenous people in Canada.

In comparison, the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls saw multiple employees step down or be fired in its first years at work. Now, the commissioners are asking for an extension, like members of the TRC had before them.

Henderson said she hopes to see the inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls turn into something positive, like the TRC.

“I think it will turn into something positive, especially with families,” Henderson said. “They’ll be able to talk about the experiences that they’ve had and what they would like to see come out of all of this.”

In order for an extension to happen, the provinces and territories need to agree to the proposed new deadline of Dec. 31, 2020.

–  With files from the Canadian Press

 

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas