Reconciliation Canada responds to Announcement of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Inquiry
Dec 10, 2015Reconciliation Canada sees the hope that has been generated by the announcement of an official national inquiry into the tragic numbers of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
This is a significant act towards reconciliation. It demonstrates that there are people who lived this nightmare, and someone is listening to their story — to their lived truth. Gilakasla for listening and responding.
This issue is not foreign to our team. Janet Henry went missing in the late 1990s.
Janet was the aunt to Karen Joseph, Reconciliation Canada CEO, and her sister Shelley, Cultural & Wellness Advisor. In the beginning, Shelley and other family members walked the streets looking for Janet, and for information of her whereabouts.
For many years now Shelley has taken part in the annual march on February 14 that honours and recognizes the many women and girls who are missing and/or have been murdered. She also sits on The Coalition of Families and Organizations advocating for justice for the families.
It is in the teachings of Indigenous people around the world that our women are integral to the social structure of a healthy community; a thriving community; a strong community.
Reconciliation Canada lifts our hands up to the federal government for taking action, and more so to the thousands of people who demonstrate the power of resilience by not giving up.
Read more about the announcement of the public inquiry here (via CBC News).