Concerns arise over communication, progress of MMIW inquiry
- EFN Staff | April 06, 2017
The pain of losing a loved one is something that no person should have to endure. The families and friends of missing and murdered Indigenous women are seeking closure and answers, but there is a growing concern that they haven’t been properly engaged.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was created in response to the calls to action from Indigenous families, communities and organizations, as well as non-governmental and international organizations, to create a place where concerns about the handling of these cases in Canada can be heard.
The National Inquiry is composed of five Commissioners from across the country and is entirely independent from federal, provincial and territorial governments and crown corporations. The Commissioners’ mandate is to examine and report on the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada by looking at patterns and underlying factors.
The work of the National Inquiry has been fraught with difficulties in communication from early on. When asked in January of this year, Native Women’s Association of Canada’s President Francyne D. Joe said, "Families and loved ones of the MMIWG were discouraged by the lack of communication from the inquiry following its official date of establishment on September 1, 2016. They deserved to have some communication about how and when they could expect to provide their testimonies."
In February, Communications Director Michael Hutchinson was terminated. Sue Montgomery, the interim communications lead, did not expect the termination to cause a delay in the commission's work, and she expressed confidence with the team.
A press release was issued mid-March regarding applications for standing and funding that were to be completed and submitted by April 10th, 2017.
This week’s EFN Reader’s poll asked the question: “Do you have any concerns with the progress so far of the MMIW national inquiry?” Here’s how our readers responded:
- Yes, I'm concerned about minimal communication about the status of the inquiry. (50.00%)
- No, I'm sure the inquiry staff is busy doing its job. (30.00%)
- I am willing to give the inquiry the benefit of the doubt and wait for results. (20.00%)
Darlene Rose Okemaysim-Sicotte, an advocate for MMIW and their families in Saskatoon, sees the work of the inquiry as complex, and something that will take time execute properly.
“I have confidence in what is going, only because am taking a lot of time paying attention to each and every development...it’s overwhelming sometimes but when I think about Residential School Survivors journey’s and the Healing Foundation and TRC, it will be a matter of time {before] a steady flow [of information] will arrive.”
On March 31st the deadline to apply for standing and funding was extended to April 18, 2017. For more information about the application process, please see the National Inquiry’s website.
Any questions should be directed to the National Inquiry at the contact information on their website.