By Zainab Zaman
More than a year after the National Inquiry released a final report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, The Native Women's Association of Canada are addressing the Canadian government to maintain their focus on ending violence against First Nations women, girls and LGBTQ2S.
The National Inquiry's final report was presented on June 3rd, 2019, at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. The report shows stories of more than 2,380 survivors of violence. During the last two-and-a-half years, statements from Experts and Knowledge Keepers were gathered as evidence from hearings and events across Canada.
The testimonies of family members of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls highlights the ongoing factors caused by multigenerational and intergenerational trauma. The report also cites research on genocide dating back to 1973, along with the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
With the cooperation of provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners, a distinctions-based and accountable plan will soon be implemented to prevent systemic violence against a future generation.
According to Statistics Canada, Aboriginal women are significantly overrepresented as victims of homicide. The report shows that between 1997 and 2000, homicide rates of Aboriginal females were almost seven times higher than those of non-Aboriginal females.
An RCMP report, released in 2014 shows 1,017 police-recorded homicides of Indigenous women between 1980 and 2012, the report shows 164 cases of missing Indigenous women since 1952.
Research done by community members and organizations shows that the data collected by the police is not a complete and accurate representation of the levels of violence against Indigenous women.
According to the Native Women's Association of Canada, Aboriginal women 15 years and older are 3.5 times more likely to experience violence than non-Aboriginal women. Chrystal Waban, an Algonquin Storyteller and Traditional Counsellor from the Pikwakangan First Nation, says the media needs to emphasize identifying Indigenous Women.
"The media is starting to join in with grassroots fighters and advocates to amplify voices because the governments know exactly what they need to do but they just don't have the will," says Waban.
The government of Canada has promised a National Action Plan to be ready in June 2020, the plan identifies the main concerns found in the final report, the plan will also classify unique needs, experiences and cultural contexts of Indigenous peoples.
Even though First Nations and Indigenous organizations have repeatedly mentioned an urgent response from the Canadian Government, the delay could be caused by the pandemic. According to the government of Canada, the discussions for the National Action Plan are being resumed through virtual meetings with Indigenous women and girls, families and survivors, and Indigenous women's organizations.
The recommendations from the final report are one step towards ensuring fair access to employment, housing, education, safety, and health care.
Regarding calls of action, On Human Rights Day, and the last day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, four incredible strong women who play a vital role in shaping the narratives around MMIWG, hosted a virtual event to bring awareness about the representation of MMIWG in the media.
The panellists of the event include Michèle Audette, Sheila North, Karyn Pugliese and host Brandi Morin. The media is one of the main sources that has helped shed a light on stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The media can also be used as a tool to reinforce damaging stereotypes and misinformation.
During the event, Michèle Taïna Audette, a Canadian politician who worked as a commissioner on the MMIWG inquiry, introduces the event by honouring the strength, passion, tears, anger and energy from family members and survivors who played a huge role in getting the final National Inquiry to be done.
Audette explains how important it is to have more Indigenous reporters to ensure that truth is being told. "We know the media is a powerful tool, we have to make sure that the media supports Indigenous people and how we want to share our truth and break the biases," Audette said.
She also highlights the efforts of the Canadian Government towards providing educational and training opportunities for Indigenous people. Audette says the next generation of anchors and journalists should have mandatory Indigenous courses in universities and colleges across Canada.
"The National Inquiry's final report will also provide scholarships, funds and grants to Indigenous inclusion in media, movies and the music industry," Audette said.
Karyn Pugliese, Executive Director of News and Current Affairs at APTN, says the families of survivors pushed for media coverage on MMIWG.
Pugliese says one of the important recommendations that stood out to her in the report, is showing Indigenous people in the media through different narratives other than MMIWG.
"For mainstream media, we are only shown when we are victims, you see a lot of Indigenous women as doctors, lawyers, mothers and leaders who are living their lives and their full humanity, a bit more of that needs to be mainstreamed,” Pugliese said.
Pugliese says that even though the media covers issues related to MMIWG, over the past six years the percentage of coverage in Canadian media does not go over two percent.
"A lot of times we feel like we are covering these stories, but really in the grand scheme of things, with all the coverage that has been done on MMIWG, Canadians still don't seem to see it because it's easy to miss with all the media," Pugliese said.
Sheila North, former Grand Chief of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and former CTV journalist, says she wanted to become a general reporter during the beginning of her career, but she then realized that the news in the media about Indigenous people was wrong.
North explains how she has seen a significant change in covering issues related to Indigenous people from 2005 up until now. She says the sheer force of Indigenous women, girls, families, survivors and advocates who gathered to mark special occasions helped remind the public about recent news which encouraged the media to follow along.
"Even though we are still trying to rectify and put an end to the problems and empower our women, I think it's happening now because we have forced the issue," she added "There is some good news because women are feeling protected even though the news coverage might be changing there is some strength, I have faith that something good is going to come out of the implementation of the report because there are real women and warriors that are making the recommendations," North said.
The NWAC is recommending preparations for the National Action Plan to protect Indigenous women and end systemic causes of violence. In recent events, the government of Canada has funded $785.1 million towards a Violence Prevention Strategy to pay for culturally relevant supports for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA people who are the main victims of gender-based crime.
The fund will provide new homes and temporary accommodations for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across the country. The new investments also include new shelters for Indigenous people living in reserves and urban areas. The fund has also contributed $44.8 million that is going towards 12 new shelters, the shelters aim to help protect and support Indigenous women and girls experiencing and fleeing violence.
Waban explains how many Indigenous communities are matriarchal societies, "why are we looking for men to solve the problem of women's safety," She added "We have so many decades of VAW shelters, because women are working to decrease the risk of parallel crimes," Waban said.
Chrystal Waban has worked with non-profit Indigenous organizations on issues related to homelessness, youth and women's rights. Waban also provides support and coordination for the KAIROS' Indigenous Rights Program.
Kairos Canada is dedicated to the truth and reconciliation for the past and justice for the future. Kairos Canada's main commitment is educating people on decolonization and reconciliation through one of their most popular methods, the Kairos Blanket Exercise.
The Kairos Blanket exercise is a two-hour-long experiential educational exercise, the material is based on script and scrolls facilitated by Indigenous elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers and is based on the truth.
Waban says the KBE program mentions the tragedy of residential schools, which was one of the first forms of abuse towards Aboriginals.
"The KBE does bring into awareness the story of residential schools, the sixties scoop and children being taken away from their homes, these are some of the first stories that are relatable to missing and murdered Indigenous women," Waban said
"We are about educating non-Indigenous people, in terms of some of the injustices that have been perpetrated against Indigenous people since the time of settlement in what we now call Canada," said Carole Umana, regional coordinator at the KBE.
In December 2018, the government strengthened sexual assault laws in the Criminal Code.
The government of Canada also introduced Bill C-75,
the legislation suggests various methods to improve the criminal justice system's actions towards protecting victims of intimate partner violence and human trafficking.
"There is physical violence, economic violence, health violence, social violence, racism and a lot of perpetuated violence against Indigenous women mostly by non-Indigenous people, it's not just what we have come to mind, which is a woman who is beaten by her partner," Umana said.
Waban says the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has failed in protecting Indigenous women.
"The RCMP has a long history of harming Indigenous women in Quebec, one of the main conflicts is those police officers extort and blackmail Indigenous women who are drug addicts, chosen sex workers or homeless, Numerous stories have come out in inquiries about how officers blackmail these women into having sex with them to not go to jail," Waban said.
The National Inquiry mentions how the commemoration fund is an important part of the healing journey for families and survivors, education programs and awareness campaigns are crucial towards honouring, educating, and remembering missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ and two-spirit people.
Chrystal Waban says education is important in telling the truth about Indigenous people and there has to be accountability within the education systems and our society.
"The only Indigenous education we had during my time involved a paragraph saying that Europeans saved the Indigenous people," she added "There is a lot of injustice, we need to ask people to start deconstructing what they think they know, it's important to have conversations and learn from people in a non-passive way," Waban said.
The Government of Canada is slowly starting a movement through co-developed and community-led initiatives to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The National Action Plan will identify the Calls for Justice and focus on the theme of security, health and justice for Indigenous people. The plan will show what type of progress has been done towards improving the priorities, programs and challenges of Indigenous women and families of survivors.
“Every Canadians need to face their own biases and what they have understood about Indigenous people themselves and what they have been told,” Waban said.
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