NDP seeking justice for Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women

The Conservatives are once again failing Indigenous women and girls by issuing a committee report sanctioning their refusal to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

“It is appalling that after hearing witness after witness testify that much more needs to be done on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the Conservatives could produce a sanitized report saying that everything is fine,” said NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic Jean Crowder (Nanaimo Cowichan). “This is an intergenerational tragedy that demands immediate action.”

The NDP’s dissenting report recommends that the federal government:

• establish a National Commission of Public Inquiry to analyze violence against Indigenous women and girls;
• utilize Niki Ashton’s motion (M-444) to develop and implement a national action plan to address violence against Indigenous women and girls;
• ensure that Indigenous women lead, design and implement solutions to address this crisis;
• address chronic underfunding including key frontlines services, shelters, child welfare, and research; and
• invest in prevention and treatment services.

“The Conservatives have turned their backs on Indigenous women and their families but ignoring this serious issue won’t make it go away,” said NDP deputy Aboriginal Affairs critic Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (Manicouagan). “The NDP will keep pushing for action on this national tragedy.”