NDP condemn Liberals for allowing genocide against Indigenous women and girls to continue

OTTAWA - During Question Period on May 3rd, NDP MP Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre), questioned why the Liberal government continues to stall in releasing a national action plan to address the ongoing genocide against Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA individuals in Canada.

“A national action plan to implement the Calls for Justice in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is almost two years late,” said Gazan. “And every time I try to get an update from the Minister, she tells me she’s working on it. This is costing lives.”

In 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found that the violence being perpetrated against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA individuals was a genocide as defined under the UN Convention on Genocide. In spite of these finding, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett justifies the failure of the Liberal government putting in place a national action plan a result of Covid 19.

“Covid is not an excuse especially when we know that rates of violence have increased up to 400% in some places in Canada. The Liberals have had two years to implement an action plan.” added Gazan. “Every day we go without this plan more Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people are subject to unwarranted violence, injustice, and even murder. We need immediate action now before more lives are lost.”

New Democrats will continue to work with families, survivors of violence and advocates to put in place a national action plan to address this ongoing genocide.