NDP motion calling on Liberals to recognize MMIWG2S crisis as a Canada-wide emergency adopted

OTTAWA – On Tuesday, an NDP motion calling on Liberals to recognize the ongoing genocide of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two spirit people (MMIWG2S) crisis as a Canada-wide emergency was adopted unanimously by all parties in the House of Commons. The motion was tabled by NDP critic for Women and Gender Equality Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) to urge the federal government to deliver immediate and substantial investment, including a Red Dress Alert system to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing.

"I am pleased that all parties recognize the urgency of this ongoing genocide," said Gazan. "I support relatives of lost loved ones, human rights advocates and survivors who are calling on this government to take action to end this unrelenting violence. We are not disposable — our lives are precious, and we deserve justice."

Gazan says now that this motion has passed, the Liberals must show they're serious about ending violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people by reversing their decision to cut $150 million for women's shelters and investing in a Red Dress alert.

"Families and communities have waited far too long for this federal government to act," Gazan. "Now that the Liberals recognize this violence as a Canada-wide emergency, they must speed up their delivery of resources and funding to stop it."

The full text of the NDP motion adopted is available here:

That, given that:

(i) on October 27, 2022, the House unanimously recognized that what happened in residential schools was genocide,

(ii) decades of insufficient action from all levels of government have failed to address the effects of this genocide, including the crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people with the urgency it deserves,

(iii) families in Winnipeg and throughout the country continue to experience the tragic loss of a loved one to this crisis,

the House call on the government to:

(a)declare the continued loss of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people a Canada-wide emergency ; and

(b)provide immediate and substantial investment, including in a Red Dress Alert System, to help alert the public when an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing.