Commission on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

The Government of Canada has announced the scope of its inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. It has also said who will be the five commissioners leading the inquiry. On the surface it would appear that the inquiry's scope of investigation has been well thought out and it all likelihood will satisfy at least some of the people who demanded such an inquiry. The five commissioners are certainly well qualified and reflect most of the characteristics of the missing and murdered women including both gender and cultural/national roots. Not surprisingly however, the membership of the commission does not reflect the social class of the women whose stories are at the heart of the need for a commission. However, in spite of the well intentioned job description and the carefully chosen participants, one still needs to ask the question - why is there a need for a commission at all?

" Justin Trudeau said the "victims deserve justice, their families an opportunity to be heard and to heal" and that "we must work together to put an end to this ongoing tragedy." (CBC). I agree that it is important. It would be even more useful however, if there was a way for all Canadians to have to hear those messages, to listen to those stories. I am afraid that like so much of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's hearings and report - the vast majority of Canadians will blithely get on with their lives and pay little or no attention to this commission's work. For Canadians who have thought about this issue, have read, have listened and have talked about it - the issues are quite clear. Within a society that is sexists in nature, that is permeated with racism and that has intentionally or non-intentionally practiced cultural genocide for at least 200 hundred years - it can come as no surprise that the lives of Indigenous women have been deemed less important. We have known for a generation that our policing, our court system and our correctional system are woefully inadequate to correct the imbalances within our society. I remain unconvinced that another two years will do very much at all to change that.

CBC reported that Dawn Lavell-Harvard, the current president of NWAC (Native Women's Association of Canada) has said that "There's not going to be the commitment to make the changes we need if people don't see evidence,... And that kind of incontrovertible, independent evidence that can't be brushed off." She might be right but I don't think so. For so many of us the evidence is already clear - I do not need more proof, I don't need more evidence. For those who deny the truth, for those who live in their elite bubbles that protect them from the reality of other lives, for those who insist that the world is evolving just fine - stories are not going to change their minds.

I accept that people need to tell their stories and that for some to do so on a somewhat public national stage with be cathartic. We should encourage people to do so. But I would prefer it if a substantial portion of the 53 million dollars go to actually creating change. I would prefer that money was used to providing meaningful and accessible education so that Indigenous peoples - specifically young women had a choice as to how they spent their lives; I would prefer it if some of that money was used to fund a different way (other than incarceration) of supporting people when there was conflict within their community or within their family, I would prefer if there was a rural transportation system to ensure that people don't need to hitchhike, I would prefer if small communities had better access to health care (including mental health), clean water and decent housing. But most of all I wish that the funding be available to help the communities decide what they needed and wanted to do.

I am glad that the commission is finally underway. I truly hope that it meets the needs of people and that the recommendations that come out of it are looked at and implemented. But most of all I hope that we do not have to wait two years for changes start to happen. We know what we have to do - lets get on with it.

Ladysmith

Ladysmith is a small town on Vancouver Island just over halfway between Victoria and Nanaimo. I think it might be a charming town. I don't know as I have never been into the "downtown" core. I think, although I am not too sure why, that it is a town with lots of seniors. For those of us who only pass it by, it is probably best known for the fact that it seems to be built on a rather steep hill. I could not imagine ever living there. Walking or riding a bike to anywhere would be a challenge. It is also well know in the area because of their great sea-side park.

Transfer Beach is one of those places that while not at all a secret to folks in the area, is thankfully not well known to the thousands of tourist who flood the island in the summer time. There is lots of green grass to spread out one's picnic blanket, shady trees to snooze under, a great water pad for the kids to keep cool and safe, a better than average set of monkey bars, swings and slides, clean bathrooms and a concession stand. And then of course there is the ocean. As someone said to me on Saturday, with just a slight bit of exaggeration and a whole pile of small town pride "it is a world class beach". This past weekend, I spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday there. It was the annual Ladysmith Days. Every small town has such a weekend. There is almost always a parade, a talent contest, perhaps a beauty pageant and some sort of side walk sale. While every town I have ever been in has some sort of special weekend, the one in Ladysmith was outstanding.

The parade happened in the town but all of the other activities, including the two day Farmer's Market and craft sale happened along the waterfront. I was there to sell my weaving and so I got the chance to see most of the activities. On Saturday there were races, games, loads of families walking around, kids playing on the splash pad, people dragging all kinds of floating devices and chairs down towards the beach, and kayakers out in the bay. On Sunday it was even busier with three or four huge "bouncy castles", twenty foot high slides, and some basketball nets, more races, a tug of war, free face painting (some of the best that I had ever seen - every kid looked great) and a nail hammering contest. In an other area there was even a pole climbing contest.  What was so impressive was the number of parents who got involved in the races and the nail hammering contests. It felt as if the parents were not just there to monitor their kids' behaviour, but rather to actively participate in their town's special weekend. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

The volunteers looked and sounded enthusiastic. For example they had zucchini car races - zucchinis that had had some Lego wheels attached and were run down a ramp. One could have assumed, with some justification, that this event would not be exciting to watch - but the announcer was having so much fun with it, that he drew quite a crowd. The folks who got the potato sack races and the various relays going seemed to be having as much fun as were the kids. It was really quite an extraordinary event and it was a pleasure to watch.

I did not sell very much but it was a joy to see families playing together.