MIssing Indigenous Women

In the last few weeks there have been a number of stories about events and processes surrounding the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) ( see CBC). On the surface it does seem as if the inquiry has faced organizational issues as well as a number of resignations from key staff. In fact, almost from the start there have been complaints about the process, how slow it was in getting started, the lack of public consultation as to what the actual process would be and how the commission was not asking the families what they wanted. Every month or two it feels as if there more stories of how disappointed the families are. Equally as often there have been stronger and stronger suggestions that the Commission needs to start over again with at least a new chairperson. I am truly sorry that so many families are disappointed in the process. It must be so difficult to be told, to believe, that finally there will be answers as to why and how  a daughter, a sister, an aunt or a mother disappeared or was killed, and then for there be no answers to these questions. It must be disheartening beyond understanding to have ones' hopes raised and then to feel as if those hopes have once more be left hanging because not enough people care.

The inquiry however, was doomed to fail before it started. It was conceived as a process to respond to the concerns and the angst of hundreds of families who had lost their loved ones and who felt as if there were never satisfactory answers to why or how. It was established because politically the government felt as if it needed to be seen to doing something. Unfortunately if it is to do its job well, it will take decades of meetings and conversations. And at the end of it, I fear that nothing will be resolved or solved. The mandate is just too broad. The issues it is required to deal with are too complex and in many case too unrelated to each other to form any sort of constructive conclusion. It is a complete waste of time because many people already know what the problems are and in most case, we know what the solutions are. It is time we started to address them.

The evidence is clear. There has been a clear systemic bias within the criminal justice system to take the disappearance of indigenous women less seriously than they needed to. Such case have been ignored and/or dismissed on a consistent basis.  It is also clear that if the reports from Thunder Bay are accurate, police forces continue to treat such cases as, at best, unimportant. Police forces must ensure that the stereotypes and excuses of the past are no longer part of the thinking for the future. That change, within itself, would not reduce the number of murder or missing indigenous women, but it would ensure that families would at least be treated as all other families are treated. Equally as important, the criminal justice system must ensure that those who commit these acts of violence against indigenous women receive consequences that are appropriate and consistent with those received by those perpetrators involved with non-indigenous women.  Anything less than that is not justice.

There are also extraordinarily complex issues that need to be resolved within some First Nation Communities. The deaths of a significant number of Indigenous  women has been caused by Indigenous men. The destruction of culture because of residential schools and the consequences of the Indian Act has impacted some communities' capacity to parent and to be part of healthy adult relationships and lifestyles. Clearly more support needs to be provided to these communities that are struggling. Equally as clearly, these communities need to take responsibility in providing leadership to ensure that men have alternatives to hurting those close to them.  

Finally, the fact that men hurt women is not a new story. The fact that some men find it easier to prey upon Indigenous women is frightening and disturbing. While there is no doubt that such acts may have some racist overtones, the more important issue is finding ways to stop men from preying upon all women.  This is a national issue for all Canadians.

I accept that it is therapeutic for some people to share their stories; I understand that for some people it is critical for their emotional health to express their sadness and frustration over both the death of a love one and not knowing what happened or where the body is. I remain unconvinced that this therapeutic process is the responsibility of the Canadian government. Making sure that our systems work for all Canadians is the government's responsibility. They know what the problems are - I would prefer if our tax money went to making sure everyone had  equal access. If we need a commission to look at how policing needs to be improved for Indigenous peoples - great.  I am sure there are some very competent people within the communities across Canada and even within police forces who could create a platform for change.

We can spend our money on talking about how badly we have done things in the past ( and we have) or we can spend our money on making sure we don't make those mistakes again. I am not sure if we have the will to do both.