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.
