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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Dylan Penner, Media Officer,E-mail:,dpenner@canadians.org

Support the Call for an Inquiry on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women

WASHINGTON

Over the past three years the Council of Canadians has repeatedly called for a national inquiry on murdered and missing Indigenous women.

Indigenous women make up 4.3 per cent of the Canadian population, but they account for 16 per cent of murdered women and 11.3 per cent of missing women in Canada. Over the past 30 years, 1,026 Indigenous women have been murdered and 160 are missing. We believe an inquiry is needed to understand the root causes of this situation and to develop a national action plan.

On February 26, the families of murdered and missing Indigenous women will be gathering in Ottawa. Some of them will then also participate in a roundtable meeting on this issue with provincial premiers and Indigenous organizations on February 27.

We are asking you to take action in the lead up to this by:

  • writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to express your support for a national inquiry,
  • letting your Conservative MP know that you want you them to support a national inquiry (the New Democrats, Liberals and Greens have already supported the call),
  • requesting your municipal council to pass a resolution in support of a national inquiry.

A sample letter to the editor that you can send to your local newspaper can be found here. A municipal resolution recently passed by Winnipeg city council is here and can be used as a draft submission for your municipal council. The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, Saskatoon city council and Prince Albert city council have also passed similar resolutions.

Thank you to the Council of Canadians chapter activists from across the country who have already indicated to us that they have submitted a letter to the editor, written their Conservative MP, and intend to participate in a local solidarity march.

For more information, please click here.

Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's leading social action organization, mobilizing a network of 60 chapters across the country.

Office: (613) 233-4487, ext. 249