This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/10/canadian-murdered-indigenous-women-invesitgation-staff-losses
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Canadian inquiry into murdered indigenous women may end empty | Canadian inquiry into murdered indigenous women may end empty |
| (11 days later) | |
| Canada’s beleaguered inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women has lost another staff member – the sixth staff member to step down in recent months – amid growing concern that the process will do little to curb the violence faced by thousands of indigenous women and girls in the country. | Canada’s beleaguered inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women has lost another staff member – the sixth staff member to step down in recent months – amid growing concern that the process will do little to curb the violence faced by thousands of indigenous women and girls in the country. |
| On Tuesday it emerged that Waneek Horn-Miller, a former Olympian and the inquiry’s director of community relations, had stepped down. The inquiry said she had done so to focus on her family. | On Tuesday it emerged that Waneek Horn-Miller, a former Olympian and the inquiry’s director of community relations, had stepped down. The inquiry said she had done so to focus on her family. |
| News of her resignation coincided with the publishing of an open letter – signed by some 150 indigenous leaders, activists and family members of victims – that urged Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government to radically overhaul an inquiry described as top-down, disorganised and lacking in transparency. | News of her resignation coincided with the publishing of an open letter – signed by some 150 indigenous leaders, activists and family members of victims – that urged Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government to radically overhaul an inquiry described as top-down, disorganised and lacking in transparency. |
| The long awaited, two-year C$53.8m inquiry was launched last August as a central commitment from Trudeau’s government to indigenous peoples in Canada. | The long awaited, two-year C$53.8m inquiry was launched last August as a central commitment from Trudeau’s government to indigenous peoples in Canada. |
| Red flags began to appear within months; families complained of being left in the dark by those leading the inquiry while a steady stream of staff members stepped down. For many the last straw was the resignation of one of the five commissioners heading the inquiry in July, prompting calls for a “hard reset” of the inquiry. | Red flags began to appear within months; families complained of being left in the dark by those leading the inquiry while a steady stream of staff members stepped down. For many the last straw was the resignation of one of the five commissioners heading the inquiry in July, prompting calls for a “hard reset” of the inquiry. |
| Tuesday’s open letter – the third such letter in recent months – ranked as the strongest call to date for change, demanding the removal of the remaining commissioners. | Tuesday’s open letter – the third such letter in recent months – ranked as the strongest call to date for change, demanding the removal of the remaining commissioners. |
| “They have continually dismissed our concerns, refused to take steps to rebuild trust, and have maintained a deeply misguided approach that imposes a harmful, colonial process on us,” the letter said. “This has and continues to create trauma as well as insecurity and a lack of safety for our families, communities, and loved ones.” | “They have continually dismissed our concerns, refused to take steps to rebuild trust, and have maintained a deeply misguided approach that imposes a harmful, colonial process on us,” the letter said. “This has and continues to create trauma as well as insecurity and a lack of safety for our families, communities, and loved ones.” |
| Those who signed the letter said they were worried that the inquiry would fall short of its mandate to uncover the root causes of why as many as 4,000 indigenous women have gone missing or have been murdered in Canada in recent decades. | Those who signed the letter said they were worried that the inquiry would fall short of its mandate to uncover the root causes of why as many as 4,000 indigenous women have gone missing or have been murdered in Canada in recent decades. |
| Rather than start from scratch, the letter urged the government to make use of the information collected to date but enforce a change in leadership to restructure the inquiry into an indigenous-led, community-driven process. | Rather than start from scratch, the letter urged the government to make use of the information collected to date but enforce a change in leadership to restructure the inquiry into an indigenous-led, community-driven process. |
| “Prime Minister Trudeau, we are asking you today to give us back our inquiry,” the letter said. “We are asking you to live by your words to use an indigenous-led, rights-based approach that honours our rights to security, to equal voice, to participate in matters that affect our lives, and to guarantee against all forms of violence and discrimination.” | “Prime Minister Trudeau, we are asking you today to give us back our inquiry,” the letter said. “We are asking you to live by your words to use an indigenous-led, rights-based approach that honours our rights to security, to equal voice, to participate in matters that affect our lives, and to guarantee against all forms of violence and discrimination.” |
| In a statement, the ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs said the government remained committed to its goal of ending what it called an “ongoing national tragedy”. | In a statement, the ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs said the government remained committed to its goal of ending what it called an “ongoing national tragedy”. |
| Minister Carolyn Bennett has met with those leading the inquiry to discuss the issues raised, said a spokesperson. “The Commissioners have a plan and are dedicated to finding solutions to address families’ concerns – this includes a constant process of learning and adapting as the Inquiry progresses,” he noted. | Minister Carolyn Bennett has met with those leading the inquiry to discuss the issues raised, said a spokesperson. “The Commissioners have a plan and are dedicated to finding solutions to address families’ concerns – this includes a constant process of learning and adapting as the Inquiry progresses,” he noted. |
| Canada | Canada |
| Indigenous peoples | Indigenous peoples |
| Americas | Americas |
| Justin Trudeau | Justin Trudeau |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |