The federal government recently announced a National Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crimes Against Aboriginal Women and Girls. The government boasts in its news release that “the Government of Canada has shown leadership in standing up for victims of crime. The Action Plan takes immediate and concrete action to prevent violence, support victims and protect Aboriginal women and girls through a number of new and ongoing commitments. These include developing more community safety plans on and off reserve and ensuring families are supported to access and navigate the justice system.”

 

The thing they don’t mention is the action plan will not be implemented for another six and a half months and the money is not that much. “According to current statistics where an average of approximately 38 Indigenous women and girls have been murdered or gone missing annually, that is potentially another twenty Indigenous women and girls that will be murdered or missing before this action plan is implemented and that is not acceptable.” said Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Vice Chief Kim Jonathan. “The question remains how many more Indigenous women will fall victim to violence before governments implement a full national inquiry.”

The FSIN has continued to call for a national inquiry to work with Indigenous peoples on identifying and producing points of action on addressing missing and murdered Indigenous women from an inclusive, evidence-based approach.

Vice Chief Jonathan points out that the action plan falls short on addressing the sociological factors that lead to racialized, sexualized violence against Indigenous women in Canada – especially on-reserve. For example, after deducting the $92.5 million that goes directly to shelters from the $158.7 million Family Violence Prevention Program, only $66.2 million is left to divide amongst 633 First Nations which amounts to an average of $20,916 per year to develop, coordinate, staff and implement a Family Violence Prevention Program.

Finally, a national inquiry should be led in partnership by Indigenous women and the families of the missing and murdered women and girls. “I have met with affected families and sat with them in court as they relived horrific details and questioned ‘why?’ ” said Jonathan. “It is for them that we seek answers. We are appreciative of the tremendous support for a national inquiry or Royal Commission from Canadians both Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike. First Nations remain committed and open to working with all levels of government to address the root causes of violence against all women,” said Vice Chief Jonathan. “I am thankful that community campaigns such as Am I Next, Idle No More and Elder Emil Bell’s 400 kilometer trek continue to keep this issue at the forefront of the minds of Canadians.”