Media Advisory: National Inquiry Now has Opportunity to Listen to Indigenous Families Calling to Include Boys and Men

In response to the crises facing the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Coalition to Expand the Inquiry has released the following statement 

Media Advisory – For Immediate Release

National Inquiry Now has Opportunity to Listen to Indigenous Families Calling to Include Boys and Men

OTTAWA, ON — (July 18, 2017) – With calls for resetting and restructuring the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Coalition to Expand the Inquiry is proposing as a the solution that we listen to the Indigenous families pleading for a truly inclusive inquiry open to the stories of both their daughters and their sons.

Chief Ernie Crey of BC’s Cheam First Nation pointed to a March 2017 letter from Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, claiming that “the Government of Canada is committed to real and substantive reconciliation with Indigenous People in this country.”

“Reconciliation cannot work when the Minister refuses to hear the voices of the families of 70% of all murdered Indigenous people,” Chief Crey commented. “My phone continues to ring with calls from the families of the 1800 murdered Indigenous boys and men.”

The National Inquiry can turn its current setback into an opportunity for serious reflection on how to improve the effectiveness of its work by following the advice of these Indigenous families.

“We know that 70% of indigenous murder victims are male,” said Professor Adam Jones, UBC specialist on genocide and gender violence. “Why not reframe the inquiry to come to grips with the crisis of violence among and against indigenous Canadians? This can’t happen as long as men and boys are excluded and ignored.”

“We have always maintained that this initiative will only be effective at discovering the root cause of violence if we listen to all families who have experienced tragedy and if we incorporate all available data,” said Justin Trottier, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Men and Families, a member group of the Coalition to Expand the Inquiry.

CONTACT

Chief Ernie Crey
Expand the Inquiry Coalition Chairperson
604-891-7981
erniecrey@gmail.com

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