National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Delusion23 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Formed	2016
Jurisdiction	Canada
Chief inquiry commissioners	Marion Buller; Qajaq Robinson

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was a Canadian public inquiry established in 2016 to examine and report on the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. It operated through hearings, community engagements, and research culminating in a final report that framed the crisis as a form of genocide and issued Calls for Justice addressed to federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous, and international actors. The inquiry intersected with legal, historical, and social institutions across Canada and attracted responses from Indigenous organizations, political parties, courts, and international bodies.

Background and mandate

The inquiry was launched following advocacy by families, survivors, and organizations such as the Native Women's Association of Canada, Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Métis National Council, and in the context of legal decisions and inquiries including the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada. Mandated under the Inquiries Act (Canada), commissioners were appointed to investigate links to factors discussed in reports like the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommendations and findings from provincial inquiries such as the Pickton investigation and the Highway of Tears studies. Political actors involved included leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada, Conservative Party of Canada, and provincial premiers such as Christy Clark and Rachel Notley, while funding and oversight engaged departments like Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and the Department of Justice (Canada).

Investigation and methodology

The inquiry employed methods combining public hearings, private testimony, evidence submissions, and research partnerships with institutions including universities like the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. Commissioners drew on forensic approaches used in cases like the Sierra Leone missing-persons work and models from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Engagements occurred in communities including Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Yellowknife, Iqaluit, and Gander, with participation by families of victims, survivors, elders, and organizations such as the National Association of Friendship Centres and Amnesty International. Legal frameworks referenced included the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, decisions by the Federal Court of Canada, provincial coroners' inquests such as the Wendy Scurr inquest precedents, and international instruments like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and submissions to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Findings and report

The final report synthesized testimony and evidence to characterize patterns of violence, discrimination, and institutional failures across policing, child welfare, health care, and housing. Commissioners documented systemic discrimination connected to historical events and policies such as the Indian Act, the Residential School System, and the Sixties Scoop, and referenced jurisprudence including cases from the Supreme Court of Canada and provincial human rights tribunals. The report drew parallels to global inquiries like the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and cited statistical work from agencies including Statistics Canada and research by institutions like the Native Women’s Association of Canada and academic studies from McGill University and the University of Calgary. Findings referenced policing practices involving services such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police forces in cities like Calgary and Edmonton.

Recommendations and Calls for Justice

The inquiry issued extensive Calls for Justice addressing institutions including the Parliament of Canada, provincial legislatures such as the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, municipal councils like the City of Vancouver Council, Indigenous governments such as the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Assembly of First Nations, and bodies including the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Recommendations targeted reforms in policing, child welfare agencies like Child and Family Services (Manitoba), corrections systems including provincial correctional services, health authorities such as the First Nations Health Authority, and educational institutions like the First Nations University of Canada. The report called for protocols involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, municipal police services, coroners' offices, and for enhanced roles for organizations like the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Métis National Council in implementation and oversight.

Reactions and impact

Reactions spanned political leaders such as Justin Trudeau and opposition figures like Andrew Scheer, Indigenous leaders including Paulette Winkler and Claudette Commanda, and civil society organizations like Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Provincial governments including those led by Doug Ford and John Horgan issued responses; municipal councils in Vancouver and Winnipeg passed motions aligned with Calls for Justice. Legal responses involved courts including the Federal Court of Canada and advocacy through organizations such as the Canadian Bar Association and Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. International bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights noted the inquiry in reviews of Canada’s human rights record.

Implementation and follow-up actions

Post-report actions included federal initiatives administered through departments like Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, funding commitments to Indigenous organizations including the Native Women’s Association of Canada, and provincial strategies in jurisdictions such as British Columbia and Ontario. Oversight efforts engaged bodies like the Office of the Correctional Investigator and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, while academic and NGO partners including University of British Columbia, Carleton University, Amnesty International, and Sisters in Spirit monitored progress. Legislative responses included bills introduced in the Parliament of Canada and provincial legislatures, and coordination with Indigenous governing bodies such as the Assembly of First Nations and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to operationalize Calls for Justice.

Category:Canadian inquiries