National Inquiry on Indigenous Women

WHEREAS the Legal Strategy Coalition on Violence Against Indigenous Women released a report on February 27, 2015; a study of 58 studies conducted from 1994 2015 regarding the over 1180 missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, and the clear need for a national inquiry into the disproportionately high rate of murder and disappearances of First Nations women; AND WHEREAS the report outlined how such an inquiry could consolidate and update existing knowledge about the causes of violence against indigenous women, comprehensively evaluate the adequacy of existing initiatives and programs and help Canadians and policymakers understand why there has been so much resistance to action to address this issue; AND WHEREAS on February 28, 2015, the federal government, the Assembly of First Nations, premiers from 13 provinces and territories and the families of the missing and murdered engaged in a roundtable closed meeting to discuss an action plan to combat violence against indigenous women and girls, prevention and awareness, community safety, policing and justice: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM and FCM call upon the federal government to establish a national commission to initiate a fully funded national, public inquiry examining the root causes of violence against indigenous women.