by pmnationtalk
KAHNAWAKE – Following the announcement by the Quebec Government regarding the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Quebec Native Women (QNW) welcomes their collaboration within the scope of this inquiry.
However, QNW, numerous Indigenous organizations and human rights organizations would like to reiterate their demand that the Quebec Government hold an independent investigation into the relationship between Indigenous women and the police in this province. The announcement yesterday confirmed that the Quebec Government offers its full cooperation to the commissioners, but an in depth investigation within the provinces will not take place. Such a decision deeply concerns us, especially when taking into consideration the denunciations in Val-d’Or and elsewhere in Quebec. It seems unthinkable to us that the Quebec Government refuses investigate in an issue of which they are currently aware of and is within provincial jurisdictional.
QNW hopes that the Province will not negate its responsibilities and that action will be taken before 2018.
“Although the inquiry has the mandate to examine the impacts of government institutions’ policies and practices, it is the responsibility of the province to hold an independent provincial inquiry into the relationship between Indigenous women and its police and to review their policies and practices. We waited enough, it is now time that the province takes concrete actions. For example, when will we see a consistent police training on Indigenous realities across Quebec? This is one of the calls for action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said Viviane Michel, QNW president/
