On March 17th a Panel Presentation at Atwater Library brought hundreds of people out, many of whom were standing for over two hours. The panelists included Beverley Jacobs (president of NWAC), Ellen Gabriel (president of QNW), Laurie Odjick (mother of Maisy Odjick who has been missing since September), Bridget Tolley (daughter of Gladys Tolley who was killed by Quebec police), and Sue Martin (two of her daughters have died as the result of violence).
Each woman spoke from her heart and spoke to the facts, and there was no contradiction there.
Problems cited were consistent: the media pays little or no attention to their cases. When there is any media attention, it is usually skewed in such a fashion that seems to lay blame for the woman’s death or disappearance on her family or her “high-risk lifestyle.” The families of Indigenous women or girls who disappear are often told by police to “wait until Christmas,” or “wait until her birthday” for their daughters, sisters or mothers to reappear, as though they had simply run away.
Abuses by the media and police were even more direct in some cases. Bridget Tolley’s mother Gladys was run over by an SQ cruiser in 2002 and she is still trying to provoke a serious investigation, to this day. According to Tolley, the police that originally “investigated” her mother’s death were the perpetrator’s brother.
Sue Martin’s daughter was killed in her own home and the only suspect, the father of her three children, is still walking free and continues to maintain custody of their children.
Laurie Odjick broke down several times talking about her sixteen year old daughter Maisy, who disappeared from the Kitigan Zibi reserve where they live in September 2008. She could not handle how little media attention the case was getting, and the fact that the police had no leads whatsoever. Police had recently told her that they suspected her daughter had run away, in spite of the fact that her wallet had been left behind, with money still in it.
Beverley Jacobs, who has been working on issues of violence against Indigenous women in the public eye for many years now, lost her own niece a few years ago to a violent disappearance. “The problem is personal,” she said.
Ellen Gabriel, who has also worked on the issue of violence against women for many years spoke with great energy which the crowd was very receptive to. She spoke about the root causes of the violence that Canada’s racist policies have caused, and continue to cause, such as the Indian Act, which targets Indigenous women particularly.
From left to right: Sue Martin, Laurie Odjick, Bridget Tolley, Ellen Gabriel, Beverley Jacobs.
This is not the whole crowd.
The family of Tiffany Morrison, from Kanawake, also made it to the event to share their story: Tiffany got into a cab in Montreal in 2006 and was never seen again. Police have not managed to provide any information on the cab. “If anyone here knows where she is, please tell us,” her family said.
One Comment
More power to you all seeking justice for the atrocities committed against your loved ones. May you rise in strength so the governments will hear your voices! One loss of life is too much.
I have been reading with great interest since I have some good friends whose loved one was snuffed out in violence. They have directed me to your site for information.
I have read your painful and personal paths with a heavy heart.
Of course in reading all the material available I have found some discrepancies.
Sue Martin in one article claims that her first born died of heart complications in 1979. The daughter, Sherry was just under age of 2. She was left with Terrie and Kerry, and Terrie at age 24 was murdered, leaving only one daughter Kerry.
One article states ver batim that Sue lost two daughters to violence. The facebook site for Terrie Ann Martin Dauphinais has an entry by Sherry who claims she was a sister to Terrie but had never known her, which was a long story. This was the daughter who passed away from heart complications in 1979, posting on facebook in 2010.
Unfortunately the discrepancies are of such a nature that lends to bizarre and if you all read these articles over carefully, I’m sure you will agree. If you don’t agree, I am assuming you know of the deceit for whatever reasons and condone the same.
At the very least, since you are asking for help to have government recognize you as a special group in order to receive funding that Harper removed, you should all strive to remain truthful with the stories you tell or at least stay within a decent range and not rendering bizarre where persons are dead or alive to whatever best suits the circumstances at the moment.
Sincerely. Grant