By admin | Published:
December 7, 2009
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Sisters+Spirit+shines+light/2142835/story.html
A crusade by the Native Women’s Association of Canada is getting more recognition after a media blitz about murdered and missing women - but the federally funded program, too, is in danger of disappearing.
By RANDY BOSWELL, Canwest News ServiceOctober 25, 2009
They are the keepers of the flame for more than 500 missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada. And their crusade has become - for the moment, anyway - the whole country’s crusade.
From a cramped, west-end Ottawa office decorated with dream catchers and infused with hope, the place where a great divide is bridged between hundreds of grieving communities across Canada and the powers that be on Parliament Hill, a small team of researchers and outreach workers is trying hard not to say: “We told you so.”
But the people behind Sisters in Spirit, a five-year, federally funded initiative launched in 2005 by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, have been saying all along what most Canadians are just now waking up to after a recent media blitz about murdered and missing women in Western Canada. Read More »
By admin | Published:
November 30, 2009
Press Release – For Immediate Release
Ottawa, ON (November 27, 2009) – The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is dismayed that the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to broaden the scope of Robert Pickton’s appeal on six counts of second-degree murder. Effectively, the decision gives Pickton more grounds to argue that his convictions should be overturned. His trial concluded in 2007 and was one of the most high profile, longest, and expensive in Canadian history. Many of Pickton’s victims were Aboriginal or of Aboriginal descent.
“Robert Pickton was sentenced to life in prison for stealing the lives of six women. Each of these women was a mother, sister, auntie, or friend to someone,” stated NWAC President Jeannette Corbiere Lavell. “We recognize that the ongoing appeals make it extremely difficult for the families to continue forward in their healing journeys.” Read More »
By admin | Published:
November 29, 2009
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Vancouver%20police%20back%20missing%20women%20public%20inquiry/2281818/story.html
By Lindsay Kines, Victoria Times Colonist
November 29, 2009
VICTORIA — For the first time, the Vancouver Police Department is openly backing calls for a public inquiry into the investigation of the missing women case that began more than a decade ago.
In an e-mail to the sister of one of the missing women, Deputy Chief Doug LePard says that she has the department’s support in pressing for a full public inquiry.
“I am responding on behalf of Chief Const. Jim Chu and myself in stating that the Vancouver Police Department does support a public inquiry into the missing women case,” LePard writes in the letter, which was made available to the Victoria Times Colonist.
“We believe a public inquiry is clearly in the public interest, and that this inquiry should be held at the earliest opportunity after the criminal matters regarding Robert Pickton are concluded.” Read More »
By admin | Published:
November 8, 2009
Ottawa, ON (November 6, 2009) – After over twenty years in a fight for equality, yesterday the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed with costs the case of Sharon Donna McIvor v. Registrar, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is disappointed with the decision not to grant leave to appeal to Sharon McIvor, given that the issue of who can or cannot be an Indian is surely one of national importance. Read More »
By admin | Published:
November 8, 2009
By: Mia Rabson
2/11/2009 8:07 AM
OTTAWA — A national plan to combat exploitation of aboriginal women is in the works, but Ottawa has to take the lead, says Manitoba Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson.
Federal and provincial aboriginal affairs ministers and leaders of the country’s five national aboriginal organizations met in Toronto last week for the first time in four years. Robinson said there was unanimous agreement to figure out a national strategy to finally deal with why hundreds of aboriginal women have gone missing or been murdered in Canada in the last several years.
Robinson said federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl was “very receptive” to the idea. Read More »
By admin | Published:
November 8, 2009
http://www.thelinknewspaper.ca/articles/1793
by Jillian Kestler-D’amours
Around the time Tiffany Morrison disappeared, she had started babysitting her older sister Melanie Morrison’s young daughter.
“She was coming to the house to help out and hang out. She wanted to be around my daughter because she loved kids,” said Melanie, thinking back.
Today, nearly four years after Tiffany went missing, Melanie explained that her daughter still recognizes her aunt in pictures and knows her through the stories told about her.
“All of a sudden my daughter will be flipping through the photo album and she’s like, ‘Oh, that’s auntie Tiffany.’ She goes, ‘We’re going to find her, eh? We’re going to bring her home.’ And it just makes you want to cry,” Melanie said, forcing a smile.
“Because deep down, I know my daughter is never going to see her again.” Read More »
Posted in Missing, News |
By admin | Published:
October 30, 2009
Hello folks!
The 2110 Center for Gender Advocacy invites you to our Special General Meeting (SGM), on Monday, November 2nd, 6pm, in Concordia’s EV Building, Room 1.605.
As many are aware, the 2110 Centre has been going through an intense period of political struggle for accountability. The 2110 Board has violated our constitution, our labour rights, and the trust of the 2110 membership. The Board has also illegally suspended employees, without pay, who have spoken out and been critical of these misdeeds. The Board has stated that the 2110 Centre is currently closed to the public, and no explanation has been offered as to why. This is a gross misappropriation of student and activist resources.
As such, it is critically important that as many people as possible show up to the meeting to participate, and cast their vote.
READ ON: http://www.2110democracy.ca/node/13
By admin | Published:
October 19, 2009
ANTI-COLONIAL THANKSGIVING: Films, Speakers & Feast!
Thursday October 29th - 6pm
@ The Native Friendship Centre
2001 St. Laurent Blvd. (Metro St. Laurent)
Free: Event, Food and Childcare.
Wheelchair Accessible Space
Speaker: Tracey Deer
Film: Club Native
In Club Native, Deer looks deeply into the history and present-day reality of Aboriginal identity. With moving stories from a range of characters from her Kahnawake Reserve - characters on both sides of the critical blood-quantum line - she reveals the divisive legacy of more than a hundred years of discriminatory and sexist government policy and reveals the lingering “blood quantum” ideals, snobby attitudes and outright racism that threaten to destroy the fabric of her community. Tracey Deer will present her film and be available for discussion/questions after.
Speaker: Billie Pierre NYM/OG
Film: A Quiet Struggle
Update on Indigenous organizing focussed on the resistance to tourism and development as it’s related to the Winter 2010 Olympics in BC.
Speaker: Karl, from Kersplebedeb
Brief talk about medical apartheid and the politics of the H1N1’s effect on low-income & native communities.
Speaker: From Montreal’s Missing Justice Campaign
Missing Justice is a grassroots solidarity collective based in Montreal that works to eliminate violence and discrimination against Indigenous women living in Quebec. Our goals are to raise public awareness and create a safer environment for Indigenous women by tackling issues of systemic racism, sexism, classism and negligence that are present in the media, the justice system and police forces. We recognize that the causes of racialized and sexualized violence are linked to Canada’s colonial policies of the past and present.
By admin | Published:
October 7, 2009
Missing Justice organized and took part in the 4th Annual Sisters in Spirit Vigil in Montreal on October 4th, the 7-year anniversary of the death of Gladys Tolley. The annual day of action was started by Gladys’ daughter, Bridget Tolley and has become a national demonstration. In it’s inaugural year 11 communities across the country took part. This year, 72 communities took part. This year was the first that Montreal held a March as well as a Vigil. Whereas the aim of the March is to raise awareness, and to draw attention to government inaction and complicity in the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women, as well as to make the demands themselves loud and clear, the Vigil portion is to remember the hundreds (or thousands, depending who you’re talking to), of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and to pay respect. Over 250 people came out to march in the post-rain street!
By admin | Published:
October 4, 2009
Media Advisory – For Immediate Release
Aboriginal Leadership to Hold Press Conference for Slain Family Member
Ottawa, ON (October 2, 2009) – On October 4th, over 70 Sisters In Spirit vigils will take place across Canada to honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Before the National vigil starts in Ottawa, a special press conference will be held by Aboriginal leadership from several organizations calling for an independent investigation into the death of Gladys Tolley. Read More »
