Wednesday marks one year since the final report of the National Inquiry in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girls was published, but the government has been given a failing grade by advocates for its lack of action to address the 231 calls for justice.

In a report card released to mark the anniversary of the nationwide inquiry, the Native Womensa国际传媒檚 Association of Canada said the government has done little for Indigenous women and girls in the past 12 months.

sa国际传媒淚nstead of a National Action Plan, we have been left with a Lack-of-Action Plan,sa国际传媒� said association president Lorraine Whitman said in a statement. sa国际传媒淏ut the Indigenous women of Canada are pressing ahead. The fact is, we cannot afford to do nothing in the face of the violence that continues to take the lives of First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit women.sa国际传媒�

Last week, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett said Ottawa is delaying its intended release of the national action plan this month because of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The excuse comes as Indigenous rights advocates have been sounding the alarm on how the impacts of the pandemic are exacerbated for Indigenous peoples, including those in prisons sa国际传媒� where at least three outbreaks have occurred in B.C. alone sa国际传媒� as well as when it comes to domestic violence as families are being told to stay home.

Melissa Moses, Union of BC Indian Chiefs womensa国际传媒檚 representative, said the pandemic is not an excuse.

sa国际传媒淚n its decision to delay the plan, Canada also does a discredit to the thousands of survivors of violence, family members, and loved ones who came bravely forward to provide hours of testimony despite immense pain and trauma,sa国际传媒� she said in a statement.

In a joint statement Wednesday, the national inquirysa国际传媒檚 four commissioners said they sa国际传媒渄eplore inaction on the part of some governments.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淎s the final report asserts, the calls for justice are not mere recommendations or a quaint list of best practices sa国际传媒� they are legal imperatives rooted in Canadasa国际传媒檚 obligations under international and domestic human rights norms and laws,sa国际传媒� the commissioners said.

Bennett, as well as a number of other politicians released joint statements to mark the anniversary of the report, including Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef, Justice Minister David Lametti, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller, Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.

In it, they said violence against Indigenous women is an sa国际传媒渙ngoing national tragedysa国际传媒� that governments are working to address.

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While work on a national action plan continues, the ministers list a number of federal initiatives already in place to begin addressing issues identified in the inquirysa国际传媒檚 interim report, which was released in 2017, and the final reportsa国际传媒檚 calls for justice.

Those initiatives include: legislation to preserve Indigenous languages, legislation to give Indigenous communities control over their own child-welfare systems and the elimination of gender discrimination in the Indian Act.

sa国际传媒淲e recognize there is much more work to do and are committed to taking concrete actions that will help keep Indigenous women, girls, LGBTQ and two-spirit people safe and address the disempowering effects of colonization,sa国际传媒� the ministers said.

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sa国际传媒淲e will continue our work with First Nations, Inuit and Metis people, and with provincial, territorial and municipal partners to respond to the calls for justice by putting in place a national action plan that is distinctions-based, regionally relevant, accountable and one in which outcomes are measured and the plan regularly adapted to ensure progress.sa国际传媒�

Whitman said the delay doesnsa国际传媒檛 mean she has abandoned hope that the government will release a plan in the near future.

sa国际传媒淲e are willing to do whatever is necessary to help make that happen. Although the government may have abandoned Indigenous women and their families, we will not.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒� with files from The Canadian Press

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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