The Ongoing and Ignored Genocides going on in Canada
Today is the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Folk.
Colonial Violence
Indigenous women historically and disproportionately experience violent crimes rooted in sexism and racism.
Rates of violence against Indigenous women are much higher than for non-Indigenous women in Canada, even when all other differentiating factors are accounted for.
The rate of murder of Indigenous women (3.64 per 100,000) was almost six times higher than non-Indigenous women (0.65 per 100,000), as of 2014.
Only 53% of murder cases in Native Women's Association's database has been solved (versus 84% of all murder cases nationally)
6 out of 10 cases of violent crime against Indigenous people are estimated to go unreported.
Ongoing Colonial Violence
"The National Inquiry’s Final Report reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people"
- Final Report of the National Inquiry.
Since first contact with settlers, Indigenous peoples have been systemically targeted and disenfranchised from their resources and wealth, forced off their lands and onto reserves and subjected to ongoing acts of genocide.
In addition, Colonizers forced Indigenous women to conform to European gender roles, which contrasted with Indigenous societies, many of which were matriarchal. This violence was codified in the Indian Act.
Now pair this with the great colonial urge to not give a fuck about Indigenous folk, and you have yourself a national crisis.
The National Inquiry
The federal government released the National Inquiry was released in 2019 by the federal government in response to the disproportionate rates of violence against Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
And while this landmark inquiry is an essential step for Canada, it's also important to remember that Indigenous communities and organizations have been voicing these issues and calling for action for decades.
The failure to act sooner is an extension of colonial violence, a modern continuation of the genocide Indigenous communities have experienced in what is now called Canada since contact 500 years ago, and a human rights crisis.
That, to be extra clear, is actively ongoing at this very moment while you read this.
When a white woman goes missing she gets wall-to-wall media coverage
Even though this is an ongoing national crisis, we genuinely can't remember the last time we saw news coverage around an Indigenous woman going missing (let's file that under shit we should care about but don't even get to hear about, thanks to the colonial news cycle).
This is something many of our Indigenous friends refer to as native fatigue. Sure, maybe today we'll get a news story on this, but we would bet all the money in our federal budget that it'll be back to your regular scheduled colonial programming that centers on white comfort by the weekend.
Now compare this with the murder of Sarah Everard or Gabby Petito, who weren't even Canadian but got wall-to-wall media coverage for days. Learn more about this by google Missing White Woman Syndrome.
The Final Report
The final report by the Nation Inquiry included 231 calls to justice to end the violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. These calls to justice are aimed at the provincial and federal Canadian governments, spanning all institutions and industries and individual Canadians. We're all responsible for a piece in the puzzle of equitable safety for all Canadians.
The 231 calls to justice include governmental obligations to human rights, culture, health and wellness, justice, security, media and social influencers, police, law societies, educators, corrections workers, etc.
These calls to justice legally require action in line with domestic and international human rights law. They are ways to transform the systemic and societal values that work to maintain colonial violence within Canada. And we can all work to implement these calls to justice in a meaningful way!
The great colonial urge to do nothing
The reality is if white women were this disproportionately impacted by murders and forced disappearances for decades, we would no doubt all be aware, and the government would be all over it. Canadians need to step up, amplify Indigenous voices on this cause, and demand justice and accountability - we are complicit in our silence.
It has been over five years since the National Inquiry was released, and little has been done and little has changed.
No one does performative social justice quite like Canada.
We need to hold our governments accountable and make sure they do not forget their promises to Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people. The federal government is an institution of colonialism, and honouring and supporting our Indigenous population is a necessary part of reconciliation.
This might be uncomfortable to read, but if we do not do better as a nation on files pertaining to the Indigenous people of this land then we are no better than the original colonizers.
There are 231 Calls to Justice, but these 8 are specifically for individuals
Speak up when you see or hear of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people
Decolonize your knowledge and the institutions around you
Read the Final Report by the National Inquiry on MMIWG.
Dig deeper into the subject and seek additional resources on MMIWG to become a stronger ally.
Speak up when you see racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia.
Respect, protect, and promote the safety of women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.
Hold space for your relationships and foster them on the basis of respect.
Hold all levels of governments and distinct ministries accountable.
Settlers Take Action
"Each person has a role to play in order to combat violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. Beyond those calls aimed at governments or at specific industries or service providers, we encourage every Canadian to consider how they can give life to these Calls for Justice."
- National Inquiry into MMIWG's Final Report
These eight calls to justice are where Canadians need to start. From there, we need to look at the calls that we can apply within our industries and institutions (find the calls that apply to you and implement them)!
Our government is a bureaucratic nightmare at times and hasn't acted on these calls that are well within their power and scope, but we don't have to wait for Trudeau to get his shit together to do it ourselves!
When we implement these calls to justice into our lives, work, and communities, we show our elected officials that regardless of whether or not they care to take action, we do, and they should do the same (they work for us after all).
Not Sure Where to Start?
Listen to podcasts, watch Tiktoks, and follow Indigenous creators to learn Canada's historic and modern issues and how to best support Indigenous folk (we recommend Unreserved podcast and The Secret Life of Canada)(Call to Justice 15.2)
Find meaningful ways to support Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA, even if it's just through supporting their small businesses (15.6)
Attend a webinar for MMIWG week (April 29-May 5) hosted by the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center and make a donation if you're able to (15.7)
Write to your elected representative to ensure they are implementing these calls in their work, and that come election time our candidates have these calls implemented in their platforms (15.8)
Click here to check out our resource hub.
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Native Women's Association of Canada, MMWIG, CBC, Department of Justice, Global News,
