Question Period Note: MMIWG - Red Dress Alert

• Budget 2023 committed to advancing discussions surrounding the Red Dress Alert at the National Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Roundtable on MMIWG and 2SLGBTQI+ People.
• To help keep Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people safe, Budget 2024 proposed to invest $1.3 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to co-develop with Indigenous partners, on a priority first phase, a regional Red Dress Alert regional pilot.
• The Province of Manitoba and Canada are partnering to develop a regional Red Dress Alert pilot.

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If pressed on who was engaged on a Red Dress Alert
• National, regional and urban Indigenous organizations, technical experts, family members and survivors, and grassroots service providers provided their insight during 16 pre-engagement sessions.
• Pre-engagement sessions were led by Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, Chair of the National Family and Survivors Circle; Sandra Delaronde, co-chair of the Manitoba MMIWG2S+ Coalition team; the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre (Leah Gazan); and the Member of Parliament for Oakville North (Pam Damoff).
• The Red Dress Alert was also prioritized and discussed at the second National Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Roundtable on MMIWG, on February 7,8, 2024.
If pressed on when a Red Dress Alert will be launched
• The initial phase of the Red Dress Alert began with pre-engagements with provinces, territories, and Indigenous organizations and communities. These discussions provide a foundation for next steps, including any launch.
• The proposed Budget 2024 funding will support as a priority , the co-development of the first phase of a Red Dress Pilot with Indigenous partners, as well as an assessment following the conclusion of the pilot.
• The Government continues to coordinate implementation efforts, in partnership with Indigenous communities, grassroots organizations, as well as provincial and territorial governments.
If pressed on a regional Manitoba Red Dress Alert Pilot
• On May 3, 2024, it was announced that the Province of Manitoba was partnering with Canada to develop a regional Red Dress Alert pilot.
• Funding from the Government of Canada will support co-development engagement with Indigenous partners and an eventual assessment of the pilot.
• A Red Dress Alert pilot is a first step in understanding how a wider scale alerting system could work. It will be co-developed and led by Indigenous voices, knowledge and lived experiences.
If pressed on actions since forming Government
• Since 2015, the Government has passed significant legislation, implemented programs, policies, services, and made investments to address the national crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit+ people.
• Budget 2021 provided $2.2 billion over five years and $160.9 million ongoing, while Budgets 2022, 2023 and 2024 provided additional support.
• This includes action on mental health and wellness supports, distinctions-based housing, education, justice, health, anti-racism, economic development, legal aid, supports for Indigenous culture, addressing gender-based violence, ensuring accountability, and oversight and a Red Dress Alert.
If pressed on reporting
• In the Federal Pathway, the Government of Canada committed to producing an annual progress report on key milestones and progress made against the commitments.
• Every year, on June 3 the Government of Canada publishes an annual progress report on the Federal Pathway.
• The third annual progress report was published on June 3, 2024 and contains updates on nearly 100 federal initiatives. To date, the Government of Canada is advancing on approximately three quarters of the Calls for Justice within federal jurisdiction.
If pressed on results
• The Government of Canada is accelerating the implementation of the Federal Pathway.
• Highlights of this work include:
o Implementing the Wellbeing of Families and Survivors program, which has allocated $12.8 M since 2021-22 to 2023-24;
o Holding two national roundtables on MMIWG and 2SLGBTQI+ people in order to support increased national collaboration on this issue;
o Working towards a Red Dress Alert with a regional pilot in Manitoba; and,
o Implementing the Indigenous-led Data projects program, which has funded 19 projects.
If pressed on Budget 2024
• Budget 2024 has proposed additional investments that support addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
• One example is the $1.3 million over three years, to co-develop with Indigenous partners, on a priority first phase, a regional Red Dress Alert system.
• Budget 2024 is also proposing investments that are expected to contribute to the Calls for Justice, in areas such as: housing; health; mental health; addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health care; justice, revitalization of Indigenous laws; and First Nations and Inuit Policing.
If pressed on the role of the MMIWG Secretariat
• The Secretariat leads the coordination of efforts to addressing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit+ people, including the Federal Pathway and the National Action Plan. The Secretariat plays a direct role in advancing Call for Justices 1.7and 1.10, and Red Dress Alert.
• The Secretariat manages the Wellbeing of Families and Survivors Program, the Indigenous-Led Data Program, and supports Indigenous partner engagement on the work going forward.
• Budget 2021 invested $16.6 million over six years to support this work (funding subject to renewal after 2026-27).
If pressed on genocide
• The National Inquiry found that the violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people amounts to genocide.
• The Government respects the National Inquiry’s findings and acknowledges that the legacy of past actions and policies, such as the Indian Act and residential schools, have directly led to the loss and extinguishment of Indigenous languages, cultures, and traditional practices.
• The Government has taken action to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People, and remains committed to ending this national crisis of violence.
If pressed on oversight mechanism for the National Action Plan
• Call for Justice 1.10 calls for oversight of the Calls for Justice. The Government of Canada has engaged with Indigenous partners, families, and survivors on oversight, and contracted an Indigenous firm, which continued this engagement on recommendations for the development of an oversight mechanism.
• The final report has been shared with Indigenous partners, provinces and territories and the Government of Canada is analyzing next steps including potential alignment with Call for Justice 1.7.
If pressed on Ombudsperson / Tribunal
• CIRNAC has been moving forward on Call for Justice 1.7, which calls for the creation of an Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson and Tribunal.
• The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations appointed a Ministerial Special Representative, Jennifer Moore Rattray, to provide advice and recommendations on the creation of an Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson in January 2023.
• The Ministerial Special Representative provided her final report, which has been published online. The Government of Canada is exploring next steps in relation to Call for Justice 1.7.
If pressed on the February 7-8, 2024, National Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Roundtable
• The Second National Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Roundtable took place on February 7-8, 2024. It brought together Indigenous organizations and federal, provincial and territorial governments.
• The meeting provided productive discussions on: the development of a Red Dress Alert; the recommendations by the Ministerial Special Representative; provincial and territorial approaches to oversight and monitoring of Calls for Justice implementation; and a leadership discussion on opportunities for collaboration.
• A report of the meeting will be available soon and planning for the next meeting is underway.