Question Period Note: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

How is the Government of Canada working to prevent and address gender-based violence, including responding to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls?

• The Government of Canada is working to end the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, LGBTQ and Two-Spirit people.
• The Government of Canada is committed to applying an intersectional lens in its efforts to address gender-based violence. Understanding how violence is amplified in the lives of Indigenous women, girls, LBGTQ and Two-Spirit people across the country is a priority in the development of national policy and program responses.
• In response to the interim report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), the Government of Canada announced $13M in funding for over 110 projects supporting Indigenous governments’ and organizations’ work with families, survivors, and communities to implement commemorative initiatives that help honour the lives and legacies of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ2S people.
• In response to the Calls for Justice in the National Inquiry’s final report, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNA) has been mandated to develop a National Action Plan to Eliminate Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual People (2SLGBTQQIA) (MMIWG National Action Plan).
• Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) is supporting CIRNA’s efforts to co-develop this plan with Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQ and Two-Spirit groups and organizations, families and survivors, as well as the provinces and territories.
• WAGE has also been mandated to develop a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, which includes an Indigenous pillar. Both WAGE and CIRNA are working closely together to ensure that these two national action plans are aligned and complement one another.
• Budget 2021 includes an investment of $2.2 billion over five years and $160.9 million ongoing to respond to the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. In addition to this, it also proposes an investment of $55 million over 5 years for WAGE to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to provide gender-based violence prevention programming.

In June 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made 94 Calls to Action. In response to Call #41, the Government of Canada launched the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in 2016, with the mandate to inquire into and report on the underlying causes and systemic issues that contribute to the high levels of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

In June 2018, the Government responded to the MMIWG Interim Report by investing nearly $50M in: establishing a MMIWG Commemoration Fund of $10M through the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE); increasing health supports and victim services; and initiating a review of police practices and a new National Investigative Standards and Practices Unit at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Over 100 projects totalling more than $13 million over two years were announced in June 2019 to support Indigenous governments and organizations in working with families, communities, and survivors to help honour the lives and legacies of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQ2S individuals.

On June 3, 2019, the National Inquiry released its Final Report which included 231 Calls for Justice to be taken by federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, institutions, social service providers, industry, and all Canadians – calling for transformative legal and social changes. Further, the Final Report calls for decolonizing Canadian society and reinstating the power and place of Indigenous women, girls, LGBTQ and Two-Spirit people by indigenizing structures, institutions, legislation, and policies.

The Government of Canada is currently working on a National Action Plan to Eliminate Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual People (2SLGBTQQIA). The Minister for Women and Gender Equality has been mandated to support the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations to continue to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the MMIWG Calls for Justice in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.

In addition, the Government of Canada, building on the achievements of the federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy and, in collaboration with provinces and territories, is currently developing a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence to address the root causes of gender-based violence and the systemic barriers faced by survivors when accessing supports, services, and protections.

Both national action plans will require coordinated and collaborative actions from federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in line with respective jurisdictional responsibilities, and in close partnership with families and survivors, Indigenous partners, civil society, front-line service providers, municipalities, the private sector, and researchers. WAGE is working with CIRNA to ensure the two national action plans are aligned and complementary.

Budget 2021 proposes an investment of $2.2 billion over five years and $160.9 million ongoing to help build a safer, stronger, and more inclusive society for Indigenous women and girls. This includes:
• $275 million over five years and $2 million ongoing through Canadian Heritage to support the efforts of Indigenous peoples in the reclamation, revitalization, and strengthening of Indigenous languages;
• $126.7 million over three years to take action to foster health systems free from racism and discrimination where Indigenous peoples are respected and safe; and
• $861 million over five years and $145 million ongoing to support responsive policing and community safety services in Indigenous communities.

In addition, Budget 2021 proposed to provide $55 million over five years for WAGE to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to provide gender-based violence prevention programming aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

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