Events planned in Iqaluit, throughout Canada, for Red Dress Day
Friday is annual day to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples
Red Dress Day gives people the chance to remember and honour Indigenous women and girls that have been missing or murdered across Canada. In Iqaluit, a march will be held Friday at 3 p.m., similar to the 2022 march seen above. (Photo by David Lochead)
Updated May 5 at 11:30 a.m.
Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council is launching a new way to remember missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girls Friday as part of Red Dress Day.
It’s one of many events planned across Canada to create awareness and remember Indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered.
RED — Remember, Educate, Dedicate — is an initiative that asks Nunavut artisans, musicians, carvers, writers and seamstresses to create pieces that remember those who were lost. Those pieces will be displayed in February 2024.
Qulliit is also holding a ceremony and march in Iqaluit on Friday, starting at 3 p.m. outside the organization’s office in Building 987B.
In Ottawa, Tungasuvvingat Inuit is planning to hold a candlelight vigil at Annie Pootoogook Park from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
In Montreal, a news conference on a research project for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples will be held at Cabot Square at 10 a.m.
The House of Commons unanimously voted Tuesday to call on the federal government to call the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls a nationwide emergency and call for funding for an emergency alert system for cases where Indigenous women go missing.
The motion was introduced by Winnipeg-Centre NDP MP Leah Gazan.
Note: This article was updated from a previous version that indicated Margaret Nakashuk, Nunavut’s minister responsible for the status of women, would take part in the Iqaluit march. However, she is not in Iqaluit and was unavailable to join.
Such a bleak religion you follow.
Indigenous Boys/Men get killed or go missing at equal or, more often in greater numbers than indigenous women. Will there be a day for them or is this just more social grandstanding for nothing?
No need to put down this effort to bring awareness to a previously hushed issue. Maybe there should be a day for indigenous boys/men?
Regardless… I think you’re covered bruh, it says “and two-spirit peoples”
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Instead of being a keyboard warrior, start an MMIMB for missing and murdered indigenous men and boys and I’ll be first in line to support this cause. Right now Indigenous woman are so marginalized by a system that set against them since birth.
In the mean show some love and support for MMIWG.
Hi Johnny, can you tell us how the ‘system’ is set against indigenous women from birth?
hi jimmy
If you’re a settler your totally ignorant if you’re your Inuk or Indigenous you’re so colonized you don’t even ask for a reach around.
Ricardo
I don’t I am just a keyboard warrior!
Kudos to Qulliit for this new initiative and for working to ensure our dearly beloved MMIWG are never ever forgotten and always mourned. Much is being said about MMIMB here. I say to you: start your own organisation, do the work, or support the work being done. Don’t be a useless armchair critic and whiner.
As long as native people, Inuit & First Nations, do not acknowledge or keep silent about
the wicked people in their own communities then nothing will happen.
Native Groups singing and dancing will change nothing, except keeping the select few in
highly paid jobs.
However, God bless us all
This is definitely a missing piece of the conversation. The performative aspects you’ve pointed out appear to distract from rather than illuminate this important layer of the issue.
No one seems to post warning signs or explain this well to younger generation and this will always happen as it has for years and years and possibly from ice age people and gotten worst,
Alcohol and Drugs are the factors of this as soon as consumed your brain mind changes especially to women who gets attracted to keep getting it,
Alot of factors starts Men Loves women and jealousy starts on and on cheating until one of the individuals starts fighting drunk or high on drugs,
And when after something happens everyone is worried on who is asking to change things as Government and any other organization replies they will help and sits on with no changes or has gotten worst,
Believe me I have been on this trail and regretted over this who are not with us and who would still be with us as well if learned well how to consume alcohol and drugs,
RCMP reports over 90% of incidents on drunks or been high on drugs,
Start listing warning posters and talk to the youth before age limit reaches on alcohol and drugs….
Older boy