Marchers demand action over missing, murdered Indigenous females

Racial and gender-based violence against Indigenous women — especially Inuit women — is a “huge issue” in Montreal, says Simone Page, project co-ordinator at the Iskweu project.

“Inuit are coming to Montreal, and they should be able to be safe and be in a community here. But unfortunately, there are predators who know how to target Inuit women,” she said.

Candles with a red handprint were given to marchers Saturday to honour Indigenous women and girls who are missing or were murdered. (Photo by Cedric Gallant. special to Nunatsiaq News)

Iskweu’s work addresses the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls and LGBTA2S+ people.

In 2023, Iskweu announced it was creating a database compiling information on all cases of missing or murdered Indigenous females and LGBTQ2S+ people in Quebec.

Page hopes it will be published this spring.

“There is a huge issue in this province with gender-based and racial violence against Indigenous women,” she said in an interview following the annual Valentine’s Day march in downtown Montreal to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and LGBTQ2s+ people.

Approximately 150 people took part, carrying candles and red dresses, which signify the loss of loved ones.

Advocates continue to call for fulfillment of the 231 calls for justice that came from the 2019 National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Page said only two of those calls have been completed so far, both related to the corrections system.

“The government of Canada says [the delay] is because those calls are going to take a long time and they are multigenerational,” she said.

“But there are many [calls] that they could take much stronger action on.”

She fears that for numerous reasons — the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of the economy, the issue of human rights in Canada, and the way the Canadian state treats Indigenous people — work to complete the 231 calls has been shelved.

She said the risk to Indigenous women and girls rises sharply after they move to big cities, especially Montreal.

Law enforcement data initially presented to the national inquiry showed 1,300 women who were missing, while community members said it was closer to 4,400.

“This is exactly what we are seeing in Quebec,” Page said, adding more information related to Montreal will be included in Iskweu’s upcoming report.

She said Inuit women are especially at risk, adding the Native Women’s Association of Canada has reported 70 to 80 per cent of disappearances and deaths among Indigenous women happen shortly after they move to one of Canada’s large cities.

The first Women’s Memorial March happened in Vancouver in 1992 after Cheryl Anne Joe, from the Shíshálh Nation, was murdered. Her death was the beginning of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and LGBTQ2S+ marches being held annually.