Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
MP Neville wants Ottawa to look into disappearance of aboriginal women
OTTAWA - Manitoba Liberal MP Anita Neville is asking Ottawa to launch a public and independent investigation of the disappearances of hundreds of aboriginal women in the last few decades.
Over 245 aboriginal women and girls have been murdered or gone missing since 2000. Since 1970, the number is 520.
Seventy-one of them are from Manitoba, including three who have been missing for less than a year now.
Neville said if those numbers represented any other community the outcry would be enormous but because they are aboriginal, their cases are being overlooked.
She said if the government decides an inquiry is warranted that would be great but she said there are many options here to look at the common themes among the lives of the murdered and missing, including the response to missing persons' reports by police, the media and the community at large.
Todd Russell, Liberal MP and aboriginal affairs critic, said the families of these women deserve to know what happened.
"It’s never too late for justice," said Russell.
Helena Guergis, Conservative Minister of State for the status of women, said during question period the government is funding the Sisters in Spirit project with $1 million a year.
The project, run by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, is documenting the stories of the missing women.
Neville said it’s time for the government to do more than record the stories, and actually take steps to figure out why this is happening so aboriginal women can be safer.
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
Poll
Most Popular
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Young father becomes city's second homicide victim
- Fire that killed 5 started in couch
- Mother grief-stricken after son's frozen body found
- Storefronts in Osborne Village precious
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Did you watch the Super Bowl and/or the Jets game?
- Calgary judge finds Paxton guilty of aggravated, sex assaults on roommate
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Smith injured after transit fare protest
- Bystanders help security guard being beaten by grocery thieves
- Two armed men rob store at Grant Park Shopping Centre
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Bridging the gap between suburbs
- Portrait of the artist: As an older man
- City denies hotel owner's appeal for more time to fix property
- Physically punished children tend toward aggression: survey of studies
- Sixty facts about the Queen
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Spare us vacuous tough talk
- Storefronts in Osborne Village precious
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Your choice of smartphone reveals a lot about your dating habits: survey
- Paddler trekked from Winnipeg to Amazon
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
- The cost of calories: It's expensive to eat healthily
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.