Another high profile resignation creates more concern over the handling of the inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls
A fifth and highest profile member of the inquiry, announced her resignation today.
The Trudeau Liberal government established a federal inquiry into the issue of a high number of indigenous women and girls across Canada who have been killed or listed as missing in recent years.
The commission was set up officially on September 1 last year with a 54-million dollar budget. Since then there has been only one community hearing, and no more are scheduled this summer.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (and girls) Inguiry (MMIW) has faced great criticism for its slow progress in hearing the stories of the families and indigenous communities.
A number of high level members of the commission have resigned this year creating controversy over the direction and handling of the inquiry.
Because of perceived delays and the resignations, the leadership of the commission has been called into question with at least one aboriginal chief, Sheila North Wilson of Manitoba, calling for the resignation of the head commission, Marion Buller
Earlier this year a hereditary chief and father of the current federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould called the inquiry a “bloody farce” and told the CBC, “It just makes me sick.… People have been sitting on their hands for eight months, spending a good ton of money and they haven’t done a doggone thing.”.
Today one of the five commissioners, Marion Poitra announced her resignation. This follows the resignation last week of the executive director for “personal reasons”. This follows a string of previous high level resignations in the past few months: the director of operations, the director of communications, and the manager of community relations.
Insisted inquiry was not “drifting”
In light of the resignations and questions about the direction of the inquiry, head commissioner Buller called a news conference at which she said she is pleased with progress and speed of the inquiry and said she has no intention of stepping down.
As a result of this latest resignation, the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister, Carolyn Bennett organized a hastily called news conference today in which she defended the Commission saying she has confidence in its ability to deliver its reports noting only that the MMIW needs to do a better job of communicating their vision.
A statement by Chief Commissioner Buller on the MMIW website regarding this latest resignation reads in part, “We thank Marilyn Poitras for her contributions up until this point, However, we want to reassure the public that now, more than ever, we remain focused on this tremendously important work”
The MMIW commission is to file an interim report in November. It is probably that the commission will ask for more time and more money.
Sources- additional information
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