Grand Chief looks to the past in Missing Women Inquiry
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Aboriginal leaders are looking into the past and present as they seek answers at the Missing Women Inquiry today in Vancouver.
Grand Chief Ed John with the First Nations Summit says to understand the plight of missing and murdered women from the Downtown Eastside, we need to look into the past. He says history shows colonial governments targeted First Nations women — the backbone of many Aboriginal families:
“They were marginalized. They were demeaned. They were treated in ways that have become totally unbecoming of Canadian democratic society.”
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John argues the terms of reference of the inquiry are still too narrow and has blasted the province for not funding community groups who want to take part.
He’s also questioning the apparent impartiality of Inquiry Commissioner Wally Oppal. The Grand Chief says while he respects Oppal, he wonders if he was the right choice given he is a former Attorney General.
He also indicated that Oppal had said an inquiry wasn’t necessary. Oppal interrupted him to say when he was AG, he said he couldn’t hold an inquiry while Robert Pickton’s appeals were still in front of the court.
Meanwhile, a drumming ceremony is outside federal court on Georgia Street and you can hear it from upstairs in the inquiry.
Stay with News1130 for full coverage of the Missing Women Inquiry.
