OTTAWA - The chief commissioner for the inquiry into missing and murdered women says Canadians should not expect to see hearings like those that unfold in courtrooms.

Marion Buller says the inquiry will provide a way for indigenous people to tell their own stories in their own way.

Susan Vella, the lead counsel for the study, says that, from a legal standpoint, the national inquiry will be unlike anything the country has seen.

She says the process must respect indigenous customs and traditions.

The Liberal government has allocated $53.8 million for the two-year study.

Commissioners are expected to present a report with interim findings in November.