How Manitobans can mark the MMIWG Day of Awareness
Ceremonies and vigils are happening in Manitoba on Tuesday to allow residents to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
Tuesday marks the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, as well as the provincial MMIWG Day of Awareness.
Advocate Angela Lavallee said Tuesday’s events are aimed at bringing awareness to the issues, and keeping MMIWG in the conversation in order to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls for justice.
Some of the events taking place in Manitoba include a memorial and awareness walk in Thompson. In Winnipeg, there will be a fire lighting at Oodena Circle, and a feast and candlelight vigil at The Forks.
“There are people who are taking up space in ceremony. There’s a beautiful gathering at the [legislature] today,” Lavallee said in an interview on Tuesday.
“So if anybody is out in the Winnipeg area, we please invite you to come out to honour, to be in this space.”
Lavallee said Canadians can help with the issue of MMIWG by teaching their children what it means to be an Indigenous woman or girl in Canada, and to see Indigenous women and girls as more than just statistics.
“We are ceremonialists. We are activists. We’re mothers. We’re grandmothers,” she said.
Lavallee said the impact of MMIWG on families is something that words can’t even describe.
“Knowing that your child or your loved one is missing and you have no idea what happened or some closure,” she said.
“If something tragic happened, at least you now. If somebody goes missing, you never know.”
She added it’s vital to understand the different intersections of MMIWG in order to understand how you can be part of the change.
In a joint statement, Premier Heather Stefanson, Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere, and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Rochelle Squires said the province remembers MMIWG as people, family members and friends.
“We remember them as women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people with hopes and dreams, whose voices will not be silenced,” the statement said.
“We vow to continue to pursue justice on their behalf and lend our support to their grieving families to help ensure a safer society for everyone.”
The statement said the province is committed to implementing the national inquiry’s calls for justice, and that it continues to work with all levels of government to implement the priorities in the national action plan.
- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.