National inquiry ‘must complete its mandate’

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This article was published 22/02/2018 (2251 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — Moments after a jury in Winnipeg acquitted Raymond Cormier of second-degree murder, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett tweeted Thursday she was thinking of Tina Fontaine’s family.

“Tina’s is a tragic story that demonstrates the failures of all the systems for Indigenous children and youth on every level. We need to do better — we need to fix this,” she wrote on Twitter.

On Friday, Bennett released a longer statement, saying 15-year-old Tina’s death in 2014 “underscores” that the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls “must complete its mandate,” though that inquiry has been racked by myriad delays, resignations and budget issues.

“We need to examine all the factors that lead to these violent acts, including policing, child welfare, health care, as well as social and economic conditions. As a society, we can and must do better to improve outcomes for Indigenous girls and women,” Bennett wrote.

Her office said Friday the inquiry still hasn’t followed through with asking for more time and money, despite commissioners publicly saying four months ago they intend to do so.

Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott expressed similar thoughts to Bennett, saying, “Tina’s story shows our failure to protect the safety (and) well being of Indigenous children,” and the need for the Liberals’ nascent reform of Child and Family Services.

Both ministers’ comments were far less controversial than earlier this month, when the Liberals reacted to a Saskatchewan jury finding Gerald Stanley not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Cree man.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said on Twitter he was “sending love” to Boushie’s family, while Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould tweeted the justice system “can and must do better.” Neither had tweeted about Tina’s death since the Thursday verdict.

MP Cathy McLeod, the Conservative critic on Indigenous issues, told the Free Press that Tina’s death was “tragic and very disturbing.”

McLeod said the incident showed the need to get the national inquiry back on track.

“People have invested so much into this being successful. The government has to listen to these red flags, and they make sure this is something that not only gives the family peace, but also gives a direction forward.”

She also said Ottawa has to better support Indigenous communities in running programs to keep their children safe.

McLeod noted a First Nations-led program in her Kamloops, B.C., riding that aims to deter children in CFS care from landing in youth court through housing and cultural support. In Manitoba, some 60 per cent of children at the youth detention centre are in CFS care.

On Friday evening, a few hundred people gathered in Ottawa around the Centennial Flame, holding posters and banners commemorating Tina, as well as Boushie.

They marched onto Wellington Street, stopping in front of the building that houses the Prime Minister’s Office, and then in front of the Chateau Laurier hotel, where they chanted “Justice for Tina and Colten.”

Among them was Cassondra Barnaby, a Mi’kmaq woman from Listuguj, Que., who said Tina’s death has touched women across Canada. She came out to commemorate a two-spirit friend who has been missing since 2012.

“Our women are not disposable; they’re valued, they’re loved,” she said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca

#TinaFontaine rally on Parliament Hill, under freezing rain at Centennial Flame. Speaker also mentions #ColtenBoushie. “Why isn’t justice here?” #wfp #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ZCVpfGpqBk

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

I’d wager one or two hundred here in rain at Parliament Hill vigil for #TinaFontaine. #wfp pic.twitter.com/r5Q7upIiBW

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

Short video of #TinaFontaine vigil on Parliament Hill. #wfp pic.twitter.com/h7Mu5DWccJ

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

Speaker is from Treaty 4 land in SK but lives in Winnipeg. “Being an Indigenous woman on the Prairies, it’s not easy.” Need to go beyond thoughts and parters because “our kids are not disposable… the actions we take need to come from a place of love.” pic.twitter.com/ZoJfJJ8ycx

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

Video: #TinaFontaine rally has blocked Wellington St. in front of building housing Prime Minister’s Office. #cdnpoli #wfp pic.twitter.com/hV7fijAn9s

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

They’re now clearing intersection on request of police, at #TinaFontaine vigil in Ottawa. pic.twitter.com/06Mrid1YNx

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

Ok, now the #TinaFontaine vigil is heading east on Wellington St. Here’s from a minute ago when it stopped northeast of National War Memorial. #ottnews pic.twitter.com/uFeox1CPkY

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018

“Peace for Tina and Colten,” group chants. Some stuck cars started leaning on horns so the crowd made a long, loud sound together. Then this chant. pic.twitter.com/rJxcFiXWVj

— Dylan Robertson (@withfilesfrom) February 23, 2018