The Office of the Treaty Commissioner anxiously awaited the release of the report from the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

While the inquiry faced harsh criticism and had an extremely difficult journey at the start, their work is paramount in addressing the long-term neglect of Indigenous women and girls – too many have been scared for the safety of themselves or their children.

The report is calling on the Canadian government to recognize the treatment and deaths of Indigenous women and girls as one of the genocides recognized by Canada. This is a courageous and historic statement.

The inquiry and recommendations are key to changing inequitable systems and to the journey of Reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. The OTC believes the inquiry did good work within the structure and short amount of time set out for them by the federal system.

A woman should never feel devalued because of her race and the blood she was born with, and yet across Canada the lives of Indigenous mothers, daughters, and granddaughters are less valued, because society historically and continually made it so.

Canadians, governments and leaders have obligations under the Treaty relationships that were created by their ancestors and the Crown. It is our role and responsibility as beneficiaries of the Treaties to uphold the foundations of peaceful co-existence and mutual benefits.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry’s recommendations need to be implemented to recognize and acknowledge a violent history and to support change, so one day we do not need to worry about the safety of our sisters, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.

We look forward to seeing progress on this in the coming weeks and months.