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House Hansard - 311

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 8, 2024 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 311 - May/8/24
Ms. Pam Damoff (Oakville North—Burlington, Lib.)
  • May/8/24 2:12:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, May 5 marked National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, also known as Red Dress Day. Alarmingly, despite comprising only 4.3% of the population, indigenous women are four times more likely than non-indigenous women to be the victims of violence, making up 16% of all female homicide victims and 11% of missing women. Since last year, I have been working with my friend, the member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, to implement a red dress alert system to rapidly notify the public when an indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing. I have been honoured to take part in the consultations that have been indigenous-led and informed. I am also thrilled with the rapid action our government has taken on this, in particular, the former and current Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, leading to the announcement last week, in partnership with the Province of Manitoba, to implement a regional red dress alert pilot program.
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Context: House Hansard - 311 - May/8/24
Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP)
  • May/8/24 2:20:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Sunday was Red Dress Day, a day to raise awareness of, remember and honour missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people. It is vital that we hold these people in our hearts and minds. More than that, it is important that we, as legislators, work to implement the calls for justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The homicide rate among indigenous women and girls is still six times higher than that of their non-indigenous counterparts. A year ago, members of this Parliament unanimously supported a motion declaring the deaths and disappearances of indigenous women and girls a Canada-wide emergency. The recent partnership between the federal government and Manitoba, to implement a red dress alert pilot program notifying the public of missing indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse people, is an important step. However, we must do more to end gender-based violence against indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse individuals. There should be no more stolen sisters.
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