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INAC Min Has Concerns About MMIW

Wednesday, 17 May 2017 08:48

Minister Bennett says she has concerns if families do.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says if families of missing and murdered indigenous women have concerns about the national public inquiry, she does too.

Bennett was responding to questions about an open letter released Monday by advocates, indigenous leaders and family members expressing their misgivings to the inquiry's chief commissioner.

The group says it is aware the commission faces a difficult challenge, but says immediate action must be taken to prevent damage and shift the current approach.

The inquiry - expected to take two years at a cost of $53.8 million - comprises Marion Buller, the first female First Nations judge in B.C., and four other commissioners.

The commission is set to hold its first public hearing May 29 in Whitehorse but other community meetings won't take place until later this fall at the earliest.

A spokesperson for the inquiry says the chief commissioner needs to time to carefully consider the contents of the letter before she can respond publicly to the concerns raised in it.

(The Canadian Press)

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