Reclaiming Power and Place: Final Report of MMIWG National Inquiry

Canada’s National Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Inquiry presented its final report this week at its Final Ceremony.   I was not able to watch the ceremony as it unfolded in Gatineau, but I watched it on youtube this weekend.  During the ceremony, Chief Commissioner Marion Buller referred to the findings of the Inquiry and the Calls for Justice as providing a New Vision of Canada.  Indeed, there was much about this Inquiry, its Final Report and the Final Ceremony that were different from how these things usually work.  

The nearly four hour ceremony which you can watch here included Indigenous ceremonies from First Nation, Metis and Inuit people.  Drumming, lighting of the Inuit Qulliq or lamp which symbolizes Inuit women’s strength, care and love, dancing, introducing the Eagle Staff and Drum, prayers and songs gave shape and sacredness to the proceedings.  The physical Final Report was blessed with Sacred objects, wrapped in red cloth and placed in a Cradleboard.  Two young people presented it to the Prime Minister as a sacred object, the collection of the truth telling of so many people. (you can view this part of the ceremony here.) 

The Calls for Justice were presented by the four commissioners, the Grandmothers Circle and the Family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women.  The voices were almost entirely those of Indigenous women.  This seemed to me to be a game changer.  How can we listen to those women speak their truth and not be affected?  The Commission used a strength-based approach to analyse their findings and the same approach was evident in presenting these findings.

Many of the Calls to Justice are for governmental changes that are long overdue.  But, Marion Buller made sure she highlighted things that Canadians can do as well.  She asked us to speak out against racism, sexism and misogyny, to hold governments to account and to decolonize ourselves by learning about Indigenous people and the true history of Canada.  This genocide will continue, she added, unless all Canadians find the strength, courage and vision to build a new decolonized relationship with each other based on respect and self determination. This new vision, this new story is, I believe, possible and necessary. 

After three years of work, the commissioners heard from 2386 people in the Truth Gathering Process.  1484 family members and survivors provided testimony.  819 individuals shared through artistic expression and 83 Experts, Knowledge Keepers and Officials provided testimony  There were 15 community hearings and 9 Knowledge Keeper, Expert and Institutional Hearings that took place across Canada.

Chief Commissioner Marion Buller referred to the findings of the Inquiry and the Calls for Justice as providing a New Vision of Canada.  According to the Executive Summary, “The National Inquiry’s guiding principle is that 'Our Women and Girls are Sacred.'"  This vision will help build the foundation upon which First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trangender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual) people will reclaim their power and place.”

There are many ways to be a part of this new vision.  One possible way is to read at least the Executive Summary (121pp) of Reclaiming Power and Place which is available at no charge on-line here.   This is one way to honour all the courageous family members, survivors and others who had to relive such pain.  This may take, as Buller said, strength and courage.

During the Final Ceremony two videos were presented from the Grandmother’s Circle and the National Family Advisory Council.  You can watch them by going to the Final Ceremony.  If you scroll forward to 42:10 you can watch the Family Members speak and at 46:29 you can listen to the grandmothers.  The overarching message from all these women is that they are changemakers.  “Are you?” they ask.