“Our beautiful First Nation sisters go missing far too often. Tragically, many don’t come home, and families are left grieving and without answers. MMIWG2S+ is a national emergency, the violence is a national epidemic, and it is time that First Nations voices were heard.” – Grand Chief Jerry Daniels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 4, 2024
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTA TERRITORY, MB — The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) welcomes the announcement of $1.3 million by the federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Gary Anandasangaree, to launch a Red Dress Alert pilot project in our Territory. However, SCO remains outraged that such a program is needed. It has been 5 years since the National Inquiry into MMIWG released its report outlining 231 Calls for Justice.
“On this, the National Day of Action for MMIWG2S+, I want to acknowledge the heart break of thousands of family members and Survivors who shared their stories, bringing to the attention of all Canadians the reality facing our women, girls, two-spirit and gender diverse people every day,” said Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “Today, I call on all governments to honour the Calls for Justice, address the root causes, and fund First Nations-led solutions so we can bring this horrific violence to an end.”
Canadian statistics show more than 6 in 10 Indigenous women have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime; and Indigenous women are overrepresented in long-term, unresolved missing persons cases.
Giganawenimaanaanig, which translates to “we all take care of them” and of which SCO is a proud founding member, led the way to bring the Red Dress Alert pilot project to reality. With this alert our women have a better chance of being found and brought home before the unimaginable happens.
“Our First Nation women are mothers, aunties, sisters, partners, and leaders. We live in our own territories, this is our land, and we deserve to feel safe at home, at work, wherever our day takes us,” said Sandra DeLaronde, Co-chair of Giganawenimaanaanig, formerly the Manitoba MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee. “If we had listened to our Survivors and families at the National Inquiry, the Red Dress Alert program would already be in place. I am pleased we are finally here, and we will listen to our women as the program is designed.”
Giganawenimaanaanig hopes the Red Dress Alert program will be operational in a year’s time in Manitoba. It will serve as the template to develop a national program in the future. Many questions remain to be answered, such as the level of police involvement. There is extreme distrust of police which is why our women, and all Indigenous people, must have a voice in the process and be a large part of the Red Dress Alert system when it is up and running.
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 33 First Nations and more than 87,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
For media inquiries:
Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca