UBCIC resolution on murdered and missing women

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has passed a resolution regarding the missing and murdered women in the province. The BCGEU has worked with the Walk4Justice, providing support for their work. The resolution is reproduced below:

WHEREAS Indigenous Nations women have traditionally held positions of high regard in Indigenous societies, including givers of life, leaders and integral and valued members of society;

WHEREAS Indigenous Nations women have the right to personal safety and security, no matter what their socio-economic status may be, yet Indigenous Nations women experience disproportionately high levels of violence;

WHEREAS Indigenous Nations people currently encounter desperate conditions of poverty and addictions that impede their health and wellbeing; and

WHEREAS there are over 3000 missing Indigenous Nations women in Canada, including the women from the Downtown Eastside and the Highway of Tears; and

WHEREAS by Resolution 2008-30, the UBCIC Chiefs Council called for a public inquiry into the missing women of the Downtown Eastside and the Highway of Tears; and

WHEREAS the Walk4Justice is a grass roots movement tasked with raising awareness of the plight of missing and/or murdered women and children. Whether the missing are from the Highway of Tears, the Pickton Farm, the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver or any-town Canada; this organization has called on the Prime Minister of Canada to call for a public inquiry. The list of names is walked across Canada to Ottawa; and

WHEREAS the UBCIC Chiefs Council respectfully recognizes the dedication, hard work, and leadership of Walk4Justice in the issue of missing and/or murdered Indigenous women in Canada;

WHEREAS representatives from Walk4Justice have discussed organizing a Symposium on Missing and Murdered Women in Vancouver, and have discussed this Symposium with the Executive of UBCIC.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCIC Chiefs Council directs the UBCIC Executive and Chief Judy Wilson to work with representatives from Walk4Justice to plan a Symposium in Vancouver on Missing and Murdered Women;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UBCIC Chiefs Council directs the UBCIC Executive and Chief Judy Wilson to liaise with the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit and the Coordinated Action Working Group, and other like-minded organizations, to raise public and political awareness about the Symposium on Missing and Murdered Women.