National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is a public inquiry that produced a final report on violence against Indigenous women.

In Anishinabek News

• December 2015: The inquiry was launched to investigate why nearly 2,000 Indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing in Canada since approximately 1985.
• January 2016: Participants at a Thunder Bay meeting suggested the inquiry should be led by Indigenous people rather than politicians. The inquiry was a recommendation included in the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The federal government announced the launch of this national process on December 8, 2015.
• January 2016: The inquiry entered a pre-consultation phase in early 2016 to gather input from survivors and family members. Participants suggested the inquiry should focus on improving the legal system to avoid re-traumatizing victims during court proceedings.
• March 2016: The 2016 federal budget allocated $40 million over two years to support this national investigation. Patrick Madahbee identified the inquiry as a critical priority for all First Nations citizens.
• July 2016: Organizers in Thunder Bay prepared beaded pins to distribute to families when the inquiry visited the city. The first stage of the inquiry came to Thunder Bay in January 2016.
• August 2016: The official launch of this inquiry was announced on August 4, 2016, with proceedings set to begin on September 1. The inquiry is intended to provide a safe and culturally-supportive environment for families to share their stories. Patrick Madahbee stated that the inquiry was a result of the relentless determination of families and their supporters.
• August 2016: The inquiry is expected to keep critical Indigenous issues at the forefront of national discussion. It offers an opportunity for Canadians to become familiar with Indigenous history and prevent the repetition of past harms.
• December 2016: The official website for the inquiry was released around December 2016.
• October 2017: The inquiry faced criticism in 2017 for slow progress and communication breakdowns with the families of victims. The commission scheduled a week-long session in Thunder Bay for December 2017. The Chief Commissioner attributed delays to federal government rules regarding hiring, contracting, and information technology.
• December 2017: The inquiry held community hearings at the Best Western Plus Nor'Wester Hotel and Conference Centre in Thunder Bay from December 4-6, 2017. The process allowed families to provide testimony in a community context, incorporating traditional medicines and ceremonial tools. The hearings were described as a first step toward healing for families who have lost loved ones through violence.
• December 2017: The Assembly of First Nations voted in December 2017 to request a reset of the inquiry and the appointment of a new leader. The assembly requested the inquiry be given two more years to complete its mission of learning the truth by honouring the lives and legacies of Indigenous women, girls, and members of the LGBTQ2S community. Hearings for the inquiry were held in Thunder Bay where commissioners were described as supportive of family members.
• March 2019: The inquiry's education coordinator, Charlene Bearhead, presented at a professional development event in Thunder Bay.
• June 2019: The inquiry released its final report, titled Reclaiming Power and Place, on June 3, 2019, in Gatineau, Quebec. The report concluded that persistent human rights violations are the root cause of violence and confirmed the existence of a targeted genocide against Indigenous people in Canada. The findings were based on testimonies from over 2,380 survivors, family members, experts, and Knowledge Keepers.
• June 2019: The inquiry characterized the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls as a genocide. The case of Tina Fontaine is credited with laying the groundwork for the inquiry to take place.
• July 2019: The final report of this inquiry is mentioned as a contemporary context for the necessity of reading Tamara Starblanket's book. The inquiry's findings regarding genocide have faced mockery and racism in some mass media commentaries.
• July 2019: The commission found that Canada's treatment of First Nations amounts to a genocide.
• November 2019: The inquiry's final report contains 231 calls for justice regarding the violence against Indigenous women and girls. Students at Nipissing University interpreted the report's findings through art, photography, and poetry to raise awareness. Jonathan Pitt argued that the report's findings must be implemented to avoid the lack of action seen with previous government policies.
• June 2020: The inquiry released its final report on June 3, 2019, in Gatineau, Quebec. The investigation was informed by the testimony of over 2,380 survivors, family members, and experts. The inquiry identified systemic human rights violations as the cause of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.
• June 2020: The inquiry's final report contained findings regarding systemic and personal bigotry in Canada. The authors argued that the government response to the recommendations of this inquiry has been weak.
• June 2020: The inquiry released a 1,200-page final report on June 3, 2019, which concluded that Indigenous women and girls are victims of genocide in Canada. The report, titled Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, contains 231 Calls for Justice. As of June 2020, advocates criticized the federal government for delaying the release of a national action plan one year after the report was published.
• July 2020: The inquiry's final report was criticized for failing to address the particular needs of Indigenous women and girls with disabilities.
• September 2020: The inquiry's final report included Calls for Justice regarding tougher sentencing and harmful institutional-based policies and practices. Glen Hare noted in September 2020 that the ink on the inquiry's final report was not even dry.
• October 2020: The Ontario Native Women's Association report was released one year after the final report of this inquiry. The inquiry's findings and the subsequent National Action Plan are intended to be informed by the leadership of Indigenous women.
• December 2020: The inquiry's final report included Calls for Justice regarding tougher sentencing and the removal of harmful institutional policies and practices.
• February 2021: The Elders' Council provided recommendations during the expert hearings of this inquiry.
• February 2021: The inquiry's former commissioner, Michèle Audette, participated in the 2021 Moose Hide Campaign day of ceremony.
• March 2021: The Anishinabek Nation leadership demanded equality in the justice system for cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
• March 2021: The inquiry's report noted that human trafficking is underreported in First Nations due to underfunded and under-resourced police services.
• April 2021: The inquiry produced 231 Calls for Justice to improve safety for Indigenous women. The Native Women's Association of Canada held a summit in 2021 to address the lack of change since the inquiry.
• May 2021: The final report of this inquiry was published on June 2, 2019, and included over 200 Calls to Justice. The report identified systemic violence against Indigenous people as acts of genocide empowered by colonial structures like the Indian Act. The findings were based on the personal stories of thousands of survivors and family members.
• May 2021: The inquiry was established following advocacy by grassroots organizers and groups like the Ontario Native Women's Association. The Pathways to Safety strategy serves as the provincial response to the final report of this inquiry.
• June 2021: The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls concluded that the violence against Indigenous women constitutes a genocide. The Native Women's Association of Canada created the Our Calls, Our Actions plan to meet the inquiry's Calls for Justice.
• August 2021: The federal government launched the Federal Pathway as a comprehensive response to the findings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
• October 2021: The inquiry was established following decades of activism and advocacy by Indigenous women and organizations. The Ontario Native Women's Association honors and acknowledges the lives of those affected by this crisis.
• January 2023: The Indigenous Justice: Advocacy and Community Development course responds to Call to Justice 11 from this inquiry. The inquiry calls upon post-secondary institutions to educate the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.
• May 2023: The Anishinabek Nation urged the full implementation of the 231 Calls to Justice found in the inquiry's final report. The final report of this inquiry is titled Reclaiming Power and Place.
• January 2024: The inquiry produced a final report titled Reclaiming Power and Place. Mel Hardy urged the Thunder Bay Police Service to implement the recommendations found in the inquiry's final report.
• February 2024: The inquiry produced a final report titled Reclaiming Power and Place which contains 231 Calls for Justice. The inquiry mandated the creation of the Family Information Liaison Unit to assist families of victims with information requests.
• May 2025: The inquiry was done in 2015. Advocates at a 2025 event in Fort William First Nation noted that most of the inquiry's recommendations remain unfulfilled by the government.
• May 2026: The inquiry produced a final report containing the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls 231 Calls for Justice. Community members in Fort William First Nation held a walk to demand the completion of the inquiry's recommendations.