MCA COMMEMORATES THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO MMIWG’S FINAL REPORT

On Friday, June 3, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne welcomed the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, to the community. Minister Miller joined MCA and community members for an event commemorating the anniversary of when the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls published its Final Report.

On June 3, 2019, the National Inquiry released their Final Report, revealing that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two-volume report, which was presented to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a Closing Ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History, calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.

In an effort to honour this day, MCA held a discussion with Minister Miller and staff from various programs across the organization. Representatives from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, Akwesasne Representative and Advocacy Program, Wholistic Health & Wellness, and more presented information on the services provided regarding violence prevention and support for Onkwehonwe women and girls.

We would like to thank Minister Miller for taking the time to join us, speak with elders, and hear our concerns as a community.

We would also like to extend a heartfelt nia:wen to the Native North American Travelling College for their performance at the gathering, the local artisans who provided the ribbon skirts displayed throughout the recreation, and to LaToya Rourke for her wonderful cooking skills.