‘This is a slap in the face to each of us’: Manitobans shocked to not be included in national inquiry panel

WINNIPEG — The wait is over for the many families that have longed to hear about a a national inquiry in to missing and murdered indigenous women.

The national inquiry, set to start September 1, 2016 for two years is expected to cost more than $53 million.

The inquiry panel is comprised of five people, none of which are from Manitoba. Despite the fact Manitoba has the third highest number of missing and murdered indigenous cases in Canada. 14% of those cases coming right from Manitoba.

Which is why those on the front lines working in Winnipeg and across Manitoba, searching for missing women and girls, are echoing concerns about the make up of the new panel.

READ MORE: Manitoba disappointed with inquiry makeup

“We have the highest urban indigenous population in the world. It would make sense that we would have some contributions to this. And the fact that we’ve been left out is a bit perplexing,” said James Favel with Bear Clan Patrol.

Bernadette Smith with Drag the Red said she’s frustrated, considering Manitoba is really ground zero for missing and murdered.

These concerns have been shared by those putting in hundreds of hours weekly on the search. With them explaining the number of missing and murdered is large, but also the work being done to face it is significant and it would be helpful to have someone from Manitoba on the panel.

Roberta McIvor was found decapitated in 2011 and her family says a national inquiry just isn’t what they were looking for.

RELATED: Ottawa launches long-awaited inquiry into missing, murdered indigenous women

“To date, there’s six decades of inquiries. To date, there’s 2,000 plus recommendations that are actually on a shelf collecting dust,” said McIvor’s cousin Alaya McIvor.

McIvor added,”We have a lot of unanswered questions. This inquiry isn’t going to answer them.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: McIvor added,"We have a lot of unanswered questions. This inquiry isn't going to answer them."

Smith said as a concerned citizen and a Manitoban, she is remaining cautiously optimistic that a late addition may still come to the inquiry panel from right in Manitoba.