Feb. 14th marks the annual memorial march in honour of the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) .
Hundreds in Montreal showed up to mark the occasion, lighting candles and chanting to beat of ancestral drums.
They first gathered at Cabot Square before making their way down Sainte-Catherine Street.
“The purpose is really awareness because in Montreal we haven’t had this march for about four years,” said Nakuset, the executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter which helped organize the march in partnership with the Quebec Native Women (QNW) and the Iskweu Project.
“I don’t want people to think that this issue has just gone away. This is a way for people to learn about what is going on and how they can help”
Nakuset said that one way people can help is by reading the 231 Calls to Justice, which were part of the the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and pushing for those to be implemented.
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Some of the calls include developing and implementing a National Action Plan to address violence against Indigenous
women, girls, and LGBTQ2 people in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and developing laws, policies, and public education campaigns to challenge the acceptance and normalization of violence.
Last year, the government of Quebec pledged $233 million to fight domestic violence amid a wave of femicides.
Nakuset believes not enough is being done by authorities to help the local community.
“If they really want to help Indigenous women, they would give to Indigenous organizations, and I’m not sure how much that money is trickling down. I didn’t get any,” Nakuset said.
Quebec saw 18 femicides in 2021. Several Indigenous women were among the lives taken.
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