Events in Regina were held on May 5, 2022, to commemorate and raise awareness on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) with Red Dress Day.
Kicking off the national event, families and Indigenous leaders gathered at the Saskatchewan Legislature, where NDP MLA Betty Nippi-Albright introduced the Declaration to Honour First Nations Women and Girls from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and the FSIN Women’s Commission.
“We have women going missing everyday (and) it’s not taken seriously,” said FSIN vice-chief Aly Bear. “We call upon the Province of Saskatchewan and our own First Nations institutions as well to adopt the First Nations Women Declaration so we can protect our people and have that awareness in our society.”
The Declaration to Honour First Nations Women and Girls is a 2016 document identifying core principles for guiding actions aimed at preventing this victimization.
That conversation regarding the declaration came up in Thursday’s question period which consisted of an emergency debate triggered by the government. Nippi-Albright called it lip service and said she would like to see a new plan created to address the disproportionate victimization.
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“It would reinforce that they do not care about Indigenous people, if they do not implement this declaration that they are adopting,” she said.
Singing and dancing occurred during the afternoon at the Pat Fiacco Plaza located in Regina’s downtown City Square.
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