Montreal vigil for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Trans and Two-Spirit people

Montrealers gathered Wednesday night, marching from Cabot Square to Place du Canada for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls (MMIWG), and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

The march was led by the Iskweu Project, a Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal initiative responding to the needs of families in the case of an Indigenous woman or girl, trans or two-spirit going missing.

“We see our pears getting hurt, we’re getting hurt, we’re telling we’re being hurt and nothings being done,” said Cheryl McDonald, sister Carleen went missing in 1988, later found dead in the woods.

Montrealers gathered Wednesday night, marching from Cabot Square to Place du Canada for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls (MMIWG), and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. (Photo Credit: Brittany Henriques, CityNews)

The memorial vigil is in collaboration with the Centre for Gender Advocacy.

The opening blessing will be held by Indigenous elder Delbert Sampson.

“Some of us have been grieving for a long time wondering where our children pour where our family members are so I want to say a prayer for those families,” said Sampson.

Oct. 4 is recognized as the National Day of Action on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Trans, and Two-Spirit people.

“This day serves as a chance to honour the lives of all stolen sisters, provide support to grieving loved ones, and demand justice for all MMIWG2S+,” according to a press release.

The vigil aims to provide a space for grieving family members to share stories of their missing and murdered loved ones.

“I was never able to reconnect with my cousin Jenny because she was murdered in 2002. I always feel her near me,” Stéphanie Iancy Brazeau, Anishinaabe dance explained in French. “I feel her strength and I always pray to her for her to give me the strength to continue because it really isn’t easy to live with all the trauma of being disconnected from my community. The government doesn’t care and she never got justice.”

Montrealers gathered Wednesday night, marching from Cabot Square to Place du Canada for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls (MMIWG), and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. (Photo Credit: Brittany Henriques, CityNews)

Many women like Dora are dealing with the pain and trauma of losing a loved one without any answers or justice – her mother anna was killed and she is left grieving.

“Where are the ladies that be missing or murdered? Its not being taken care of,” said Dora. “Its sad. Its hurting, its hurting people, its hurting their own family. My mother was murdered too back home and the murderer is on footloose and they don’t care.”

In 2015, Indigenous women and girls in Canada were shown to be at a higher risk of experiencing violence than non-Indigenous women. Colonialism, historical and structural violence, systemic racism, and discrimination are all factors that continue to perpetuate violence against Indigenous women.

In 2019, the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls delivered 231 calls for justice directed at governments, industries, all Canadians, and more.

According to Iskweu, “Too often, the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people are dismissed, and not given the attention or care that they deserve. By gathering together and standing in solidarity with groups across Turtle Island, we send a message of support to the families of all MMIWG2S+, while also calling on all levels of government to take action in implementing the 231 Calls to Justice to end the MMIWG2S+ crisis. Most of all, we gather together to show that the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people are sacred.”

Organizers asked participants who wish to commemorate all MMIWG2S+ to wear red.

“This crisis is preventable and this crisis could end in this lifetime. All of the calls to justice are entirely feasible its just a lack of will and a lack of care and a lack of desire to apply these call to justice,” said Laura Aguiar, project coordinator with Iskweu Project.

The vigil started at 6:00 p.m. at Cabot Square in Montreal.