House Unanimously Passes Motion to Recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls as Canada-Wide Emergency

A motion calling for the Federal government to support Red Shirt Day with more than just words was adopted unanimously in the House today.

Held on May 5th of each year, Red Shirt Day honours and commemorates missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people.

Despite accounting for less than 5 percent of Canada’s population, Indigenous women make up nearly a quarter of all female homicide victims.

While the Liberals promised to reduce that overrepresentation upon taking power in 2016, the rate has yet to see a decline.

Between 2016 and 2021, another 247 Indigenous women have been identified as homicide victims, with many more likely unreported.

Today, NDP MP Leah Gazan tabled a motion which would see all parties recognize the crisis as a Canada-wide emergency.

Part of the motion calls for a Red Dress Alert system, similar to amber alerts, to notify the public when Indigenous women go missing.

MPs voted unanimously to pass the new motion in the House this afternoon.

Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach is hosting an online discussion with Gazan tomorrow to further discuss the system.

You can RSVP for the discussion, which will start at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon, through this link.