Federal regulations hamper MMIWG inquiry: commissioners

Nunavut-raised Qajaq Robinson, one of the inquiry’s four commissioners with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, addresses a House of Commons Standing Committee Sept. 21.

A few weeks into the second year of a two-year mandate, commissioners with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls say they’re struggling to work with federal bureaucracy to keep the commission on track.

Appearing for the first time in front of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs Sept. 21, to report on the inquiry’s progress, Chief Commissioner Marion Buller acknowledged the commission’s work has been slowed by IT-related issues and rules around hiring.

The commission counts five offices across the country, from Vancouver to Quebec City, but employs a number of staffers in more remote communities. Though more than a year into its mandate, the commission still doesn’t have a shared hard-drive to work from, commissioners said.

“This national inquiry is not alone in finding these rules frustrating,” Buller told the committee.

“The good news is that despite the many challenges, the national inquiry is on track in getting its staff, offices, technology and networks in place to deal with the important substance of the work.”

The Trudeau government launched the inquiry in 2016 to examine and report on the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada by looking at patterns and underlying factors.

But the commission has faced heavy criticism and calls for a “reset,” while struggling with a high turnover of staff.

During the committee hearing Sept. 21, Georgina Jolibois, a Dene MP from Saskatchewan with the NDP, suggested the inquiry has leaned too heavily on community groups and municipalities to communicate with, and recruit, families.

Buller acknowledged the inquiry has not moved as quickly as many hoped it would, but it has taken the commission some time to develop a “decolonized approach.”

“This has been a difficult year and for many people, our progress has been too slow,” she told the committee.

“But we wanted to do this right because we know that there are risks associated with doing this work quickly and superficially.”

That work has paid off, Buller said; over the last month alone, the number of survivors and families who have registered to participate in the hearing grew by 400, to about 735 registrants. It’s not clear how many of those are Inuit.

The commissioners have also analyzed some 100 reports including more than 1,200 recommendations.

Buller said the commission finally has a health team in place and has educated its staff on trauma-informed service delivery, an approach that recognizes and addresses the effects of previous traumas.

The inquiry is set to begin its first series of community hearings starting next week in Smithers, B.C. Commissioners will travel to eight other communities this fall, including a final stop in Rankin Inlet the week of Dec. 11.

The commission is supposed to wrap up at the end of 2018, but it’s widely expected commissioners will ask for an extension.

Buller told MPs Sept. 21 that the commission will likely have spent about 75 per cent of its $53 million budget by the end of the fiscal year, suggesting the inquiry will also need more money to complete its task.

“This was never going to be easy,” said Nunavut-raised commissioner Qajaq Robinson. “We’re talking about hundreds of years of this dynamic.

“There is no way to say this goes smoothly. We’re not examining buildings, we’re examining lives.”

Nunavummiut survivors and families with questions about participating in the inquiry can visit its website or contact its Inuit community liaison officer, Looee Okalik, by phone at (613) 762-9983 or by email at l.okalik@mmiwg-fada.ca.

The inquiry offers toll-free support in English, French and Inuktitut at 1-844-413-6649.