Earlier this week, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) sent a letter to the Prime Minister demanding he launch a public inquiry into Canada's missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. This is not a new demand from the CLC, we have been calling for leadership from the federal government on this issue for a long time.
The recent murder of yet another young woman, this time in Winnipeg, has moved Canadians from coast to coast to coast to join the call for a public inquiry. In support of that public outcry, we have launched a petition to the Prime Minister on the CLC's website, demanding that he take action. It reads as follows:
Prime Minister,
The RCMP has reported close to 1,200 cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women and girls between 1980 and 2012. That same report highlighted the fact that this number is disproportionately high, showing how Aboriginal women and girls make up over 16% of female homicides, 11% of missing women and yet make up only 4% of the female population in Canada.
With evidence like this, the only right thing to do is call for a public inquiry.
Prime Minister, launch a public inquiry today. Do it before more Aboriginal communities are devastated, before more Aboriginal families suffer, and before one more woman or girl goes missing or is murdered.
Sincerely,
We are asking you to promote this petition among your own members as well as across your networks of allies and social media contacts. Public pressure is the only force that can move the federal government in the right direction on this matter.
In solidarity,
Hassan Yussuff
President
