The House of Commons unanimously voted to support establishing the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women, girls, two spirit and trans people a Canada-wide emergency in late Spring of this year. Since then, this has not yet been upheld. 

Many Indigenous and pro-Indigenous rights activists have been calling for further action to address these disappearances and murders across Canada. Local 514 spoke with Activist and filmmaker Ellen Gabriel, who is Kanien'keha:ka from Kanesatake – located just outside of Montreal. 

Gabriel said more action needs to be seen not only from the federal government, but other levels of government. She said the fact that the provincial Quebec government doesn't recognize systemic racism is a barrier in addressing colonialism and racism experienced by Indigenous people. 

More than 4000 Indigenous women and girls are believed to have been killed or gone missing in Canada within the past 30 years. Actions and inactions rooted in colonialism and colonial ideologies are a driving force in these murders and disappearances, identified by a report by the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls. 

The house also supported funding a “red dress alert system” – an amber alert system specific to Indigenous women, girls, two spirit and trans people that have gone missing. Gabriel said the red dress alert system is a necessity. 

She identified that activism for Indigenous communities often comes from Indigenous people themselves, citing NDP MP Leah Gazan of Winnipeg Centre. Gazan presented and supported the motion to recognize this issue as a Canada-wide emergency and establish a red dress alert system.