106:
cases, despite making up approximately 3% of the
Province's total population. Additionally, the Inquiry found that Indigenous women have increased susceptibility to violence and other violent crimes such as "sexual assault, murder, and serial predation". The Inquiry suggests a correlation between the increased risks of violence Indigenous women face to the systematic level of marginalization and inequality Indigenous women face within British Columbia, Canada, and globally. This systematic marginalization of Indigenous women throughout the Inquiry was linked to Canada's colonial history, finding that such colonial links created an "unjust" relationship between the Canadian government and their Indigenous peoples. When considering the disproportionate number of Indigenous women represented in Inquiry, it condemned possible correlations between a women's "high-risk lifestyle" to their "vulnerability to predation". Beyond that, Indigenous women's overrepresentation in missing women cases was considered "not within the mandate" of the Inquiry, and a matter better handled for Federal authority.
190:, sections of which are where many of the missing and murdered women had been abducted from. Following the inquiry the provincial government took action on many of the recommendations of the report. Some of these commitments included the establishment of a compensation fund for children of missing and murdered women, funding for safer public transit along highway 16, and investments in community organizations to support sex workers. In the Ministry of Justice's final update on the inquiry they stated that "action has been taken on over three quarters of the recommendations directed at the Province".
231:
the
Inquiry to be overly reliant on Western European traditions of study and investigation, hindering its ability from the start to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the issue. Additionally, many found the Inquiry's mandate, directives, terms of references, processes, and recommendations to lack consideration and input from the community in question. Due to this lack of community inclusion, various groups found the Inquiry to be merely an application of governmental inquiry procedures, rather than a way to address and reduces the issue of missing women.
127:
inquiry, from family member to survivors. Together, the inquiry went through a four part sequence to bring awareness to the issue. First, a Truth-Gathering
Process to hear and share testimonies from participants, then involving experts such as elders, academics, legal experts, front line workers, young people, specialists and others to provide their recommendation on system causes of violence and possible solutions. Lastly, the report was presented to the National Inquiry.
240:
sufficient legal funding, they faced arguable legal misrepresentation, with the commission using just two lawyers to advocate for the diverse voices of impoverished communities and
Indigenous people. Along with inadequate funding, the Inquiry's investigation was limited by government time constraints, reducing the full participation of marginalized individuals and relevant organizations, as well as, limiting the insight the Inquiry was able to gain.
247:, previously expressed doubts about the usefulness of any inquiry regarding the issue of missing women and marginalized communities. Along with concerns regarding his openness to an inquiry, Oppal's position as Commissioner was further questioned in relation to his close ties to the ruling Liberal government, as he previously served as a Member of
17:
265:
government and police authorities to regain institutional legitimacy. Many found the
Inquiry's choice, use, and reference to historical events, themes, and evidence to be supportive of government narratives, rather than critical of the government and police authorities' shortcomings. Chief Jackie Thomas of the
230:
The lack of inclusion of the marginalized women and communities in focus is a common critique of the
Inquiry. Many legal, human rights, and Indigenous organizations found the Inquiry's limited representation of the population in question decreased its reliability and effectiveness. These groups found
105:
The
Inquiry's executive report notes that Indigenous women experience a "heightened vulnerability" to violence, disproportionally facing higher rates of violence with harsher severity. The Inquiry found Indigenous women alarmingly overrepresented in missing women cases, being approximately 33% of the
221:
deemed the
Inquiry a keynote example of "what should not be done in conducting a public inquiry involving marginalized communities", with multiple other grassroots and legal organizations sharing similar sentiments. While the critiques of the Inquiry varied, the three common criticisms emerged: the
176:
Residents of downtown
Vancouver noticed violent drug dealers were preying on addicted marginalized women. Police admitted they had heard anecdotal evidence of this, but cases were never reported. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) arranged for a team of detectives to set up an investigation, for
64:
Following
Pickton's arrest, there was increased attention given to a prior attempted murder charge of a sex worker in March 1997. Pickton was alleged to have stabbed her several times during an altercation at the farm. The victim informed police that Pickton had handcuffed her, but that she escaped
260:
Prior to the Inquiry's publication, the commission garnered attention when Dr. Bruce Miller, a Canadian scholar who specializes in Canadian-Indigenous relations, had his report on systematic racism excluded from the Inquiry's investigation. After the Inquiry was released to the public, it was seen
163:
SisterWatch was developed in collaboration with police and community to help address and respond to the remaining gaps in care for missing and murdered women in B.C. The committee has been working together since 2016 to eliminate violence against women and girls in Downtown Eastside Vancouver. The
36:
on September 27, 2010, to evaluate the response of law enforcement to reports of missing and murdered women. The commission concluded its Inquiry in December 2012, and outlined 63 recommendations to the Provincial government and relevant law enforcement. The Inquiry itself received criticism from
251:
for the Liberals. In addition to the Commissioner of the Inquiry presenting conflicting interests, legal rights groups found a number of the personnel tasked with conducting the inquiry had previous employment relations with Vancouver Police Department, arguably influencing the neutrality of the
126:
The Indigenous community and Canadian government have focused their attention on systemic causes of all forms of violence and institutional policies and practices implemented in response to violence. The community has been open, allowing anyone who has experienced violence to participate in the
264:
Critics found the Inquiry selective of their background history, with deliberate ignorance of Canada's colonial history and its modern implications of Indigenous communities, especially Indigenous women. Jodi Beniuk, an Indigenous scholar, deemed the Inquiry as a "public spectacle" used by the
239:
The Inquiry's framework design was criticized and was thought by many to hinder the effectiveness of the investigation. Input from relevant witnesses, families, and civil society organizations was limited due to a lack of proper funding for legal representation. When individuals were granted
185:
After the conclusion of the inquiry in 2012, two urgent outcomes and 63 separate recommendations to the BC government were made. Among these included recommendations for additional funding to centres providing services for sex workers, as well as enhanced public transit along
150:; the report of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its Article 8 Inquiry into murders and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls in Canada; and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
209:
Following the release of the Inquiry in 2012, scholars, non-governmental organizations, the families of the missing women, and various Indigenous communities across British Columbia and Canada, spoke out against the Inquiry. A civil society response by the
731:
167:
In addition to the committee of community leaders, Vancouver Police Department and members of the Women's Memorial March Committee, The SisterWatch Tip Line is available for people to call who need support or know information about crimes against women.
133:
In October 2020, Coalition on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in B.C. demanded an action plan from provincial leaders. In an open letter, the coalition called on each party to commit to fully implement the recommendations from the
201:. This program began in 2016 with the goal of developing a more inclusive methodology as well as expanding the inquiry nationally. However this initiative has been criticized for similar reasons that the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry has.
61:. These charges were, however, stayed by the Crown in 2010. In December 2007, he was sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole for 25 years. It was the longest sentence then available under Canadian law for murder.
65:
after suffering several lacerations, disarming him, and stabbing him with his weapon. The charge was dismissed in January 1998. The mandate of the commission included evaluating why the 1997 charges against Pickton were stayed.
194:
907:
252:
Inquiry. The Inquiry's credibility was further questioned as lack of community inclusion funding resulted in the underrepresentation of community voices, favouring government, and police representation.
269:
rejected the inquiry entirely, viewing it as an attempt at "rewashing" the issue of missing women, failing to address both the individuals and underlying issues that contribute to the problem.
37:
various civil society group and Indigenous communities, regarding its investigative structure, as well as, the lack of government action after the Inquiry to fulfill its recommendations.
892:
285:, Project Devote was looking for 28 people as of 2012. Since 2003, Project KARE has been looking for "cases of murdered or missing high risk persons from all parts of Alberta".
537:
130:
The Indigenous and local communities have engaged in multiple actions to raise awareness and ensure Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women receive the attention they deserve.
277:
The high profile of the BC investigation caused other Canadian jurisdictions to create new task forces to deal with missing persons cold cases. Often these cases involve
756:
177:
the first time in history, the VPD laid charged for criminal organization. The ongoing investigation was successfully in reducing the violence of marginalized women.
595:
546:
817:
732:"Missing Women Commission of Inquiry: Chief Accuses Government of "Redwashing"; Says Commission Seeks "Palatable Answers" Rather Than a Full and Open Inquiry"
97:
In 2012, the Commission issued a final report which included a number of recommendations. The commission closed its office on August 1 of the following year.
211:
402:
53:, was convicted of second-degree murder in the deaths of six women. He was also charged in the deaths of an additional twenty women, many of them from
887:
248:
897:
486:
222:
lack of community inclusion, inadequate investigative framework, and failures in addressing the underlying issues contributing to missing women.
443:
419:
571:
356:
299:
120:
462:
882:
852:
847:
842:
877:
872:
386:"Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Volume 1b"
609:
867:
499:
164:
collaboration between police and the Indigenous community allows for two way information-sharing practices to support women.
33:
857:
822:
351:. Oppal, Wallace T., Canadian Electronic Library. Vancouver, B.C.: Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. pp. 4–169.
902:
474:
198:
187:
54:
827:
780:
403:"Coalition on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in B.C. demands action plan from provincial leaders"
219:
385:
309:
487:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/about-bc-justice-system/inquiries/mwci_report_2014.pdf
862:
266:
261:
that the issue and consequences of systemic racism were not considered or addressed in the Inquiry.
294:
463:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/about-bc-justice-system/inquiries/forsaken-es.pdf
93:
Recommend changes to how cases are handled when they involve more than one investigating organization
215:
243:
Many critics found the Inquiry was misled from the beginning, as the Commissioner of the Inquiry,
666:
589:
539:
Blueprint for an Inquiry: Learning from the Failures of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
712:
658:
577:
567:
362:
352:
348:
Forsaken : the report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry : executive summary
73:
58:
702:
650:
29:
638:
314:
691:"Indigenous Women as the Other: An Analysis of the Missing Women's Commission of Inquiry"
193:
The Missing Women Commission of Inquiry and its consequences eventually gave way to the
84:
50:
46:
813:
836:
670:
475:
https://www.bcauditor.com/sites/default/files/publications/reports/FINAL_MWCI_2.pdf
304:
278:
90:
Recommend changes regarding how missing women and suspected homicides are handled
244:
20:
Park bench memorial to the Missing Women at Crab (Portside) Park, Vancouver, BC.
716:
662:
654:
581:
366:
140:
Red Women Rising: Indigenous Women Survivors in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
707:
690:
547:
B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Pivot Legal Society, & West Coast LEAF
500:"Canada's MMIW inquiry is falling apart before it even begins - Macleans.ca"
345:
British Columbia. Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. (November 19, 2012).
77:
561:
346:
563:
Violence against indigenous women : literature, activism, resistance
282:
784:
536:
Bennett, Darcie; Eby, David; Govender, Kasari; Pacey, Katrina (2012).
16:
808:
195:
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
121:
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
72:
Evaluate the response of the police to reports of missing women from
639:"Into the archive: Vancouver's Missing Women Commission of Inquiry"
136:
Legal Strategy Coalition on Violence Against Indigenous Women (LSC)
15:
148:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia, Canada
444:"The Tragedy of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women in Canada"
119:
As an extension of The Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, the
281:
women, including sex workers, drug users, and Aboriginals. In
146:; the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights,
757:"Task force's list of missing or murdered down to 28 people"
68:
The Missing Women Commission of Inquiry had four mandates:
610:"Missing Women report to be released amid heavy criticism"
144:
Path Forward Indigenous Women and Girls Safety Action Plan
123:
was formed by the Government of Canada in September 2016
908:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement
101:
The Inquiry and Overrepresentation of Indigenous Women
818:
CTV.ca | B.C. missing women investigation cost $ 70M
420:"Project Sister Watch | Vancouver Police Department"
83:Evaluate the reasons for staying charges against
458:
456:
893:Provincial commissions and inquiries in Canada
781:"NamesPro.ca | Register with Confidence"
643:Environment and Planning D: Society and Space
8:
212:British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
730:Communications, Andrew Frank (2011-08-02).
594:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
706:
249:Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
326:
587:
154:From the community in British Columbia
684:
682:
680:
632:
630:
566:. Waterloo, Ontario. pp. 29–64.
531:
529:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
414:
412:
380:
378:
376:
340:
338:
336:
334:
332:
330:
7:
809:Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
26:Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
14:
637:Collard, Juliane (October 2015).
256:Lack of Underlying Acknowledgment
888:Violence against women in Canada
159:SisterWatch/Project Sister Watch
898:Missing person cases in Canada
34:Lieutenant Governor in Council
1:
755:Sanders, Carol (2012-07-13).
115:From the Indigenous community
823:RCMP Media Relations Website
560:Hargreaves, Allison (2017).
300:Disappeared Indigenous Women
689:Beniuk, Jodi (2012-12-05).
226:Lack of Community Inclusion
199:Canadian federal government
924:
883:Crimes against sex workers
853:2000s missing person cases
848:1990s missing person cases
843:1980s missing person cases
878:Crime in British Columbia
873:Law enforcement in Canada
655:10.1177/0263775815596170
205:Criticism of the Inquiry
736:GlobeNewswire News Room
708:10.18357/tar32201211643
110:Reaction to the Inquiry
868:Criminal investigation
295:Death of Tina Fontaine
218:, and West Coast LEAF
21:
545:. Internet Resource:
45:On December 9, 2007,
19:
858:History of Vancouver
267:Saik'uz First Nation
235:Inadequate Framework
181:Post Inquiry Actions
49:, a pig farmer from
28:was a commission in
761:Winnipeg Free Press
216:Pivot Legal Society
197:, sponsored by the
903:Women in Vancouver
828:missing people.net
695:The Arbutus Review
405:. 14 October 2020.
305:Green River Killer
22:
573:978-1-77112-250-4
358:978-0-9917299-7-5
74:Downtown Eastside
59:Downtown Eastside
915:
796:
795:
793:
792:
783:. Archived from
777:
771:
770:
768:
767:
752:
746:
745:
743:
742:
727:
721:
720:
710:
686:
675:
674:
634:
625:
624:
622:
621:
606:
600:
599:
593:
585:
557:
551:
550:
549:. pp. 5–56.
544:
533:
514:
513:
511:
510:
496:
490:
484:
478:
472:
466:
460:
451:
450:
448:
440:
434:
433:
431:
430:
416:
407:
406:
399:
393:
392:
390:
382:
371:
370:
342:
310:Highway of Tears
273:Similar projects
87:in January 1998,
30:British Columbia
923:
922:
918:
917:
916:
914:
913:
912:
833:
832:
805:
800:
799:
790:
788:
779:
778:
774:
765:
763:
754:
753:
749:
740:
738:
729:
728:
724:
688:
687:
678:
636:
635:
628:
619:
617:
608:
607:
603:
586:
574:
559:
558:
554:
542:
535:
534:
517:
508:
506:
504:www.macleans.ca
498:
497:
493:
485:
481:
473:
469:
461:
454:
446:
442:
441:
437:
428:
426:
418:
417:
410:
401:
400:
396:
388:
384:
383:
374:
359:
344:
343:
328:
323:
315:Starlight tours
291:
275:
258:
237:
228:
207:
183:
112:
103:
43:
32:ordered by the
12:
11:
5:
921:
919:
911:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
863:Missing people
860:
855:
850:
845:
835:
834:
831:
830:
825:
820:
815:
811:
804:
803:External links
801:
798:
797:
772:
747:
722:
676:
649:(5): 779–795.
626:
601:
572:
552:
515:
491:
479:
467:
452:
435:
408:
394:
372:
357:
325:
324:
322:
319:
318:
317:
312:
307:
302:
297:
290:
287:
274:
271:
257:
254:
236:
233:
227:
224:
206:
203:
182:
179:
172:Project Rescue
111:
108:
102:
99:
95:
94:
91:
88:
85:Robert Pickton
81:
51:Port Coquitlam
47:Robert Pickton
42:
39:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
920:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
840:
838:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
812:
810:
807:
806:
802:
787:on 2013-03-16
786:
782:
776:
773:
762:
758:
751:
748:
737:
733:
726:
723:
718:
714:
709:
704:
700:
696:
692:
685:
683:
681:
677:
672:
668:
664:
660:
656:
652:
648:
644:
640:
633:
631:
627:
615:
611:
605:
602:
597:
591:
583:
579:
575:
569:
565:
564:
556:
553:
548:
541:
540:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
516:
505:
501:
495:
492:
488:
483:
480:
476:
471:
468:
464:
459:
457:
453:
445:
439:
436:
425:
421:
415:
413:
409:
404:
398:
395:
387:
381:
379:
377:
373:
368:
364:
360:
354:
350:
349:
341:
339:
337:
335:
333:
331:
327:
320:
316:
313:
311:
308:
306:
303:
301:
298:
296:
293:
292:
288:
286:
284:
280:
272:
270:
268:
262:
255:
253:
250:
246:
241:
234:
232:
225:
223:
220:
217:
213:
204:
202:
200:
196:
191:
189:
180:
178:
174:
173:
169:
165:
161:
160:
156:
155:
151:
149:
145:
141:
137:
131:
128:
124:
122:
117:
116:
109:
107:
100:
98:
92:
89:
86:
82:
79:
75:
71:
70:
69:
66:
62:
60:
56:
52:
48:
40:
38:
35:
31:
27:
18:
789:. Retrieved
785:the original
775:
764:. Retrieved
760:
750:
739:. Retrieved
735:
725:
701:(2): 80–97.
698:
694:
646:
642:
618:. Retrieved
616:. 2012-12-16
613:
604:
562:
555:
538:
507:. Retrieved
503:
494:
482:
470:
438:
427:. Retrieved
424:vancouver.ca
423:
397:
347:
279:marginalized
276:
263:
259:
242:
238:
229:
208:
192:
184:
175:
171:
170:
166:
162:
158:
157:
153:
152:
147:
143:
139:
135:
132:
129:
125:
118:
114:
113:
104:
96:
67:
63:
44:
25:
23:
245:Wally Oppal
837:Categories
791:2012-07-23
766:2017-08-04
741:2020-10-28
620:2020-10-28
509:2020-10-26
429:2020-11-05
321:References
188:highway 16
717:1923-1334
671:146140149
663:0263-7758
590:cite book
582:984839652
477:pg. 12-13
367:830009100
78:Vancouver
55:Vancouver
289:See also
283:Manitoba
614:CTVNews
465:pg. 160
41:History
715:
669:
661:
580:
570:
365:
355:
142:; the
667:S2CID
543:(PDF)
489:pg. 3
447:(PDF)
389:(PDF)
713:ISSN
659:ISSN
596:link
578:OCLC
568:ISBN
363:OCLC
353:ISBN
24:The
703:doi
651:doi
76:of
57:'s
839::
759:.
734:.
711:.
697:.
693:.
679:^
665:.
657:.
647:33
645:.
641:.
629:^
612:.
592:}}
588:{{
576:.
518:^
502:.
455:^
422:.
411:^
375:^
361:.
329:^
214:,
138:;
794:.
769:.
744:.
719:.
705::
699:3
673:.
653::
623:.
598:)
584:.
512:.
449:.
432:.
391:.
369:.
80:,
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
