Murdered Women, Missing Justice
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0:08 - 0:13My cousin Tanya Holyk went missing in 1996.
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0:15 - 0:19She was one of the unlucky ones.
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0:21 - 0:27Her DNA was found on Pickton's farm,
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0:28 - 0:32and I have a missing auntie.
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0:32 - 0:36Her name is Belinda Williams.
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0:36 - 0:39But she's been missing since 1977.
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0:39 - 0:41I want to raise awareness
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0:41 - 0:49of the alarming high rates of violence against First Nations women and girls across canada.
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0:49 - 0:58And the high alarming rates of missing and murdered First Nations women across canada.
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0:58 - 1:05I want to promote First Nation women role models,
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1:05 - 1:11and give aboriginal youth, teens, girls, and all women
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1:11 - 1:16someone to look up to in our communities.
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1:16 - 1:24I have 20 beautiful First Nations women backing me up on this.
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1:24 - 1:27And I have a good support system.
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1:27 - 1:29And we're calling ourselves Butterflies In Spirit.
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1:32 - 1:34I find it appalling that it continues to happen.
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1:34 - 1:39I find it disturbing that the agencies won't admit
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1:39 - 1:41a little bit of racial discrimination
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1:41 - 1:44might've been a deciding factor
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1:44 - 1:46in them investigating or not
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1:46 - 1:48because these were aboriginal women.
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1:48 - 1:49So I really believe that the system
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1:49 - 1:51the justice system in particular,
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1:51 - 1:56really has to take a look at how it deals with its aboriginal population.
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1:56 - 1:59And so I believe that this is an important cause.
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2:02 - 2:05I volunteer and organize with a group of women,
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2:05 - 2:09the Aboriginal Women's Action Network,
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2:09 - 2:15and we believe there can not be a meaningful outcome from the Oppal Commission,
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2:15 - 2:21in light of the fact that the Native Courtworkers and Counseling Association of BC,
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2:21 - 2:23the Union of BC Chiefs,
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2:23 - 2:25the Carrier Sekani,
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2:25 - 2:26NWAC [Native Women's Association of Canada]
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2:26 - 2:29Power of Women Group,
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2:29 - 2:33many other groups
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2:33 - 2:35have been shut out of this process.
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2:39 - 2:43Frontline women's organizations are not able to participate in the missing women's inquiry
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2:43 - 2:44because they were shut out,
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2:44 - 2:49we were given standing, but then not given any funding to have lawyers,
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2:49 - 2:51and we can't participate,
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2:51 - 2:52none of us are lawyers,
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2:52 - 2:53none of us are able to cross-examine,
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2:53 - 2:58and none of us are able to review a million pages of documentation.
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2:58 - 3:04So unfortunately, we have not been able to participate in any particularly meaningful way.
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3:04 - 3:06Well we've been doing a variety of things,
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3:06 - 3:12some of which is, um, talking to people, attending rallies, um,
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3:12 - 3:17really talking about the inability of all of us not to be able to participate,
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3:17 - 3:21and also thinking about how women might want to come forward
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3:21 - 3:24if it were in an easier place to do it.
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3:24 - 3:29However, that, now that we have attended days of the inquiry,
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3:29 - 3:34it's really apparent that this is not a safe place for women to be.
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3:34 - 3:40So unfortunately between not being able to because of lack of legal advice,
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3:40 - 3:44and as well as a place that really isn't accessible to many women
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3:44 - 3:48who, you know, they haven't for 10 years wanted to come forward,
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3:48 - 3:50and they may very well not want to come forward now.
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3:51 - 4:06[Women's Warrior Song]
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4:07 - 4:09And I often wonder,
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4:09 - 4:11what hope is there?
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4:11 - 4:13But we're still here!
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4:13 - 4:16So there's hope!
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4:16 - 4:18[Women's Warrior Song...]
- Title:
- Murdered Women, Missing Justice
- Description:
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Every week since the beginning of the Sham Missing Women's Inquiry, the Women's Memorial March Committee has been rallying to denounce the disrespect and injustice happening inside. Dozens of DTES, Aboriginal, and Women's organizations were shut out from participating in the Inquiry. Now we are hearing numerous stories, directly and as reported in the media, of family members outrage and anger and frustration with this inquiry as there are no answers, no apologies, and authorities are just protecting themselves and each other.
http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/
- Video Language:
- English
- Duration:
- 04:23