NDP statement on Red Dress Day

QUEEN'S PARK – NDP MPP Suze Morrison, critic for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Response, and NDP MPP Jill Andrew, critic for Women’s Issues, made the following statement on Red Dress Day:

“Today on the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), also known as Red Dress Day, we honour and remember lost and stolen Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

Inspired by Jaime Black’s REDress Project, red dresses symbolize traditional regalia. They are sacred items of healing for families and communities to commemorate and visualize those who were taken from us far too soon.

We continue to experience an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Communities and families grieve these losses daily and are far too often denied justice.

We must all recommit to ending the disproportionate violence, racism and poverty faced by Indigenous women, girls, trans, gender nonconforming, and two-spirit people. It’s time for all levels of government in Canada to acknowledge their responsibility for the colonial violence and historical genocide that have targeted Indigenous people for generations.

The Ford government must take action to save lives. It’s been over a year and half since the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls presented their final report, but we have yet to see significant progress on the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice.

Doug Ford still does not fully recognize and respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people and communities.

The Ontario NDP is committed to fighting for justice for Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people. We will continue to demand that the Ford government address the root causes of gender-based violence, and confront the impacts of racism, misogyny, and historical genocide in our society."