Open Letter to members of the Liberal Party of Canada: Attend a Sisters In Spirit Vigil

October 2, 2014

Liberal Party of Canada
81 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 6M8

Dear Members of the Liberal Party of Canada,

On Saturday, October 4^th, 2014, thousands of Indigenous people and Canadians will march to honour and remember the lives of Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women and Girls at more than 100 Sisters in Spirit Vigil locations across Canada.

In years past, the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission has urged unity with the movement, but this year is different.

This year, we want Liberals across the country to not only demonstrate unity with Sisters in Spirit, but we want you to take action – the kind that saw the Liberal Party of Canada unanimously commit to action on Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women and Girls at the 2014 Montreal Biennial Convention; or the kind that Liberal Aboriginal Affairs critic the Hon. Carolyn Bennett demonstrated when she launched a special parliamentary committee to investigate #MMIWG in the House of Commons.

This year, we’re urging you to do your part:

attend a SIS Vigil and tweet your photos using the hashtag #InquiryNow and #APC;
sign the petition and join 20,000+ Canadians who are calling on Stephen Harper to launch a National Public Inquiry;
light a candle to remember the lives of sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers tragically taken from us;
spread the word: in person, social media, the moccasin telegraph, phone, e-mail, smoke signals… use any means available!

“These annual vigils on October 4th are not only an important way for all Canadians to remember the victims and stand in solidarity with their families, but are crucial in the push for needed action to put an end to the violence. It is now clearer than ever that such action must be rooted in a national inquiry, with the scope and resources necessary to identify the root causes of the violence and outline concrete measures to provide justice for the victims, healing for their families, and to prevent this ongoing tragedy from continuing.”

– Hon. Carolyn Bennett, MP, Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic

“Each year violence and abuse drive over 100,000 women and children out of their homes and into shelters. Today’s vigil is an opportunity to show our continued support for the victims of violence and their families, and also an urgent reminder of the terrible toll violence has on our communities. We renew our call for a national action plan to end violence against women.”

– Kirsty Duncan, MP, Liberal Status of Women Critic

The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission and the Liberal Party of Canada will continue our call for a National Public Inquiry and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to addressing this national tragedy. Will you?

Attend a Sisters in Spirit Vigil this Saturday.

Thank you, Merci, Miigwech, Kinana’skomitin, Háw’aa, Qujannamiik, Wela’lin, Marsi, Nia:wen, Gunalchéesh. Mahsi cho,

– The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, @APC_CPA