Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

MMIWG Inquiry Report

MP McLeod says she hopes MMIWG inquiry report action won’t get hung up on ‘genocide’ debate

Jun 12, 2019 | 3:50 PM

KAMLOOPS — The MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo says she hopes the debate over the word “genocide” doesn’t distract legislators from taking action on the inquiry report into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The report was released last week, describing the issue as a Canadian genocide, and that immediately led to a debate over whether the tragedy rises to that level.

Cathy McLeod, who is the Conservative critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs, says that debate has the potential to draw attention away from the important work to be done.

“This isn’t a partisan issue; this is a tragedy. Families deserve and need action, and I think all parties and all parliamentarians commit to moving forward. They all commit to an action plan.”

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For her part, McLeod says she does not believe the word “genocide” is appropriate.

“The report suggested that not only was this an issue from the past, (but) that it was ongoing. Certainly, we realize that we have an awful tragedy on our hands, but we didn’t think that the word ‘genocide’ was the word that was appropriate,” said McLeod.

“There are a lot of people who have expressed concern, including [Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde] and including many others, that with everyone so focused on that one word, they hoped the recommendations wouldn’t get lost. I think I share that concern.”

McLeod says because 231 recommendations are made in the report, there will be some deviation in how parties approach an action plan, but it’s most important to move ahead.

“It’s Canada’s tragedy so we have to do something. The Conservatives have committed to an action plan,” said McLeod. “Obviously, we need to look at all the specific recommendations, but even immediately, there were a number that stood out as being important to move forward on.”

“An example that I heard just recently is the new shuttle service on the Highway of Tears is starting to make a difference. We know there are things we can do about policing. All parliamentarians want to move forward and the government is going to have to decide how to move forward.”

Even with Canada headed toward a writ period before the October election, McLeod says the opposition will press the government to act on the report.

“They’ve committed to responding to this report, and they should be responding to it. It’s reasonable for them to take a month or so to be very thoughtful about the response, but they need to have it out there in the public view before the next election.”