FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2018
OTTAWA – Today, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, with its partners in standing ‒ Saturviit Inuit
Women’s Association of Nunavik, Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre, AnânauKatiget Tumingit Regional Inuit Women’s
Association, and Manitoba Inuit Association ‒ made its oral closing submission to the National Inquiry
into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Inquiry is hearing from numerous groups
during its week-long session in Ottawa.
Presented by Rebecca Kudloo, President, the submission focuses specifically on the messages that emerged
from stories that Inuit families shared with the Inquiry. “We want the families who came forward and
shared painful and difficult stories to know that we heard them,” said Kudloo. “The heartbreaking stories of
violence, childhood abuse, lack of shelters and poor police interventions are some of the roots for our
group’s seven recommendations to the Inquiry. Canada needs to move forward from review and into
action. The lives of Inuit women and girls depend on it.”
The recommendations also stress the dire need for Inuit-designed and Inuit-delivered services. These
include cultural training for service providers such as judges, police, and health care workers and
culturally-relevant services for the growing number of Inuit women living outside of Inuit Nunangat.
Kudloo added, “As I said during our presentation, Inuit are strong and have a strong culture. We need to
take that strength and heal from intergenerational trauma, and to support one another so that home stops
being the most dangerous place for Inuit women and their children. There are resourceful and
determined Inuit making positive steps forward, but more support and more healthy homes are needed to
break the cycle of violence. We will be watching the remaining work of the Inquiry closely – as well as the
response from the Government of Canada.”
Please click on the links below to read or watch the oral and written submissions.
- Video of the oral submission
- Video by Skye Uvliq Cory that was included in the oral submission
- Text of the oral submission
- Text of the written submission
If you or someone you know are triggered by this topic, please call the national toll-free support line
offered by the Inquiry at 1-844-413-6649.
Media Requests
Tania Budgell
Director of Communications
tbudgell@pauktuutit.ca
T: 613-238-3977 ext. 239
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