Missing and Murdered Women: Sisters in Spirit

Showing posts with label Sisters in Spirit. Show all posts

Saturday, March 6

Events celebrate International Women's Day

TheSpec.com

Danielle Wong
The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 6, 2010)

The political, social and economic achievements of women around the world will be celebrated on International Women's Day Monday.

Various events will be held around the city leading up to and following the global commemoration.

Here are some highlights:

* Today: Second annual When Sistahs Get Together Multicultural Women's Conference: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King St. W.

* Tomorrow: A YWCA information session for those considering joining the board or a committee: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 75 MacNab Street South. RSVP with Caitlin MacLennan at cmaclennan@ywcahamilton.org.

Also Zonta Club of Hamilton II fundraising event for Sisters in Spirit and local organizations: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 865 Mohawk Road West. $35 for tickets. Call Trish at 905-648-8783.

* March 8: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future event, coordinated by the Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton Area (SACHA): 9 a.m. to noon at the Venetian Club, 269 John St. N. Call Sandra, Maria or Erin: 905-525-4573.

The Impact of Media on Women's Health and Wellness public lecture by family physician Dr. Marla Shapiro: 4 p.m. in Room 1A1 of the Health Sciences Centre at McMaster University.

You, Me and Our Martinis fundraiser presented by the Wallflower to Wonder Woman group: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at One Duke Restaurant. Tickets are $15 at door, $10 in advance. Call Christine: 905-308-8002.

Gender Equality public lecture with Stephen Lewis: 1 p.m. at Convocation Hall at McMaster.

Women and Hope Around the World, public lecture with Deborah Ellis: 7 p.m. at GH111 at McMaster.

Between Orientalism and Fundamentalism: Muslim Women and Feminism, public lecture with with Dr. Jasmine Zine: 6:30 p.m. at HSC 1A6 at McMaster.

* March 9: St. Charles Adult and Continuing Education Centre International Women's Day celebration: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 60 Barlake Ave.

* Feminism 101 with Dr. Amber Dean: 6:30 -9:30 p.m. at HSC 1A4 at McMaster.

* March 12: They Will Not Be Forgotten vigil: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Mills Plaza, McMaster University.

dawong@thespec.com

905-526-2468

Sunday, February 14

March held in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women

Updated: Sun Feb. 14 2010 6:55:06 PM
ctvmontreal.ca

Montreal was among the cities across the country that held a Memorial March for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women on Sunday.

The annual Valentine's Day march was first organized by a community group in Vancouver after a woman was murdered there in 1991. The event was gradually taken on by groups in Edmonton, Winnipeg, London, Sudbury and Toronto.

This year marks the first time the march took place in Montreal.

It began at Parc Emilie-Gamelin and concluded with a commemorative ceremony at Parc des Ameriques.

"We're trying to promote awareness about the fact that indigenous women are about five times more likely than other women to die as a result of violence," said Maya Rolbin-Ghanie of the Missing Justice group.

A study found that 521 indigenous women have gone missing or been murdered in Canada over the past four decades.

Some family members of the victims say they've been left feeling abandoned.

"The family feels so alone. You don't know where to go, where to turn to have support," said Bridget Tolley, whose mother was struck and killed by an SQ police cruiser nine years ago.

Irkar Beljaars, who belongs to the Sisters in Spirit group, said many members of the community feel there are double standards in the way police investigate.

"(They say) ‘Oh, they probably ran away, give it a couple of days, they'll probably come back.' That's what some families have heard," Beljaars said.

Ellen Gabriel, who represents the group Quebec Native Women, said the community is seeking justice.

"Families are just asking for equality -- to be treated the same as any body else," Gabriel said.

March held in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women

Saturday, February 13

Missing women's initiative in limbo as memorial marches approach.

By Mia Rabson, Winnipeg Free PressFebruary 13, 2010 12:27 AM

In October 2008, people marched in Saskatoon for the national vigil "Sisters in Spirit". This year's march may also become a memorial for a government-funded research project that put a spotlight on the hundreds of aboriginal women who have gone missing or were murdered in this country.

Photograph by: Greg Pender, Star Phoenix

OTTAWA — Missing and murdered women in Canada will be remembered Sunday in memorial that marches across the country.

But the occasion may also become a memorial for a government-funded research project that put a spotlight on the hundreds of aboriginal women who have gone missing or were murdered in this country.

Federal funding for the Sisters in Spirit initiative of the Native Women's Association of Canada runs out March 31, and the federal government has not given the group any indication whether its mandate will be extended.

"We haven't heard anything," said Sisters in Spirit director Kate Rexe. "The government is silent on the issue."

With a grant of $5 million, Sisters in Spirit has spent the past five years compiling a database of more than 520 women who have disappeared or been killed over the past four decades.

The group has developed policies and programs it says are meant to help stop the cycle of violence.

Rexe said the agency is prepared to begin implementing policies and community programs aimed at three specific areas — the justice system, child welfare and poverty. But that's been on hold for months because Ottawa won't say if it plans to keep funding the work.

"It's unbelievably frustrating," Rexe said. "We have all the knowledge, the momentum. We can actually start to implement change, but we don't even know if we can keep planning."

A year ago, Status of Women Minister Helena Guergis said she was working on extending the project.

"I want you to know, I've already engaged in the process of what Sisters in Spirit Two would look like," Guergis said at the Status of Women committee meeting Feb. 12, 2009.

But a spokeswoman for Guergis would not say Friday whether funding for Sisters in Spirit is forthcoming, and said in an e-mail Ottawa has asked NWAC to share its database with police.

"Research conducted by SIS thus far has been aimed at informing policy recommendations and identifying future directions. There are currently four provincial investigations ongoing which the RCMP is participating in. At Minister Guergis' direction, NWAC will be consulting with the RCMP to cross reference their list with ongoing investigations," wrote Emily Goucher.

She also said the Status of Women office spent $21 million since 2007 on 117 projects that address violence against women.

Rexe said she's angry at a federal government that "has been spending like drunken sailors with their economic action plan and now with a huge deficit are talking about cuts."

"We have been working for over a year to get a commitment to the life chances and access to justice for aboriginal women, girls and the families of victims, and we are still waiting."

She said the Sisters office couldn't even help organize this year's Women's Memorial March in Ottawa because staff are too busy wrapping up loose ends and searching for other funding. Eight cities across Canada are to hold marches on Valentine's Day.

Sisters in Spirit has painted a rather bleak picture of aboriginal women's lives. Rexe said Canadian crime statistics show that aboriginal identity is the strongest predictor of violent crime.

Aboriginal women are more than three times as likely as other Canadian women to experience violence and those between age 25 and 44 are five times more likely to die a violent death than non-aboriginal women in that age group.

Manitoba MP and Liberal status of women critic Anita Neville said she doesn't understand why Ottawa won't commit to extending Sisters.

"We have called for a renewal for funding to Sisters in Spirit and for a national investigation (into the missing and murdered women)," Neville said. "But money is tight, and I don't know what (the government) will do."

The Vancouver Sun

http://bit.ly/bZGD9V

Wednesday, February 3

Calgary's 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Memorial March, Sunday February 14, 2010.

Scarboro United Church
134 Scarboro Ave. SW, Calgary
The march starts at 2:00 pm
Please arrive by 1:30 pm
Parking is available on site. Media welcome.

For more information please email: memorialmarchcalgary@live.ca