By: Mia RabsonOTTAWA -- Two federal cabinet ministers Wednesday accused the Native Women's Association of Canada of spreading false information about the government's $10-million Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women Initiative. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson and Status of Women Minister Rona Ambrose released a joint letter to the president of the Native Women's Association of Canada, expressing concern about "inaccurate media reports" citing NWAC's reaction to the announcement. "These criticisms have been most disconcerting as we spoke to you prior to the announcement to explain details of this initiative," the ministers wrote. The $10-million plan, announced last month, was promised in the government's last budget after it denied an extension of funding for NWAC's Sisters in Spirit project. SIS, a five-year, $5-million government-funded research project, developed a database of more than 500 aboriginal women who have gone missing or been murdered in Canada in the last several decades. The project drew attention to just how widespread the problem of violence against aboriginal women is in this country, and uncovered numerous problems of police and governments not taking the issue seriously. NWAC's main objection to the new $10-million plan is that Sisters in Spirit is completely shut out. NWAC received $500,000 to launch a new project focusing on awareness projects. But that funding specifically prohibits research and domestic advocacy, which means no more collection of cases for the database and no more lobbying the government. |
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| Find this article at: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/native-group-spreading-false-info-cabinet-ministers-111180279.html |
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