Prime Minister Refuses to Take Action on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

August 22, 2014

OTTAWA – The Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the Prime Minister’s refusal to call a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls:

“The staggering number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada is a national tragedy. The Prime Minister continues to demonstrate a tremendous lack of leadership and how out of touch he is with this issue and those deeply impacted by it.

“Mr. Harper is on the wrong side of history – the federal government must take urgent action to end this national tragedy. Despite repeated calls for a public inquiry from the families of victims, provincial governments, Indigenous communities, and international organizations, the Prime Minister and his government have repeatedly refused to call a public inquiry.

“Liberals have long stood with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, and Canadians across the country, in calling for a full, public, transparent inquiry mandated to determine the causes of the nearly 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. National leadership and action are urgently needed if we are to put an end to this violence.”