The call for a national inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls

The call for a national inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls was underscored by the emotional cries of the parents of 16-year-old Summer Star Elizabeth Krista-Lee Fowler of Gitanmaax First Nation whose body was found in Kamloops Dec. 5. They joined Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo in a press conference in Vancouver to urge government’s commitment to the inquiry and to end violence against Aboriginal women and girls. “We must all commit, including all governments, to address the root causes of such tragedies so that our peoples can achieve the safety and security required and deserved,” said Atleo. “How many more lives must be lost, how many more families must be devastated before we see action from government to work together with us to ensure our peoples are safe?” The murder of CJ Morningstar Fowler is a terrible tragedy, added First Nations Summit Grand Chief Ed John. “It is yet another horrific example of violence against women, and in particular, Aboriginal women.”