Rallies honour missing, murdered aboriginal women and girls

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rallies ... -1.1912552

Rallies honour missing, murdered aboriginal women and girls

Canadians are rallying in over 200 locations today to honour and remember the lives of missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls as they have annually for the past eight years on Oct. 4.

Dozens of families gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa recounted the stories of the missing or murdered women in their lives, often breaking down into tears as they plea for the federal government to take action and call a national public inquiry.

Politicians and aboriginal leaders also took part in the Sisters In Spirit Vigil in Ottawa, an event organized by the Native Women’s Association of Canada.

National Chief for the Assembly of First Nations Shawn Atleo called on Canadians to take notice.

Canada faces "a grave human rights crisis," Atleo said.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair also spoke at the rally, accompanied by NDP aboriginal affairs critic Jean Crowder and NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar.

A young woman named Caitlin Tolley spoke in honour of her grandmother, Gladys Tolley, who she said was killed by a Quebec provincial police officer over 10 years ago.

"My family is still hurt by the loss of my grandmother that was taken from me at a young age. We are still demanding an inquiry and a followup into her case."

"Today I would like to ask Mr. Harper, how many times must we come and stand out here, and call and demand for an inquiry for our women," Tolley told a crowd gathered on Parliament Hill.

Tolley called on all political parties to "do the right thing."

Dawn Lavell-Harvard, the interim president of NWAC, also spoke at the rally.

She said the case of missing or murdered aboriginal women is not a women's issue or an aboriginal issue but rather "a human tragedy" and "a national disgrace."

(continued, tip of the iceberg canada got no census, plenty of meat pies)