Details

The Inquiry explored the reasons for violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada following a series of investigations into the issue. It followed a number of reports, including those by the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which raised serious concerns about the number of Indigenous women and girls murdered or reported missing. The Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission called for a national inquiry into the problem as part of its recommendations released in 2015.

Given the amount of research already conducted into the number of women and girls murdered and missing, the Inquiry was not to be fact-finding mission. Rather its mandate was to educate the public about the issue, facilitate healing within affected communities, restore confidence in Canadian institutions and to make recommendations for policy change and other reform.

In its exploration of the factors contributing to violence against Indigenous women and girls, the Inquiry was expected to investigate child welfare practices. Previous research had indicated there were links between child welfare involvement and sexual exploitation, with girls leaving out-of-home care particularly vulnerable.

The Process
The Inquiry's structure was determined through extensive public consultation. Family and friends of missing Indigenous women and girls were placed at the centre of the process, with a National Family Advisory Council formed.

The Inquiry gathered its research through a Truth Gathering Process, which included holding public community hearings, gathering private statements, setting up expert panels and reviewing written archival materials and existing research into the issue. Artistic expression in the form of poetry, song and artwork were also welcomed, with 819 individuals sharing through Artistic Expressions. Issue-specific advisory bodies were also established. Illegal or improper behaviour on the part of police, social workers and others were examined and reported to the appropriate authorities.

The first of the Truth Gathering Forums was held in Whitehorse in late May 2017 and featured public hearings that were broadcast online, statement gathering, private and public sharing circles and private hearings with one or two Commissioners.

Governing Legislation
This was a public inquiry, established under Part I of the Federal Inquiries Act. This gave the commissioners powers to act independently while also granting them powers to compel witnesses to attend and to compel the production of documents. The Inquiry was also established through Orders-in-Council in every Canadian province and territory, making it the first Canadian public inquiry to feature all legal jurisdictions working together.

Governing Authority
This was a federal investigation but was also supported by provincial and territory legislation across Canada.

Inquiry Locations
The Inquiry had an office in Vancouver, BC. Hearings were held across the country.

Public Hearings
As Part 1 of the Truth Gathering Process, 15 public Community Hearings were held for families and survivors to share their stories, either publicly or privately. These took place all over Canada from May 2017 to April 2018. 468 family members and survivors of violence shared their experiences and recommendations at the Community Hearings. As part of the pre-inquiry design process, public hearings also took place from December 2015 to February 2016.

Part 2 of the Process was Institutional Hearings, focussing on the testimony of those who worked in institutions; Part 3, the Knowledge Keeper and Expert Hearings, gathered testimony from a wide range of experts, including Elders, Knowledge Keepers, academics, legal experts, front-line workers, young people and specialists. In all, 9 Knowledge Keeper, Expert and Institutional Hearings took place. In Part 4 of the Truth Gathering Process, 94 Parties with standing presented their final closing submissions to the National Inquiry, which offered many of the recommendations included in the final Calls for Justice.

Private Sessions
Families and survivors were able to provide statements to official statement gatherers or through private hearings with commissioners. Over 270 family members and survivors shared their storiesin 147 private, or in-camera, sessions.

Written Submissions
The Inquiry accepted written submissions.

Research
The Inquiry undertook research into the systematic forms and causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls, including examination of the nature of the violence and institutional polices and consideration of practices to increase safety. Details of the research agenda of the Inquiry are set out in the Research Plan, published in October 2017.

Witnesses
The Commissioners sought to hear from as many survivors and their families as possible. In all, the total number of participants in the Truth Gathering Process was 2,385, with 1,484 family Members and survivors, and 83 experts, knowledge-keepers and officials, providing testimony.

Gender
The focus of the Inquiry was on women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited). Given the nature of the Inquiry, however, family members were critical to the process and many male family members also provided testimony.

Institutions
As Part 2 of the Truth Gathering Process, Institutional Hearings focussed on the testimony of those who worked in institutions. The Final Report's Calls for Justice are directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries and all Canadians.

Findings
The Inquiry published its Final Report on 3 June 2019.

Overarching findings include:

• The significant, persistent, and deliberate pattern of systemic racial and gendered human rights and Indigenous rights violations and abuses.
• The failure of Canada to meaningfully implement the provisions of the many international declarations and treaties that affect Indigenous women's, girls', and 2SLGBTQQIA people's rights, protection, security, and safety.
• The Canadian state has displaced Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA people from their traditional roles in governance and leadership and continues to violate their political rights.
• Self-determination and self-governance are fundamental Indigenous and human rights and a best practice.

Recommendations
The Commissioners framed their recommendations as Calls for Justice, and pointed out that they are legal imperatives rather than optional recommendations.

There are 231 individual Calls for Justice, addressed to all governments (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous); media, academic institutions and artists; health service providers; transportation service providers and the hospitality industry; police services and justice system actors; Canadian law societies and bar associations; education institutions and authorities; Correctional Service Canada; and all Canadians.

Further Action
The Government of Canada announced a range of actions it has taken in response to the work of the Inquiry.

Inquiry Panel

• Audette, Michèle
• Eyolfson, Brian
• Robinson, Qajaq