Saint John march focuses on murdered and missing aboriginal women

Aboriginal students and their supporters marched in Saint John Friday, adding their voices to growing calls for an inquiry into murdered and missing aboriginal women. The march was part of the Sisters in Spirit movement that's set to hold vigils across the country this weekend.

NBCC student Shawna Alberts took part in a march today at the school to remember and raise awareness. She feels more needs to be done to understand and prevent violence against aboriginal women in Canada.

“There's so many that have gone unsolved. I really feel that this cause needs a voice,” said Alberts.

Jackie Muise is an aboriginal student advisor at NBCC. She thinks it's important to use events like this to change misperceptions about the women lost.

“Seventy per cent actually of all the missing and murdered aboriginal women in the country, they went missing or they were murdered, not on a First Nations [reserve], they were urban aboriginal women,” she said.

The issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada has been continually thrust into the spotlight over the past year.

In New Brunswick, Loretta Saunders, a Halifax, Nova Scotia resident, was found murdered by the side of a highway. More recently in Winnipeg, 15-year-old Tina Fontaine's body was retrieved from the Red River. Both cases have fuelled arguments for the need for a national tribunal on the matter.

Alberts left the march inspired to do more.

“I'll bring this back to my campus at NBCC so that other students — not just the aboriginal students — are aware of the issues and what's going on and hopefully cause some positive change,” she said.