National Day of Action for MMIWG marked in Yellowknife with new monument

A candlelight vigil, discussion panel and monument unveiling were all part of the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls on Wednesday in the Northwest Territories.

The MMIWG monument by N.W.T. Inuvialuit artist Myrna Pokiak was unveiled at the Legislative Assembly building in Yellowknife at 11 a.m. MT.

In its initial request for proposals, the territorial government said the monument will serve to "commemorate the lives lost and the lives that continue to be lost in the MMIWG crisis, to bring awareness to the MMIWG crisis, and to provide a space for people to go when they would like to remember lives lost to this crisis." 

Pokiak centred the monument around a red parka, signifying northern culture and in honour of the missing and murdered women and girls.

Feedback on the design and location were done in partnership with the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories, and input was sought from multiple sources including governments across the territory.

Gerri Sharpe, president of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, said the monument's location is important.

"The fact that this monument is at the Legislative Assembly is something that we need because we need to hold our politicians, our lawmakers and our policymakers accountable," she said.

She said MMIWG is not a Dene issue or a Métis issue. 

"This is a Canada issue," she said. "We need Canada to solve this."

Vigil and discussion

Also on Wednesday, the N.W.T. Native Women's Association hosted a candlelight vigil and discussion at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre in Yellowknife beginning at 3 p.m.

The discussion at the friendship centre was to include guest speaker Melissa B. Hardisty, whose 12-year-old daughter Etandà died in Fort Liard in 2015.

Joanne Krutko, Arlene Hache and Kathy Meyer were to take part in a panel discussion. Members of the public were also invited to share their stories.

"The purpose of this panel is to have support for each other and to share with each other and reflect and be together," association consultant Marie Speakman told CBC Radio's Trailbreaker.

She said getting stories from the public is important because some incidents are never reported and don't end up counted in the MMIWG data.

"I'm passionate about the work that I do, and I'm really hoping with this that people will come out to support," she said. "It would be really, really good to see people there, even just their presence."