MMIW Inquiry names additions to its legal team

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has added two well-known lawyers to its legal team.

Christa Big Canoe, an Indigenous lawyer known for her work with Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto and an advocate for Indigenous women, will join the inquiry as commission counsel.

Susan Vella, who has represented several Indigenous organizations and is also known for her work on the Ipperwash Inquiry, will join the inquiry as lead commission counsel.

"[Vella] is a pioneer in advancing claims on behalf of survivors of sexual and institutionalized abuse, and sexual harassment in the civil litigation context for over 25 years," an announcement from the commission says.

'Trauma-informed' experts

A spokesperson said the commission is tapping lawyers who are considered experts in their fields and who have extensive experience working with people who are victims of violence or exploitation — also known as trauma-informed.

Vella comes from Toronto law firm Rachon Genova LLP, where she is senior litigation counsel and practice group leader of the firm's sexual and institutional abuse and Aboriginal rights groups, but she's also served as counsel to the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care's task force on the prevention of sexual abuse of patients.  

She was also commission counsel to the Ipperwash Inquiry, which examined the circumstances surrounding the 1995 shooting death of Dudley George by a member of the Ontario Provincial Police.

Christa Big Canoe, a member of the Georgina Island First Nation Anishinaabe community in Ontario, said she's taking a leave of absence from Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto to work with the Inquiry.

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Big Canoe, known as an advocate for Indigenous women, has appeared before all levels of court in Canada, where she's provided an Indigenous perspective and representation on issues that most affect Indigenous people in Canadian law, including Bill C-36, the government's controversial prostitution law, in 2014. 

"This is something that I've been advocating for for many, many years — even before I was a lawyer," Big Canoe said.

Aside from women's issues, Big Canoe also represented six of the seven families of students whose deaths are the subject of an inquest in Thunder Bay. All of the young people went to the city from remote First Nations to attend high school.

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The independent inquiry led by five commissioners formally began on Sept. 1. The federal government directed the commission to find out why hundreds of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women have disappeared or been murdered in Canada.

Commissioners won't start hearing formal testimony from the families until spring.

A commission spokesperson said more additions to the legal team are expected in the near future.