FSIN holds meeting before national round table on violence against Indigenous women
Indigenous Women Roundtable brainstorms solutions ahead of Ottawa roundtable next week
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations held a meeting Thursday to try to brainstorm solutions for reducing violence against Aboriginal women.
The meeting, held in Saskatoon at the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre, comes before an Assembly of First Nations national round table on the same topic taking place in Ottawa at the end of the month.
"We're not undermining the national inquiry," Interim Chief of the FSIN Kimberly Jonathan said "It's our responsibility as individuals and as agencies, organizations, and governments to come together to find these solutions to fix it because it's not okay."
Jonathan said some of the solutions so far include addressing issues of poverty, the lack of access to health care, and education.
More than just a number
Fighting to find a solution to the ongoing problem of missing and murdered indigenous women is especially important for women like Cara Wolfe.
Wolfe is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. The deaf woman said through a note that was read at the meeting Thursday that her daughter Karina Wolfe has been missing for more than four years.
"I'll never give up on her, I'll still keep strong and positive," Wolfe wrote in a letter.
According to Jonathan, women like Karina are often just seen as a number.
"To us she's a family member. She's a daughter, she's a niece, and she's one of our women that we need to hold up as our educated, brilliant, beautiful indigenous women and they need to know that, too," Jonathan said.
Moving forward, Jonathan is preparing to represent Saskatchewan First Nations women at the national round table. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development minister Bernard Valcourt as well as Labour and Status of Women minister Kellie Leitch are reportedly planning on attending on February 27.
"There is hope because they are at the table," Jonathan said.