Actually, I haven't been involved with NWAC since I left in September of 2009, but I do know that the intent of Sisters in Spirit was to have the families as the leaders, as the ones who were guiding the process. So we had family gatherings, but with the resources we had, we couldn't collect and be inclusive of families. Part of that process in gathering families, because it was such a network for them to be able to gather and talk about issues that were affecting them and their healing...it was such a good process for them to be able go through.
I'm going to talk about myself as a family member, as someone who was part of Sisters in Spirit, in the sense that this is going to continue whether that stops or not--families on the ground are going to continue their work. They've told me that they're going to do it anyway, so it's a matter of time and resources and what can be done for them. My recommendation in leaving a political organization is that it's not a political issue in the sense that political organizations can't fight for jurisdiction of the issue; it's a grassroots movement that's occurring. That's what I'm saying: it's going to happen anyway. But when it comes to the research and the policy development, that needs to continue. It needs to continue, and whether it's the families that do it themselves is the question.
The purpose of this study and being able to determine what the root cause is was the whole intent of Sisters in Spirit as well, and I think part of the study and part of the report identified that. It's difficult when I'm talking to families as a fellow family member about the need, because that's what it is; it's about the need in order for them to heal through what has happened to them and to us.
Having that experience of meeting with families now for...it is almost 10 years now since I started with Amnesty. Part of this whole issue is an acknowledgement that this cycle of violence that's occurring started from somewhere. It started from what I would say is contact, because of the disrespect to indigenous women in this country and because of the policies, the genocidal policies, of the Canadian government to totally eradicate.... How do you eradicate a population? You get rid of the women.
In order to deal with that, the healing is occurring in our communities. The resources are needed. I don't know what else to say.
Thank you.