Mr. Speaker, since last night the 24-hour sacred gathering of drums organized by the women's committee of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation has been raising awareness about the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Mother's Day was selected to begin the 24-hour tribute in recognition of the missing or murdered mothers and grandmothers, as well as those grieving for their lost family members. Today the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples added his voice to theirs and echoed the overwhelming calls for a public inquiry.
When the Native Women's Association of Canada identified nearly 600 cases in 2009, this horrible situation was already a crisis.
Recent statistics compiled by the RCMP have doubled this estimate, identifying approximately 1,200 cases.
The Prime Minister needs to listen to the drumbeat and call a national public inquiry now.