On October 4 Unifor members joined hundreds of other activists across Canada to commemorate the first annual National Day of Honour and Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
Initiated by Manitoba NDP legislators Nahanni Fontaine and Bernadette Smith, the event is meant to honour the memory of the women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered, and to raise awareness of the work that must be done to end the violence.
Winnipeg’s events began with a gathering of Unifor members for blessings and remarks from an elder at the Oodena Circle monument. From there, members marched to join a pipe ceremony held at Manitoba’s legislature buildings.
“We must be visible and vocal about our commitment to ending systemic violence,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Joie Warnock, who was in Winnipeg for the ceremonies. “Unifor is proud to stand with Indigenous families in their struggle for justice.”
Supporters also gathered on Parliament Hill, where the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) held a vigil and encouraged all levels of government to take action.