The Governance and Priorities Committee of City Council will review a report Monday morning recommending the establishment of a Independent Office of the Representative Matriarchs, with a community Matriarch to support Indigenous women and girls and two spirit people.

Melissa Cote, Director of Indigenous Initiatives says the Matriarch will act as aunties do so Indigenous women, girls and two spirited people can go to them with anything and get advice. Cote says the Matriarch will advocate for them within the systems and challenge the system itself, doing their best to protect them and keep them safe. Another goal is to create an IWG2S centre.

Cote says the City will work with an advisory group and partners to determine the process for selecting a representative of the Aunties.

The work follows a 2019 resolution of City Council to identify options for how the city of Saskatoon can respond, within its jurisdiction, to the Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.