Red Dress Day was recognized today (Thurs) at the Saskatchewan Legislature.  The day brings awareness about, and honours, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and gender-diverse people.

Joyce Keepness is the grandmother of Tamra Keepness, who was five years old when she went missing in Regina 16 years ago, and still hasn’t been found. She said at the Legislature today, “I stand here before you letting you know that our families, our loved ones, our women – the backbone of our families – they are still going missing.”

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations joined these families and the NDP to call on the province to acknowledge the disproportionate levels of violence Indigenous peoples face, and to stand in solidarity by immediately adopting the Declaration to Honour First Nations Women and Girls. The FSIN says this historic document highlights the urgent need for government to do more in protecting them, including adopting the 231 recommendations of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. (with files from CKRM)

The Official Opposition stands united with the FSIN and Indigenous peoples and calls on the Government of Saskatchewan to:

-Adopt the Declaration to Honour First Nations Women and Girls
-Create a plan to address the disproportionate rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls
-Offer greater support to community-based organizations partnered with and protecting MMIWG2S+