MMIW inquiry asks for extension

The troubled national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is formally asking for another two years to finish its work, saying more time is needed to hear from the hundreds of people still waiting to share their stories.

The inquiry, which has a budget of nearly $54 million, was originally scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2018, but chief commissioner Marion Buller has long warned more time and money will be necessary.

“The commissioners and I firmly believe that an additional two years is required to do justice to our critically important mandate for the safety and security of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ (LGBTQ and twospirit) people,” Buller said in a statement Tuesday.

“The response from families, survivors and Indigenous communities has been overwhelming and we have a sacred responsibility to them to continue moving forward.”

The office of Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett confirmed it had received the inquiry’s request and that the minister would speak over the coming weeks with families, Indigenous partners, provincial and territorial officials and her cabinet colleagues about the possibility of an extension.

“The families of these women and girls need answers to the systemic and institutional failures that led to the murder of so many Indigenous women,” Bennett said in a statement.

“We are committed to getting them the concrete recommendations they have been waiting for and putting an end to this ongoing tragedy.”

The inquiry’s two-year timeline was decided following pre-inquiry consultations, which heard that family members wanted prompt and concrete action, said a spokesman for Bennett.