‘Canada’s watching’ as stories shared at inquiry

Hearing shines light on missing, murdered women, girls

Myrna LaPlante says she felt the eyes of the nation on her as she spoke about her missing aunt before the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“We know that Canada’s watching,” she told reporters Wednesday morning after sharing her story with commissioners at a public hearing in Saskatoon’s Sheraton Cavalier hotel.

“We have a huge captive audience, I believe, across Canada and possibly the international stage and I believe that we’ve reached a far wider audience and the topic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls — that’s the story right now.”

As of Wednesday morning, more than 90 people had signed up to share the stories of their missing and murdered loved ones in Saskatoon. Some are speaking in rooms open to the public and media, while others are sitting down with “statement gatherers” in private rooms. Inquiry commissioners say no one who wants to tell a story will be turned away and everyone will be allowed to speak for as long as they need.

The inquiry has been plagued with delays, communications issues and high-profile resignations since it launched in September 2016. LaPlante said hiccups are natural given the scope of the investigation.

“I have hope. I have always had hope. I support the national inquiry,” she said. “These things take a long time to set up and it’s not an easy process.”

National inquiry chief commissioner Marion Buller told reporters Wednesday morning that despite what has been reported by media in the past, people she has talked with are not asking for the process to be reset.

“Absolutely not. It’s anything but. They want us to go ahead and continue with our good work and they’re very supportive,” she said.

She added that families who have told or who are thinking of telling their stories should not be concerned by the fact that the number of people working for the inquiry is shrinking. Three inquiry staff, including Manitoba/Saskatchewan community liaison officer Morene Gabriel, were recently fired.

“I can tell you with great confidence that the work that we’re doing will continue in a good way across Canada, that the real news here this week is what the families and survivors are telling us and we intend to move forward, we can move forward and we will move forward in a good way,” Buller said.