NDP statement for Red Dress Day 2023

Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh issued the following statement:

“Today, on Red Dress Day, we honour and remember the Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people who have been taken from us far too soon.

We must continue to fight for justice and demand accountability for the countless cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S). From 2016 to 2021, 247 Indigenous women were identified as homicide victims. Despite promising to act, the rate of homicide against Indigenous women has not decreased under the current government’s watch.

Every day the government delays the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is a day families risk losing a loved one. Despite acknowledging the ongoing genocide of MMIWG2S, the Prime Minister isn’t acting urgently to stop this recurring violence. Earlier this week, an NDP motion calling on the government to recognize this ongoing genocide as a Canada-wide emergency was adopted by all parties.

Action must be followed.

New Democrats are calling on the Liberal government to immediately create a Red Dress Alert system to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing. We also call on the Liberals to reverse their $150 million cut to women’s shelters. It is inconceivable for a government that recognizes the violence that Indigenous women girls, and two-spirit people experience to cut funding from resources meant to keep them out of harm's way. This same government spent a mere 5% of their Violence Prevention Strategy to address gender-based violence against Indigenous peoples that was first announced in Fall 2020.

The Liberals’ lack of urgency will hurt more Indigenous peoples. This must change.

Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people deserve to be safe, loved and live with dignity and respect. We will always be your ally and stand by your side in the fight for justice for survivors, those who were taken from us and their families.

Let us all wear red today in solidarity.”