News Release
April 23, 2019
Coalition on MMIWG2S Stands With Wilson-Raybould & Philpott
(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – April 23, 2019) The Coalition on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People in BC is deeply outraged and angered at the expulsion of former Justice Minister of Justice and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould and former Treasury Board President Jane Philpott from the federal Liberal caucus and that they were dropped as election candidates for the party. The Coalition stands with both of these strong women and we remain staunch in our support and solidarity.
This removal of two prominent female politicians by a purportedly “feminist” Prime Minister is nothing short of hypocritical. Both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott stood up against a male-dominated system of power and acted with integrity regarding the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Violence against women, including threats and lateral violence, whether on the streets or in the highest houses of government, will not be tolerated.
The Coalition demands that the Prime Minister resign immediately as he no longer has the trust or support of us as Indigenous women and our sister organizations and allies. We request that Jody Wilson-Raybould receive the final report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG in the place of the Prime Minister, as she has demonstrated the true, strong spirit of Indigenous women.
The Coalition is a broad network of individuals, grassroots and social justice organizations who have come together to address the ongoing crisis of murdered and disappeared Indigenous women and girls in BC and across Canada, along with the systemic racism and discrimination that contributes to this crisis.
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Signatories:
BC Native Women’s Association
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre
Downtown Eastside Power of Women Group
Michelle Miller, Healing at the Wounding Place
Myrna Cranmer, February 14th Memorial March
Neskonlith Indian Band
Union of BC Indian Chiefs
Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre