Candidates running for the Assembly of First Nations leadership are adding their names to the growing list of organizations calling for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
So far, the Harper government has rebuked all calls for such an inquiry.
Perry Bellegarde says pressure is only going to continue to grow on the Conservatives to call an inquiry and it could become an election issue.
“It really is a black mark on Canada and I think once people see that and realize that, they will call their Members of Parliament, they will make this an election issue in the upcoming federal election,” he says.
Leon Jordain says he is skeptical the Harper government will bend to pressure to call an inquiry and adds he doesn’t think the Conservatives necessarily need to be on board to move ahead on the issue.
He says if groups like the AFN were able to obtain the necessary funding to hold a national inquiry from other sources, they don’t need the agreement or participation of the government.
“I am willing to work diligently to find dollars that are focused on changing the, or finding out the nucleus of why this is happening,” he says.
Ghislain Picard agrees Aboriginal leaders need to move forward on the issue of an inquiry even if the federal government is not a participant.
“Rather than staying idle on this issue and waiting for a response which we know will not come, I would certainly strongly suggest to our chiefs that they consider holding their own inquiry,” he says.
The AFN leadership election is slated for Dec. 10 in Winnipeg.