Dozens of people braved the brutal cold in North Central Regina today to take part in a memorial to honour and respect the memory of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
A vigil was held behind the territorial building over the noon hour.
Amoung those in attendance was Danita Sparvier.
Her 24 year-old daughter, April was stabbed to death in 2006, leaving behind three children.
Danita raised them as her own, and stood with them today remembering their mother.
“I’m here to support my grand kids and to honour April’s memory and to show support for the other people who are here for the same thing I am.”
One of those people was Evening Star. She was stapling small posters to the trees, each one, honouring someone she has lost.
“I have lost a few friends, Naomi……Pam………It’s hard right now”
According to the Native Women’s Association of Canada there are 61 murdered or missing Aboriginal women in Saskatchewan, representing about 10% of the national total.
The percentage of the women that were murdered by strangers is 36%, more than twice the national average and the percentage of women killed by Johns is about 8%, four times the national average.
Candles will also be lit tonight in La Ronge to honour the memories of girls and women lost to violence.
That vigil begins at 8:00 at the Old Residential School grounds.
The event is being put on by the Piwapan Women’s Centre.
Director Karen Sanderson says this year’s vigil hits close to home with the recent murder of local woman Jodi Roberts, and there is a lot of community interest in tonight’s vigil as a result.
She says children need to realize violence isn’t OK:
“As a mother it’s just more awareness for my daughter’s and all the mothers that have this sense of wanting their daughters to be raised in a safe environment.”
She adds people can bring their own candles if they wish but ones will also be provided.
It seems unlikely Canada will hold an inquiry into the problem of missing and murdered Aboriginal women anytime soon.
Despite calls from women’s groups and other organizations across a wide swath of society, the Conservative government remains steadfast an inquiry isn’t needed.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt says a special parliamentary committee has already been appointed to examine the problem:
“There is currently money being invested into this and we shall await the results of the special committee of the house that is looking at the issue to see what their recommendations are.”
He agrees action is needed on the issue but says the government is doing what it can already.
He points to his government’s five-year $25 million dollar pledge to reduce violence against aboriginal women as evidence of that commitment.