P.E.I. Indigenous association applauds Canadians supporting national inquiry

A P.E.I. representative will be in Gatineau, Quebectoday for the release of the report from the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Marlene Thomas, vice-president of the Aboriginal Women's Association of P.E.I., urges organizations, leaders and Canadians to pick up the phone and find out how to become part of the solution.

"Call us. If you want to be part of the future, part of the solution, call your provincial Indigenous women leaders. Listen to the frontline workers. Spread your resources to Indigenous-led service providers. Include our perspectives in all facets," Thomas said in a news release.

"We all need to be part of the solution, Indigenous women can't do this alone."

Thomas will be oneof Indigenous women leaders from the four Atlantic provinces who will attendthe closing ceremony Monday. They are all part of the Eastern Door Indigenous Women's Association.

The association is applauding Canadians in standing with them and supporting the inquiryand the association looks forward to continued support from all Canadians to give life to the report, it said in a news release.

EDIWAalso advocates together and supports the national inquiry's finding of ongoing genocide, the release said.

"This report advocates for a complete overhaul of the status quo, including ensuring Indigenous women are afforded the human rights protections equal to all Canadians," said Cheryl Maloney, founding president of EDIWA in the release.

EDIWA supports Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender diverse Indigenous people in the Atlantic region.

The report calls for sweeping reforms to the justice system and policing, as well as stiffer penalties for men who carry out spousal or partner abuse in what it's calling a Canadian genocide with endemic levels of violence.

Recommendations after the more than 3-year inquiry include official language status for Indigenous languages and a guaranteed income for Indigenous peoples.

CBCNews.ca will carry the closing ceremonies live starting at 9 a.m. ET.

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