Feelings mixed over extension request for MMIWG inquiry

The last of the scheduled community hearings for thenational inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls areunderway in Richmond, B.C., and more than 100people are expected to share their stories of survival and loss this week.

JuanitaDesjarlais,who isNehiyawandDene,told the inquiryWednesday how she survived a lifetime of abuse and exploitation, and how she turned her life around and found healing in culture and community.

For many,the next fourdayscould be the end of a chapter for the inquiryif the federal government declines to grantan extension requested last month by commissioners.

• MMIWGinquiry asks federal government for 2-year extension

MarionBuller, the inquiry's chief commissioner, said in a news release in March that officials needmore time "to do justice to our critically important mandate."

Additional time would allow members of the inquiryto connect with more women and girls, hold more hearings and conduct more research, the release stated.

Commissionersasked to have the inquiry extended to Dec. 1, 2020. It is scheduled to wrap late this year.

However, many are divided aboutwhether Ottawa should grant the extension.

• 'Lives depend on this': B.C. families of MMIWG ready to testify at national inquiry, but doubts remain

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip with the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs spoke in favour this week of anextension.

"I'm very hopeful that the inquiry is granted the extension so that we may complete this very important healing journey," Phillip said in his opening remarks Wednesday morning.

Commissioner Michle Audette asked for help in getting the commission's mandate extended, saying ifthe provincial, territorial and federal governments of Canada believe in the work of the inquiry they willsupport an extension.

In an emailed response to CBC News, a spokesperson for the federal government said there is no decision onan extension, but a decision is expected shortly.

'I say no to the extension'

Evelyne Youngchief is a frontline worker in the Downtown Eastside and has been a longtime advocate formissing and murdered women and girls. She testified during Robert Pickton's second-degree murder trial in 2007 and has long fought for theinquiry to take place.

Youngchiefis against an extension.

"They've had more than enough time and money," she said.

"We need action now, quit wasting time. It's really hard to watch this going on, watching the national inquiry all year long and now it's gotten here. And sure a lot of people will speak, but what's going to come out of it?"

Youngchiefsaid the issue of missing and murdered women is anongoing national tragedy and these losses are compounded by the ongoing overdose crisis.

'These are not just stories'

More than a dozen survivors and family members spoke publicly at the inquiryWednesday. Private testimony is also being given this week at theRichmond hoteland at a temporaryspace in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

"These are not just stories," Desjarlaistold the inquiry Wednesday.

Desjarlais began by apologizing to her mother who sat next to her for what she was about to say, saying she didn't want to cause her harm.

She spoke of enduring sexual abuse in early childhood while livingin northern Alberta,experiencingabuse in foster care and violence later in Vancouver, where she was stabbed on two separate occasions.

"I was out there when a lot of the women were being plucked off the streets," she said, referring to the era when serial killer RobertPicktonwas killing women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastsideon his pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Desjarlaissaid legislative and policy changes are needed to better protect women and girls, especially thosefleeing domestic violence.

She also called for more supportfor people in small, remote communities so they can remain living safelyat home.

The inquiry community hearings will continue in Richmonduntil Sunday evening.