(With files from the Canadian Press)
A special parliamentary committee’s long-awaited report into missing or murdered aboriginal women stops short of recommending a national public inquiry.
The study’s authors say they had hoped their work would provide the Conservative government an opportunity to show leadership.
Instead, the report states, the families of the victims _ believed to number as many as 600 _ have been let down by the government’s failure to right a “terrible and ongoing attack on social justice.”
The report urges the Conservative government to work with the provinces, territories and municipalities to create a public awareness and prevention campaign focusing on violence against aboriginal women and girls in Canada.
It also says the feds must continue to strengthen the criminal justice system to ensure, among other things, that violent and repeat offenders serve appropriate sentences.
The report’s conclusion, in fact, is critical of its recommendations, saying they are clearly the work of ministerial offices since so many of them make reference to existing government programs.
The NDP is outraged and appalled at the federal government’s report on missing and murder aboriginal women.
Niki Ashton, is the party’s status of women critic.
She says the report is an insult to the families of the victims.
“This report is appalling. The recommendations are appalling, the recommendations do not reflect what we heard from families and from people who are involved in this national tragedy.”
Ashton represents the Northern Manitoba riding of Churchill which has a large Aboriginal population.