Save The Date! Native Women’s Association of Canada Sisters in Spirit Vigil

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October 4th is a day when we honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse+ (WG2STGD+) people, support grieving families, and create opportunities for healing. The violence experienced by Indigenous WG2STGD+ people in Canada is a genocide. United, we will demand action on an issue that impacts us all while honouring the lives of our loved ones. Please wear blue to show your support.

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Event Information

Date: October 4, 2023
Location:

March for Vigil begins:

5:45 pm from NWAC's Social, Cultural and Economic Innovation Center, at 120 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, QC.

Arrival and SIS Vigil Ceremony: 6:30 pm at Parliament, 111 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON

RSVP:

To register your event, please send an email to mmiwg@nwac.ca with the name of your organization/community/group and your mailing address. Please provide the name, date, and time of your event, time and place of your event, contact phone # and mailing address.

Sisters in Spirit March

Join us for our annual Sisters in Spirit Vigil and events. The march for the vigil begins from the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC’s) headquarters located at 120 Promenade du Portage in Gatineau, Quebec to Parliament Hill to take a stand against the ongoing genocide of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+).

Sisters in Spirit Community Events

The day’s events will also include workshops, a film viewing, a comforting hot chocolate and pumpkin cookie station in the garden, an afternoon gathering with speeches and hot foods prior to the SIS Vigil. These events will be a hybrid model that will be hosted in person as well as live streamed through a virtual platform to participants not in attendance.

                                                                                                                          Agenda


1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Hot Chocolate station in the gardens & tour the MMIWG2S+ exhibition

1:00 pm-2:00 pm

Faceless Dolls Workshop

2:00 pm-3:30 pm

Video Viewing of Adaawk - Sundance Room

3:30 pm-5:00 pm

Afternoon Gathering with finger foods including hot chili, soup with veggie options and bannock- Mother Earth Room

Community Event Registration

If you are hosting your own community vigil/event, register your event to receive a Vigil Kit, including balloons, flags, and pins.

To register for your event, please send an email to mmiwg@nwac.ca with the name of your organization/community/group and your mailing address. Please provide the name, date, and time of your event, time and place of your event, contact phone # and mailing address.

Other Happening Events

“Sisters in Spirit” National Vigil 


Date: October 4, 2023

Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Saskatoon Civic Square & SPS Gym

Time: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm


Prelude to Activities: gather in Saskatoon City Square, handing out posters, banners, and SIS flags, buttons, balloons, program.

Agenda


MC

TBA invite to David Kirton

Missing Persons Prayer

TBA

Welcome

Reading of Proclamation Councillor David Kirton (TBConfirmed) for Mayor, City of S’toon, Flag Raising with Families

Family Speaker

Faith Bosse (Confirmed)

Walk

Drummers Lead Walk by drum group (TBA)

Civic Square to 3rd Ave South to 25th Street West to SPS, for speaking and meal program (smudge lead by TBA) marshall TBA

Guest Speakers

Deb & Brian Gallagher (Confirmed)

Carol Wolfe (TBConfirmed)

SPS Chief Troy Cooper, (Confirmed)

Closing

Closing Prayer

 

Register our community event at Vancouver Community College


Name: Sisters in Spirit Vigil

Indigenous Services at Vancouver Community College will be hosting a Sisters In Spirit Event on October 4th to bring awareness to the continued violence that continues to affect Indigenous Peoples with a primary focus on MG2STGD+.

There will be a panel of three Resilient Indigenous women who will speak to the colonial violence and the importance of having a collective voice to address overdue changes.

 

Register our community event at Trent Durham University on behalf of the First Peoples House of Learning


Name: Sisters in Spirit Vigil

Date: October 4th, 2023

Time: Tentatively scheduled for 10am - 12pm

Location: Trent Durham Thornton Campus

Contact: 905 435 5100 ext 5007

Mailing address: Bobbie McCulloch, 55 Thornton Road S, Oshawa Ontario, L1J 5Y1

 

Register our community event at Athabasca Tribal Council


Name: Sisters in Spirit Vigil

Location: Athabasca Tribal Council & MMEIP Taskforce

9206 McCormick Drive, Fort McMurray, AB T9H1C7

Date: Wednesday, October 4th

Details: Sacred fire will be lit at sunrise (8am)

Fire offering ceremony, candlelight vigil & community feast 6-8pm

Please contact Jes Croucher, Cultural Engagement Lead, at 780-747-3278 for more information.

 

Register our Sisters in Spirit Walk & Vigil 2023 at Lethbridge


Here is the information:

Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/690024962986585

Details: Lethbridge Sisters in Spirit Walk & Vigil, October 4, 2023

6:30 PM City Hall

6:45 PM - 7:55 PM Walk to Galt Gardens

7:00 PM Galt Gardens - Candlelight Vigil (Downtown Lethbridge, 5th Street and 3rd Avenue South)

Lethbridge will be hosting their 17th annual SIS Vigil, October 4th, to honour the lives of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirited and LGBTQQIA People.

Livestream at www.facebook.com/LethbridgeSistersInSpirit

Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at the event. Bring blankets and chairs as it might be chilly.

 

Register our community event at Athabasca Tribal Council


Event: SISTERS IN SPIRIT VIGIL

Location:  Osoyoos Indian Band, 1155 Sen Pok Chin Blvd

Oliver BC, V0H 1T8

The event will be at Inkameep Community hall, it will start at 5PM and include Drumming, singing, Stew, Bannock and balloon release.

And honor the life of our own MMIW, Roxanne Louie, who was murdered by her boyfriend’s grandmother- Grace Robotti.

 

Register our community event at Royal Canadian Mounted Police



Registration Form

October 4th, 2023 Sisters in Spirit Vigils

Main Contact Name

Sonya Gemmill

Main Contact Email

Sonya.gemmill@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Main Contact Phone

613 843 6737

Hosting Organization(s)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Mailing Address

73 Leikin Drive, M3, Mailstop #8

City or Town

Ottawa

Province or Territory

Ontario

Postal Code

K1A 0R2

Location of your vigil

RCMP Headquarters, 73 Leiken Drive Ottawa Ontario

Date of your vigil

Oct 4 ☒ Other:

Time of your vigil

11:00 am

Details of your vigil (i.e. rally, march, candlelight vigil, school assembly, moment of silence)

Elder guided addition of Eagle feather to National RCMP Eagle Staff to remember and honour MMIWG2S+ people across Canada, Moment of Silence

Is this your first year organizing a Sisters in Spirit vigil?

Yes ☐ No ☒

October 4th is a day when we honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people, support grieving families, and create opportunities for healing. The violence experienced by Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people in Canada is a national tragedy. United, we will demand action on an issue that impacts us all!

We are excited to provide support to help you host your vigil but are not capable of providing financial assistance, including event insurance and city permit fees. These fees are normally waived for advocacy events. Because we do not have permission from every family, NWAC cannot provide you with the names or photos of missing and/or murdered Indigenous women, girls or gender diverse people. The life stories, names, and images that we do have permission to use are available on the NWAC website at www.nwac.ca.

To register your vigil, email this form to vigils@nwac.ca

Once we receive your registration form, NWAC will send you the following items to help facilitate your SIS Vigil:

  1. Draft Speaking Notes: Tailor them to your event.
  1. Hands-on Activity and Instructions: to assist educators, workplaces, communities and individuals to honour family members of MMIWG.
  1. Buttons, Flags, and Balloons: 50 of each to distribute at your event.

Your Sisters in Spirit Vigil is part of a movement of honouring and social change for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.

 

Register our community event at Keepers of the Circle 


Name: Keepers of the Circle-TNWSG

Time: Healing Fire & Ceremony@2-4pm

Location: Keepers of the Circle- 121 Scott St. New Liskeard, Ontario (Outdoor Tipi)

Phone :1-855-647-7874 ext.4160

Mailing Adress: 121 Scott St. New Liskeard, Ontario P0j1P0

Another event details: 

Register our Sisters in Spirit Vigil event for October 4th

We will be hosting a sacred fire from 11am to 3pm in honour of MMIWG here at 109 Burnside drive, Kirkland Lake Ontario, P2N3P9.

Our contact person is Brianna Julien at 1-855-647-7874 ext. 2080.

 

Register our community event at St. Martin Catholic School


Location: St. Martin Catholic School - TCDSB

55 Salisbury Ave. Toronto, ON M4X 1C5

416 397-6536 ext. 1

Time: 10:30 am

Date: October 4, 2023

Contact Name: Rosanna Wiszniewski

 

Register our community event at Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Service


Register our event for the honoring the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse+ (WG2STGD+) people. kitigan Zibi Health and Social Service is hosting a get together on Oct 4, 2023 at 5:30 to 7pm at our Arbour in the community. We are inviting people to gather near a fire and talk about ways to bring more safety to our people.

 

Register our community event at Brampton Golf Club


We are hosting the either annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship next week at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, ON. We have 21 countries joining us, each with 3 junior girls (under 18 years old). The opening round of the tournament falls on October 4th. In recognition of this day we would like to incorporate information about the Sisters in Spirit Vigil and the importance of honouring the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse+ (WG2STGD+) people, through messaging ahead of the day to our participants, volunteers and spectators. Encouraging wearing blue, and offering a blue ribbon to wear in recognition of the day.

 

Register our community event at Portage Friendship Centre


  • Event: National day of Action for MMIWG2S
  • Date: October 4th, 2023
  • Time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Location: Eagles Fire Youth Centre 350 Saskatchewan Ave. W.
  • Includes: Opening prayer with Elder/Knowledge Keeper Darryl Taylor, Drum group Happy Eagle Singers, Walk of hope, Honorary speakers, refreshments – Ribbon Skirts and Drums are encouraged.
 

Register our community event at Pauquachin First Nation Health Dept


Name: Deadly Aunties, Nieces & Mama’s Program

Date: October 4th, 2023

Time: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Location: 9010 West Saanich Road, , North Saanich BC V8L 5W4

Cultural Room

 

Register our community event at Piwapan Women's Centre


Event: SISTERS IN SPIRIT VIGIL

Date: October 4th

Details: Walk will begin at 11am from the Lac la Ronge Indian Band Office to the Urban Reserve.

Lunch will be provided:

Chilli & Bannock

Contact Information: Laruren Ratt at 3064209946