NWAC discouraged with lack of understanding of Indigenous issues demonstrated by questions at French-Language election debate

September 9, 2021

OTTAWA – The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is voicing concern with the questions about Indigenous issues that were posed to party Leaders at Wednesday night’s televised election debate.

“Despite a National Inquiry and 231 Calls for Justice, there were no questions on genocide, or Indigenous women specifically,” said Lynne Groulx, NWAC’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Indigenous issues cannot be addressed without a gendered component,” said Ms. Groulx. “Indigenous women have been left behind. We need a plan to end the human rights breaches taking place in Canada, to provide Indigenous women with access to safe water and housing, and to support their businesses.”

Not only were the leaders not asked how they will end the crisis of violence that is afflicting Indigenous women, there were no questions about the legacy of residential schools, or racism in healthcare, or how to bring economic prosperity to Indigenous people.

Instead, the leaders were asked about clean drinking water, Indigenous languages, and the 2020 Wet’suwet’en protests.

“All of those are important issues, especially the problem of the lack of clean water on reserves,” said Ms. Groulx.

“But there are real and substantial threats to the safety and security of Indigenous women across this country – issues that impact their lives in harmful and sometimes deadly ways – that the next Prime Minister of Canada will be forced to address,” she said. “Let’s hope they are raised when the Leaders debate in English.”

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