NWAC Calls on Elected Leaders Across Canada to Denounce Racism, Sexism and the Epidemic of Violence Against Indigenous Women
OTTAWA — August 21, 2026 — The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is calling on elected leaders at all levels of government to speak out clearly and act decisively against racism, sexism, misogyny, and intersecting forms of hatred and discrimination that continue to place Indigenous women and girls, Two-Spirit people, and gender-diverse people at disproportionate risk of violence.
NWAC joins Quebec Native Women (QNW) in expressing solidarity with the three Indigenous women who were violently assaulted in Pessamit, Quebec, on August 16, 2026, as well as with their families and the Innu Nation of Pessamit. According to media reports based on police information, the women were attacked during a home invasion involving a blunt weapon. Their injuries ranged from minor to serious, and the condition of one of the women was described at the time as life-threatening.
This attack cannot simply be viewed as another isolated act of violence. It is part of a broader national crisis in which Indigenous women continue to experience extraordinarily high levels of violence. Statistics Canada reported in 2026 that, according to the 2025 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, 52% of Indigenous women had experienced sexual assault and 57% had experienced physical assault since the age of 15.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls documented the systemic and intersecting causes of this violence and issued 231 Calls for Justice. These Calls for Justice require sustained action from governments, institutions, service providers, industries, and the Canadian public—not only after tragedy occurs, but every day through prevention, accountability, and the protection of the fundamental rights of Indigenous women.
“Elected leaders cannot remain silent while Indigenous women continue to be targeted by violence. Every leader in this country has a responsibility to denounce racism, sexism and misogyny, reject the dehumanization of Indigenous women, and take action. Indigenous women have the right to be safe in their homes, their communities, and everywhere in Canada.”
— NWAC
“As Quebec approaches the launch of a general election, political party leaders have an essential opportunity to make the safety of Indigenous women and children a central priority in their commitments. Reconciliation also requires concrete action to prevent violence, protect victims, and ensure safe living environments.”
— Marjolaine Étienne, President, Quebec Native Women (QNW)
NWAC Calls for Immediate National Leadership:
• Every elected leader—federal, provincial, territorial and municipal—should publicly condemn racism, sexism, misogyny, and the intersection of hatred and discrimination that contributes to violence against Indigenous women.
• The Prime Minister, provincial premiers, and territorial leaders should make clear public commitments to concrete measures that prevent violence and improve the safety of Indigenous women.
• Governments should demonstrate measurable progress on the 231 Calls for Justice, including in the areas of prevention, policing and justice, safe housing, health, economic security, transportation, victim services, and culturally safe supports.
• Governments should fund Indigenous-led violence prevention, safety, and healing initiatives and work directly with Indigenous women and Indigenous women’s organizations in their implementation.
• Police services, justice systems, and public institutions must respond promptly to violence against Indigenous women and without racial or gender bias, while respecting victims, survivors, and due process.
Silence is not neutrality. When racist and sexist stereotypes are tolerated, when violence is minimized, or when Indigenous women are treated as deserving less protection, the conditions that allow violence to persist are reinforced.
NWAC calls on governments and the Canadian public to reject this normalization. Indigenous women should not have to prove that their lives matter before institutions respond. Safety, dignity, and equality are fundamental human rights.
NWAC will continue to call on governments for measurable accountability and concrete implementation of the Calls for Justice. The country must move beyond expressions of concern following each act of violence and build systems that prevent violence before another Indigenous woman is harmed, goes missing, or is killed.
Enough is enough. Violence against Indigenous women must end.
Background
• Statistics Canada, Gender Differences in Experiences of Violence and Unwanted Sexual Behaviours in Canada, 2025 (released in 2026).
• National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report and the 231 Calls for Justice.
• Recent information concerning the incident in Pessamit is based on media reports citing the Sûreté du Québec.
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Media Contact:
Native Women’s Association of Canada
communications@nwac.ca