NDP MP Barron calls to improve public safety measures to protect Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ people

June marks the 21st anniversary since Lisa Marie Young, a Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation woman and Nanaimo resident, vanished without a trace. The NDP is demanding more action be taken to prevent this from occurring again.

NANAIMO – On Friday, NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo – Ladysmith) sent a letter to the Minister of Public Safety to urge him to provide adequate resources to serve and protect Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ people and to make sure loved ones of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and Girls (MMIWG) find the answers and justice they deserve.

“What Lisa Marie Young’s family has to live through every single day, is the reality for thousands of families all across Canada,” said Barron. “Not knowing what’s happened to your children is really the worst situation that any parent can go through. And, shamefully, for decades, federal governments have systemically ignored what these families are going through, and what’s happened to Indigenous women and girls.”

In Canada, there are believed to be more than 5000 Indigenous women and girls who are missing, and one-third of these cases are in British Columbia alone.

Just weeks ago, the Liberals cut $150 million from women shelters that help women fleeing violence, and they’ve only implemented two of the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into MMIWG.

“This is a genocide, and the Liberals only plan of action is saying nice things, without doing the work that’s needed to get answers,” added Barron. “Indigenous women and girls deserve better. That’s why I’m urging the government to implement the Calls for Justice, especially those around improving police services capacity so that can investigate MMIWG. This needs to happen so families like Lisa Marie Young’s don’t have to keep living through this trauma.”

The annual march for justice for Lisa Marie Young will be held in Nanaimo on Sunday, June 25th, starting at 11 am at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment located at 303 Prideaux Street.