NationTalk: Caroline Wawzonek, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, tabled the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) action plan in Response to the Calls for Justice on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.

The action plan, Changing the Relationship, aims to dismantle colonialism and racial and gendered discrimination from all levels of government and public institutions. It explains  how the GNWT will work to change the relationship between its departments, agencies, employees, policies, and processes, and their daily encounters with Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people.

Minister Wawzonek initially introduced the action plan in November 2020 as a draft and committed to engage with Indigenous governments, community governments, other partners, people with lived experience and all NWT residents to seek feedback before finalizing the plan.

Between May 31 and September 13, 2022, the GNWT Gender Equity Division travelled to 12 NWT communities to conduct engagement. The updated action plan reflects the feedback received during engagement, as well as updated information from GNWT departments and agencies. Minister Wawzonek also tabled a What We Heard report detailing the engagement.

Quote(s)

“Starting with the National Inquiry in 2015, the GNWT committed to incorporating lived experience from residents in addressing the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Guided by our engagements, this action plan fulfills this commitment and outlines the specific actions we will take to respond to the Calls for Justice. The GNWT will continue working with all Northerners and partners across Canada to support the much-needed work to address systemic causes of violence, inequality, and racism, so that indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people feel safe and empowered in our territory and across the country.

– Caroline Wawzonek, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Quick facts

• The GNWT’s Action Plan is presented in four parts:
  • Introduction: provides context for understanding the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
  • Acknowledging the crisis: explains the scope of the crisis and the need for an urgent response.
  • Changing the relationship: sets out a vision and objectives to bring about transformative change needed to begin to undo the effects of colonialism and racial and gendered discrimination.
  • Responding to the Calls for Justice: the GNWT’s detailed action plan to respond to the Calls for Justice on Culture and Language, Health and Wellness, Human Security, and Justice.
• The What We Heard report presents the results of engagement activities conducted between May 31 and September 13, 2022, and is organized according to the four key areas of rights violations identified in Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Culture, Health and Wellness, Justice, and Human Security.

Related links

• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
• Changing the Relationship Action Plan
• What We Heard Report

For media requests, please contact:

Todd Sasaki

Manager, Public Affairs and Communications

Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs

Government of the Northwest Territories

todd_sasaki@gov.nt.ca