Crown Corporation Responses Also Included for the First Time

NationTalk: This morning, the Government of Saskatchewan released a comprehensive, 37-page cross-ministry report, Five Years of Reclaiming Power and Place, Saskatchewan’s Response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG+). Minister of Justice and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre was joined by First Nations and Métis guests at an announcement at the Saskatoon Police station in Saskatoon.

Some key initiatives in the report include:

• $255 million dedicated in this year’s provincial budget to First Nation and Métis communities and organizations, an increase of $6.1 million from 2023-24, which focus primarily on educational and economic supports.
• $31.7 million dedicated in this year’s provincial budget to combating gender-based violence by providing safe housing, counselling services and intervention programs across Saskatchewan. Some of these include:

• capital and annualized operational funding for second-stage housing for the first time in the history of the province;
• the Family Information Liaison Unit, which provides culturally-sensitive supports to the families of MMIWG+;
• Indigenous family violence programs;
• transition houses for women and children escaping interpersonal violence;
• enhanced residential services providing short-term shelter for people experiencing violence, mental health issues or homelessness; and
• Family Intervention Rapid Support teams (FIRST) in communities across the province to protect vulnerable families at risk.

• $21.7 million invested by the Government of Saskatchewan in the RCMP First Nations Policing Program and funding for police positions dedicated to the investigation of long-term missing persons across the province; and a pilot project launched in collaboration with the Saskatoon Tribal Council to provide intensive cultural supports and reintegration programs to women frequently incarcerated for minor offences.
• One of the first provinces to enact legislation to protect victims of human trafficking from coerced debt with The Protection from Human Trafficking (Coerced Debts) Amendment Act, 2023. This follows other, significant legislative developments in recent years to address human trafficking and exploitation in Saskatchewan.
• Doubling the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ Community Response Fund to $800,000.
• Among the first provinces to sign on to the federal National Action Plan to End Gender-Based violence (NAP), which will provide $20.3 million to enhance programs and services that address interpersonal violence and abuse over the next four years.
• ‘Face the Issue’ multi-phase social media campaign launched to raise awareness about red flags of abuse; and, also, a province-wide poster campaign to address human trafficking and sexual exploitation, which includes posters in high traffic locations such as restaurants, gas stations and libraries across the province.

“This report provides an important overview, compiled by the Ministry of Justice, of the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment and efforts to respond to the urgent and tragic issue of MMIWG,” Eyre said. “We are committed to continuing to engage with our Indigenous partners to provide culturally sensitive supports to families navigating the justice system and Indigenous-led programs that address root causes of violence.”

“Saskatchewan will continue to collaborate with our Indigenous partners and federal and provincial counterparts to take action against gender-based violence; foster healing for victims and survivors and promote safety in all our communities,” Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis, and Northern Affairs Don McMorris said. “The development of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ Community Response Fund has been guided by the voices and experiences of Indigenous women. Last year, twelve community-led projects received support through this fund to address the issues raised in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.”

“The impacts of gender-based violence have lasting effects on the survivors, their families, and our communities,” Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Laura Ross said. “That is why the province offers programs that provide direct support and funding as well as awareness campaigns like ‘Face the Issue’ to help people understand the challenges and find solutions. We are working on multiple levels to support, inform, and prevent violence in Saskatchewan and across Canada.”

Find the report here: Saskatchewan Responses to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

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For more information, contact:
Noel Busse
Justice
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8959
Email: cpjumedia@gov.sk.ca