The Mandate of the National Inquiry

The National Inquiry must look into and report on the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls, including sexual violence. We must examine the underlying social, economic, cultural, institutional, and historical causes that contribute to the ongoing violence and particular vulnerabilities of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The mandate also directs us to look into and report on existing institutional policies and practices to address violence, including those that are effective in reducing violence and increasing safety.

While the formal name of the Inquiry is “the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” our mandate covers all forms of violence. This makes our mandate very broad. By not being limited to investigating only cases of Indigenous women who went missing or were murdered, we can include women and girls who died under suspicious circumstances.

It also means we can address issues such as sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, bullying and harassment, suicide, and self-harm. This violence is interconnected, and can have equally devastating effects. Expanding the mandate beyond missing and murdered also creates space for more survivors to share their stories. They can help us look to the future from a place of experience, resilience, and hope.

Truth Gathering Process

The stories of families and survivors are the heart and soul of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The National Inquiry has three parts to its Truth Gathering Process.

• Part I focused on gathering information from families and survivors through Community Hearings and Statement Gathering events. While registration for Part I events closed on April 20, 2018, through this process the National Inquiry heard 1484 testimonies from families and survivors in the following locations:

City	Province	Date
Whitehorse	Yukon	May 31 – June 1 2017
Smithers	BC	Sept. 26 – 28, 2017
Winnipeg	Manitoba	Oct. 16 – 20, 2017
Membertou	Nova Scotia	Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2017
Edmonton	Alberta	Nov. 7 – 9, 2017
Saskatoon	Saskatchewan	Nov. 21- 23, 2017
Maliotenam	Quebec	Nov. 27 – Dec. 1,2017
Thunder Bay	Ontario	Dec. 4 – 6, 2017
Yellowknife	NWT	Jan, 23 – 25, 2018
Moncton	New Brunswick	Feb. 13 – 14, 2018
Rankin Inlet	Nunavut	Feb 20 – 22, 2018
Happy Valley-Goose Bay,	Newfoundland and Labrador	Mar. 7 – 8, 2018
Montreal	Quebec	March 12 – 16, 2018
Thompson	Manitoba	Mar. 20 – 21, 2018
Vancouver	BC	April 4 – 8, 2018
Prince George	BC	Feb. 5 – 7, 2018
Lower Post	BC	Feb. 28 – Mar. 2, 2018
Downtown Eastside, Van.	BC	March 27 – 29, 2018

Part II – Institutional Hearings

Institutional Hearings will examine the systemic causes of institutionalized violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ peoples and the policies and practices that are in place to keep women and girls safe. Through a series of Institutional hearings, the National Inquiry examines issues such as policing practices and relationships with Indigenous communities and hear from government service providers, health authorities and others. The National Inquiry also hear from grassroots and community organizations (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous) to gather their knowledge and on-the-ground experience.

City	Province	Date	Agenda	Purpose
Calgary	Alberta	May 28 – June 1	Government Services	How lack of mental-health care, victims services and housing contribute to the vulnerability of Indigenous women.
Regina	Saskatchewan	June 25 – June 29	Police Policies and Practices

Part III – Knowledge Keepers and Expert Hearings

Knowledge Keeper and Expert Hearings examine a range of key topics that inform the work of the National Inquiry. These hearings gather testimony from a wide range of experts that include Elders, Knowledge Keepers, academics, legal experts, front-line workers, young people and specialists. As part of the hearing process, National Inquiry lawyers and Parties with Standing have the opportunity to ask questions of the experts or cross-examine them for clarity.

The process is designed to ensure the National Inquiry receives best possible information and advice from the expert witnesses – evidence that helps the National Inquiry understand the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA peoples and develop concrete recommendations that will reduce violence and increase safety.

Expert Hearings on topic such as Indigenous laws, decolonizing perspectives, human rights, racism, international law, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) provide the framework pieces that will shape the National Inquiry’s analysis and reasoning and help inform our decolonizing, gendered, culturally specific, and rights-based approach.

City	Province	Date (2018)	# of witnesses	Comment
Quebec City	Quebec	May 14 – May 17	Human Rights Framework
Toronto	Ontario	June 12 – June 14	Racism

Iqaluit	Nunavut	Sept. 10-13, 2018	Colonial Violence	Socio-economic, health and wellness impacts
Quebec City	Quebec	Sept. 17-21, 2018	Criminal Justice System	Oversight and accountability
Winnipeg	Manitoba	Oct. 1-5, 2018	Family and Child Welfare	Family Supports and domestic violence
St. Johns	Nfld. & Lab.	Oct. 15-18, 2018	Sexual Exploitation	Human trafficking and sexual violence