Sask. commits $400K to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+

The Government of Saskatchewan has committed $400,000 to support projects that enhance prevention and build safety for Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ (MMIWG+) Community Response Fund will support at least 10 community initiatives. Each will receive up to $40,000.

Starting Monday, First Nation and Metis communities and organizations, or organizations partnering with Indigenous entities are eligible to apply for the fund.

“This new funding program will support valuable community-led Indigenous projects to address the issues raised in The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” Don McMorris, the Minister Responsible for First Nations, Metis and Northern Affairs, said.

“What happens often is that there will be more projects, sometimes, than there is funding. That remains to be seen but we anticipate a good uptake, that there will be a number of projects that will come in to the ministry that we’ll be able to help out and get off the ground and fund. Hopefully this is an ongoing process.”

The government said it worked with four Indigenous women to develop the fund criteria and supporting documents.

“There’s still a lot of awareness that needs to be done in the non-Indigenous communities,” Myrna LaPlante, one of the four consultants, said.

“I’m hoping that [the fund] will raise awareness that will lead to prevention of this ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.”

Marlene Bear, another consultant on the project, said it’s time to stop being reactive when it comes to the MMIWG+ issue.

“We need to start doing some preventative work and bringing knowledge to the communities that domestic violence is not acceptable anywhere,” Bear said.

“I work in the far north and the resources there are so scarce that I don’t even think they realize what their communities are going through.”

The NDP opposition said this funding is a good starting point, but hopes to see more done in the future.

“I believe it’s very important that the folks that are being impacted by their loved ones being missing be asked how shall this roll out,” Betty Nippi-Albright, an NDP MLA, said.

“Families that have loved ones that are missing often struggle with the resources to help them in assisting them in the search for their loved ones.”

The funding was initially announced in the 2022-23 provincial budget.

The deadline for 2022-23 applications is Dec. 16, 2022.