Tiar Wilson, communications advisor with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, says there are no details yet available about the commission’s stop in Edmonton next week.
“At this point, I’ve been told I can’t say anything regarding Edmonton,” said Wilson in a phone conversation Thursday morning with Windspeaker.com. “We will have something shortly about what’s happening in Edmonton.”
The national inquiry will be hosting regional meetings on April 18 to April 20 in Edmonton to meet with families and survivors, grassroots and frontline organizations, as well as regional political bodies in preparation for hearings.
Muriel Stanley Venne, president of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, said her organization is still doing the paperwork to be able to present next week.
“We’re going to be involved and are just in the midst of trying to figure out their different classifications. We think we should fit in all of them,” said Stanley Venne.
According to the National Inquiry website, regional meetings are “essential because this is how families and survivors can make requests as to how a hearing in a specific community or area will proceed. That means you can have input on how the hearings will take place and what kind of cultural practices and protocols we will respect and honour.”
Muriel Stanley Venne says she is frustrated with the process.
“I wish I had more hands-on information,” she said. “It really appears as if they have communication problems.”
Wilson said that lack of communication is a criticism she is well aware of.
“We’ve heard it from family members directly,” she said.