Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.

Head Office
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
Nelson House, Manitoba
R0B 1A0
www.mkonorth.com

Thompson Sub-Office
200-701 Thompson Drive
Thompson, Manitoba
R8N 2A3

Winnipeg Sub-Office
6th Floor, 338 Broadway
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 0T2

Office of Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson

Media Release

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Brennan Manoakeesick

Phone: (204) 795-0449
Email: brennanm@mkonorth.com

December 8, 2015
3:00 p.m. EST

MANITOBA NORTHERN CHIEFS WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS

OF PROGRESS ON INQUIRY INTO
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS
ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, GATINEAU, QUEBEC - Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson of
the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Inc. (MKO) acknowledged and welcomed todays
statements by the Prime Minister, the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister, the Justice
Minister and the Status of Women Minister that government has started the design phase of a
national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. I
acknowledge the Prime Minister and his new government for immediately following through on
their promise to launch a national Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and
Girls and for making the inquiry a top priority, said MKO Grand Chief North Wilson.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made his statements in a speech delivered this morning to the
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Special Chiefs Assembly being held in Gatineau, Quebec.
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Justice Minister Judy WilsonRaybould and Status of Women Minister Patricia Hajdu made their announcements about the
first phase of an expected $40 million two-year inquiry process during a press conference held
this afternoon on Parliament Hill.
The MKO Grand Chief welcomed the Prime Ministers commitment that we must work
together to put an end to this ongoing tragedy. Grand Chief North Wilson stated, MKO is
committed to continuing our work with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Southern
Chiefs Organization and with the AFN Regional Chief for Manitoba to provide our contributions
toward the design phase of the national inquiry on MMIW that was announced today.
MKO is committed to seeking the wisdom of our Grandmothers and the families of missing
women and girls to guide our work in support of the national inquiry through a families first
approach, added the MKO Grand Chief. MKO looks forward to working closely with AMC
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak, SCO Grand Chief Terry Nelson and Regional Chief Kevin T. Hart
as well as with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Bennett, Justice Minister WilsonRaybould and Status of Women Minister Hajdu in designing and planning how the National
Inquiry will be carried out in Manitoba, concluded the MKO Grand Chief.
-30~Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. is a non-profit, political advocacy organization that
has represented 30 First Nation communities in Manitobas North since 1981~