CALLS FOR JUSTICE
During our work to acknowledge and remember Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+), we focus on 14 specific Calls for Justice. These were chosen because they speak directly to the needs and experiences of our local community and campus, and they reflect three guiding priorities:
Education – Calls that highlight the role of schools, universities, and learning institutions in creating awareness, challenging harmful systems, and ending cycles of violence.
Community Needs – Calls that respond to ongoing issues in housing, health, policing, and safety that our communities face every day.
Pathways for Action – Calls that offer clear opportunities for individuals, organizations, and governments to take meaningful action.
By centering these 14 Calls, we honour the full scope of the Inquiry while creating a focused, accessible way to engage in discussion. These Calls are rooted in the realities of our region and remind us of our responsibility to reflect, learn, and act together
Loretta Saunders (Inuk, murdered 2014, Halifax)
Loretta was a bright university student writing her thesis on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls when she went missing. Her body was later found; she had been murdered in her own apartment. Loretta’s death shocked the country because she was researching this very crisis when she became part of it. Her story shows why a coordinated national action plan is essential: Indigenous women and girls must have the same rights to safety, housing, education, and health as everyone else, and action must be taken at the national level to stop preventable deaths.
Pamela Holopainen (Inuk, missing since 2003, Ontario)
Pamela disappeared at age 22 in Timmins, Ontario. Her family reported her missing, but they say police dismissed their concerns, suggesting she had just “run away.” Because her case crossed municipal, provincial, and federal lines, no one took ownership. This is what jurisdictional gaps look like: families begging for answers while systems argue over responsibility. The call reminds us that these gaps must be closed so no family is abandoned like Pamela’s has been.
Pamela Holopainen (Inuk, missing since 2003, Ontario)
Pamela disappeared at age 22 in Timmins, Ontario. Her family reported her missing, but they say police dismissed their concerns, suggesting she had just “run away.” Because her case crossed municipal, provincial, and federal lines, no one took ownership. This is what jurisdictional gaps look like: families begging for answers while systems argue over responsibility. The call reminds us that these gaps must be closed so no family is abandoned like Pamela’s has been.
Monica Jack (Nlaka’pamux, murdered 1978, BC)
Monica was only 12 years old when she was abducted while riding her bike near Nicola Lake. She loved her family and community, but her life was stolen before she had the chance to grow into her cultural identity. Protecting Indigenous languages and cultures means protecting the children who carry them forward. When girls like Monica are taken, it is not only a family that suffers, but an entire community’s future.
Immaculate “Mackie” Basil (Tl’azt’en Nation, missing 2013, BC)
Mackie vanished after leaving a gathering in Tachie, BC. Despite extensive searches, she has never been found. Her family and community continue to grieve, carrying trauma year after year without closure. Healing from such loss requires trauma-informed, community-based programs led by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Mackie’s story shows why Western models of support aren’t enough — Indigenous families need culturally grounded healing spaces.
Marcedes Myran (Long Plain First Nation, Winnipeg, murdered 2022)
Marcedes was one of four women murdered in Winnipeg in 2022. She lived in conditions where poverty, housing insecurity, and lack of resources left her vulnerable. Call 4.1 is about ensuring Indigenous women have the essentials for life: safe housing, clean water, food security. Without those basics, women like Marcedes face risks that others are shielded from.
Rebecca Contois (O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, murdered 2022, Winnipeg)
Rebecca’s remains were found in a landfill after her murder. She was only 24 years old. Advocates have said that women like Rebecca often have nowhere safe to go — shelters are overcrowded, underfunded, or unsafe for Indigenous women. This call demands Indigenous-led shelters and safe spaces where women can flee violence without fear of racism or exclusion.
Lisa Marie Young (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Nanaimo, missing since 2002)
Lisa was 21 years old when she disappeared after leaving a nightclub in Nanaimo. She was last seen getting into a red Jaguar with a man offering her a ride. Despite her friends’ immediate reports, the RCMP response was delayed. Her family has fought for over 20 years for answers. Lisa’s story is a local example of why policing must change. Indigenous-governed policing could have ensured her disappearance was taken seriously from the beginning. Her red dress reminds us that justice delayed is justice denied.
Call 5.7 Oversight of Police Services
Tamara Chipman (Gitxsan Nation, missing 2005, Prince Rupert)
Tamara Lynn Chipman, a 22-year-old Indigenous woman from the Gitxsan Nation, went missing in September 2005 while hitchhiking along Highway 16 near Prince Rupert, British Columbia—a region that would come to be known as the Highway of Tears due to the alarming number of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Her disappearance is one of the earliest cases to draw national attention to this crisis. Tamara left behind a young son, who was only a year and a half old at the time. Her family continues to search the forests outside Prince Rupert every year, hoping to bring her home. Tamara’s case highlights the urgent need for independent oversight of police services, as outlined in Call for Justice 5.7. Despite credible witness testimony that she was murdered, police delayed action, made biased assumptions about her lifestyle, and ultimately failed to bring anyone to justice. Her story reflects a broader pattern of systemic racism and negligence in how police handle cases involving missing Indigenous women. Independent, civilian-led oversight with Indigenous representation is essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice in cases like Tamara’s.
Shirley Ann Soosay (Samson Cree Nation, murdered 1980, California)
For 40 years, Shirley was a “Jane Doe.” Her body had been discovered in California, but she was only identified in 2021. Without Indigenous representation in courts and justice systems, families like Shirley’s are left without closure. Her story shows why Indigenous voices are needed in every courtroom — to ensure that every victim is named, honoured, and not forgotten.
Morgan Harris (Long Plain First Nation, murdered 2022, Winnipeg)
Morgan was a loving mother and grandmother, remembered for her humour and strength. Her remains were believed to be in a landfill, and her family had to fight authorities who initially refused to search. Healing from tragedies like Morgan’s requires Indigenous-led approaches — ceremonies, land-based healing, and family-driven advocacy. Western systems failed her, but Indigenous healing keeps her spirit alive.
Morgan Harris (Long Plain First Nation, murdered 2022, Winnipeg)
Morgan was a loving mother and grandmother, remembered for her humour and strength. Her remains were believed to be in a landfill, and her family had to fight authorities who initially refused to search. Healing from tragedies like Morgan’s requires Indigenous-led approaches — ceremonies, land-based healing, and family-driven advocacy. Western systems failed her, but Indigenous healing keeps her spirit alive.
Call 8.1 Prevent Exploitation in Transportation & Hospitality
Ashlee “Buffalo Woman” Shingoose (Cree, murdered 2022, Winnipeg)
Ashlee was one of the four women killed in Winnipeg by a serial killer who targeted vulnerable Indigenous women. Urban transit, hotels, and public spaces are known points of risk for trafficking and exploitation. Ashlee’s story calls industries to be vigilant — to recognize and protect those at risk instead of ignoring them.
Call 11.1 Education & Public Awareness
Roxanne Thiara (Gitxsan, Highway of Tears victim, murdered 1994)
Roxanne was only 15 when her body was found along Highway 16, the infamous “Highway of Tears.” Her story is one of many tied to that corridor, where systemic neglect and racism allowed violence to continue unchecked. Education about the Highway of Tears — and about Roxanne’s life — is essential if Canadians are to understand the root causes of this crisis.
Alisha “Leah” Germaine (Indigenous teen, Highway of Tears victim, murdered 1994)
Leah was 15 when she was killed near Prince George, BC. Indigenous girls like Leah are overrepresented in child welfare systems, often taken from families due to poverty or cultural bias. These systems disrupt family ties and increase vulnerability. Leah’s story underscores the urgent need to reform child welfare to support, not punish, Indigenous families.