A large group of people packed into a room at Nanaimo's Vancouver Island University on Thursday, Oct. 3 for a Sisters in Spirit Ceremony, honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

calls to action

‘Stronger together:’ Sisters in Spirit Ceremony at VIU honours missing and murdered Indigenous women

Oct 3, 2024 | 1:07 PM

NANAIMO — Students at a local university paid tribute to those lost and amplified calls to action for missing and murdered Indigenous women with a Sisters in Spirit Ceremony.

Oct. 4 marks the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit Individuals, with a ceremony held at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Nanaimo campus on Thursday, Oct. 3, to mark the solemn occasion.

VIU Indigenous student representative Leah Vaisanen told NanaimoNewsNOW this event and the national day of action is very close to her heart.

“I’ve lost family members due to this issue, and I have been abused very harshly, and I have the privilege to use my voice to speak up the truth and share my story while these women cannot because they’re missing and/or murdered.”

VIU Indigenous student representative Leah Vaisanen addressing the crowd during the Sisters in Spirit ceremony at VIU on Oct. 3. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Around 70 people filled the Royal Arbutus Room at VIU Thursday morning, hearing stories from elders and survivors of the abuse they’ve endured throughout their lives, and the steps they feel still need to be taken to prevent future tragedies.

Vaisanen said the timing of the event coincides with the provincial election campaign, and with a federal election on the horizon as well, it’s crucial to have their voices heard.

“Whoever is in power next, they need to be held accountable to all that is happening to our people, and the ongoing racial discrimination….together we can make a big change, and we’re stronger together.”

Vaisanen said that regardless of who is in power, more must be done to move forward the 94 calls to action referred to by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was completed in 2015.

So far, only 13 of the 94 recommendations have been completed, with no calls to action completed in 2023.

She said out of the 231 calls for justice recommended by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ completed in 2019, only two have been made.

Experts say at this rate, all of those recommended calls to action won’t be complete until 2081.

“I’m tired of hearing broken promises and all the future words that politicians are saying and nothing is getting done…if we keep going at this rate we’re going, we’re never going to come to true reconciliation. I hope the politicians right now, can not feel so comfortable.”

According to an October 2023 Statistics Canada report, 490 Indigenous women and girls were victims of homicide between 2009 and 2021, a murder rate six times higher than non-Indigenous women.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow