Manitoba’s government is recognizing Red Dress Day by pledging $350,000 to support five local Indigenous organizations.
The money comes from a $15-million endowment fund to support families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse people.
The fund, launched last year, is intended to help with initiatives like searching for missing people, funeral expenses, and healing opportunities.
Families minister Nahanni Fontaine said the province is hoping to see the fund continue to grow, with the goal to hit up to $50 million, which would mean annual returns of around $2 million.
“It’s open for every citizen to make a donation, alongside private partnerships,” Fontaine said. “We are actively engaged in looking at those private donations.”
The organizations benefiting from the funding announced Monday represent First Nations, Metis and Inuit populations across Manitoba, and provide direct support to families of missing and murdered.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, Giganawenimaanaanig, Infinity Women’s Secretariat, and Tunngasugit are each receiving some of the $350,000.
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Red Dress Day is a nationwide campaign, usually held May 5, aimed at drawing attention to the disproportionate rate of violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
One advocate says there have been strides made, but further action is still needed.
Angie Bruce, the University of Manitoba’s vice-president (Indigenous) told 680 CJOB’s The Start that 16 per cent of female homicide victims and 11 per cent of missing women are Indigenous, despite the fact that Indigenous people make up only 4 per cent of the Canadian population.
Bruce said the topic hits close to home for many Manitobans — herself included.
“It’s with us every day. As an Indigenous woman myself, I think about that. I think about my children, I think about my daughter.”
Bruce said this province is receiving plenty of attention on this topic, after the lengthy fight over searching a local landfill for the remains of three victims of a now-convicted serial killer.
“Here in Manitoba, in particularly with Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris and Ashley Shingoose, we are in the forefront of that fight.
“We’ve seen the search the landfill movement, Cambria Harris who really spoke strongly about the need to search the landfill, and then Manitoba, I think, responded to that by electing a government who moved that forward.”
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