Montreal, March 23, 2015 – In a letter to the Prime Minister Stephen Harper the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) request that he hold a National Commission of Inquiry into the disappearance of Aboriginal women and girls in our country.
Committed in the name of its faith to the struggle for justice and peace, the CRC is adding its voice to that of many others who have requested such a commission. Some of its members, men and women religious, have worked or are still working with Aboriginal communities and the situation of our First Nations sisters is very close to our heart.
By itself the number of 1,186 unexplained disappearances justifies the holding of an inquiry that would at the very least allow the victims’ families and their communities to bear witness to the loss of a loved one.
The Canadian Religious Conference represents 203 congregations counting 15,000 members and is the association of Roman Catholic religious community leaders in Canada.
The letter is signed by the president of the CRC, Sister Rita Larivée, SSA.