Guide to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry

Operation Lady Justice: [U.S.] Federal Government Resources on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP), Part 1—Congressional Publications, Executive Orders, Proclamations, and Public Laws, and Task Forces and Initiatives, 2015–2022 - Elizabeth Sanders, DTTP 

Independent Civilian Observer’s Report on investigation of complaints of law enforcement abuses involving Indigenous people: English summary | French summary | full French report (October 15,  2020) (PDF)

Institutional Indifference: Learning from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2020 blog post) CoCo - Centre for Community Organizations

Red Women Rising: Indigenous Women Survivors in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (2019) - Carol Muree Martin and Harsha Walia, Downtown Eastside Women's Centre 

Study of gender-based violence and shelter service needs across Inuit Nunangat (2019) - Pauktuutit Women of Canada

Re-establishing their lives: Issues relating to affordable housing for women and thier children escaping violent relationships in Northern Manitoba (2019) - Colin Bonnycastle, Judith Hughes, Marleny M. Bonnycastle, Kendra Nixon, Allison Groening, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives 

Housing needs of Indigenous women leaving intimate partner violence in Northern communities (2019) - Allison Groening, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives 

Answering Calls to Justice: A National Action Plan on Ending Violence (2019) - Courtney Skye, Yellowhead Institute 

Ending Domestic and Family Violence in the North: The Next Step in Reconciliation (2019) - Crystal Gail Fraser, Public Policy Forum (PDF)

Accessibility and Disability for Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People : Informing the new Federal Accessibility Legislation (2018) - Leah Quinlan, Native Women's Association of Canada (PDF)

Ongoing Systemic Inequalities and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada, presented to Ms. Dubravka Šimonović United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences  (2018) - Legal Strategy Coalition on Violence Against Indigenous Women (PDF)

Chairperson-Initiated Complaint and Public Interest Investigation regarding Policing in Northern British Columbia: Chairperson's Final Report After Commissioner's Response (2017) - Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (PDF)

Cost of doing nothing: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2017) - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba (PDF)

Fast Facts: Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls: The cost of doing nothing to prevent tragedy (2017) - Marina Puzyreva, John Loxley, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Walking Together: Ontario’s Long-Term Strategy to End Violence Against Indigenous Women (2017) – Government of Ontario

NWAC's national Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Highlights of the Key Findings and Recommendations (PDF)

Nipimit Nanisiniq – Finding Voice : Report on the Pre-Inquiry Consultation Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2016) - Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Sources of Information on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2016) – Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (Government of Canada)

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Gender, Indigenous rights, and energy development in northeast British Columbia, Canada Report (2016) – Amnesty International

UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Report of the inquiry concerning Canada of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women under article 8 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (2015) - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (PDF)

Investigation Report - Access Denied: Record Retention and Disposal Practices of the Government of British Columbia (2015) - Elizabeth Denham, Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (PDF)

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Justice Framework to Address Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls (2016) – Government of British Columbia

Review of Reports and Recommendations on Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada (2015) – Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (PDF)

Missing and murdered Indigenous women in British Columbia, Canada (2015) – Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (PDF)

Missing and murdered Aboriginal women: 2015 update to the national operational overview (2015) – RCMP

Engaging Inuit men and boys in ending violence against women and girls: gap analysis  (2015) - Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Critical choices: rural women, violence and homelessness: a local research study to examine factors influencing rural women, with a focus on indigenous women, to stay in or leave their communities when fleeing violence and facing homelessness and the supports they require  (2014) – Northern Society for Domestic Peace (PDF)

Action plan to address family violence and violent crimes against aboriginal women and girls (2014) – Status of Women Canada (Government of Canada) 

INVISIBLE WOMEN: A CALL TO ACTION - Report of the Special Committee on Violence (2014) – Special Committee on Violence Against Women (Government of Canada) (PDF)

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of Indigenous peoples – Addendum: The situation of indigenous peoples in Canada (2014) – UN Human Rights Council 

Trafficking of aboriginal women and girls (2014) – Indigenous People’s Health Research Centre / Public Safety Canada (Government of Canada) (PDF)

Sexual exploitation and trafficking of Aboriginal women and girls: literature review and key informant interviews: final report (2014) - Native Women's Association of Canada (PDF)

Those who take us away: abusive policing and failures in protection of indigenous women and girls in Northern British Columbia, Canada (2013) – Human Rights Watch report

Inuit vulnerabilities to human trafficking (2013) - Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Forsaken: The Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (2012/2013) – Government of British Columbia (PDF)

Blueprint for an inquiry: learning from the failures of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (2012) – BC Civil Liberties Association

Aboriginal Affairs Working Group report to provincial and territorial ministers of Aboriginal affairs and national Aboriginal organization leaders: a framework for action in education, economic development and violence against Aboriginal women & girls (2011) – Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (Government of Canada) (PDF)

Call into the night: an overview of violence against aboriginal women: interim report: Standing Committee on the Status of Women (2011)   – House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (Government of Canada)

Ending violence against Aboriginal women and girls: empowerment-a new beginning: report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (2011) – House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (Government of Canada)

Aboriginal women's initiative: literature review (2011) – YMCA Canada

Collaboration to end violence: national Aboriginal women's forum: report on outcomes and recommendations from working sessions (2011) – British Columbia Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation (Government of BC) (PDF)

Violence against aboriginal women: scan and report (2011) – Canadian Women’s Foundation (PDF)

Aboriginal Affairs Working Group report to provincial and territorial ministers of Aboriginal affairs and national Aboriginal organization leaders: a framework for action in education, economic development and violence against Aboriginal women & girls (2010) – Aboriginal Affairs Working Group (Government of Canada) (PDF)

What their stories tell us: research findings from the Sisters in Spirit initiative (2010) –Native Women’s Association (PDF)

Issues Related to the High Number of Murdered and Missing Women in Canada (2010) – Coordinating Committee of Senior Official Missing Women Working Group (PDF)

Missing Women Investigation Review: Summary report (2010) – Vancouver Police Department (PDF)

No More Stolen Sisters: The Need for a comprehensive Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada (2009) – Amnesty International (PDF)

Violent victimization of Aboriginal women in the Canadian Provinces, 2009 – Statistics Canada (Government of Canada)

Trafficking of aboriginal women and girls in Canada (2009) – Institute on Governance (Government of Canada)

Aboriginal Women and Family Violence (2008) – Public Health Agency of Canada (Government of Canada)

Addressing funding policy issues: INAC-funded women’s shelters (2008) – National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence (PDF)

A Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Aboriginal Women (2007) – Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) & Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) (PDF)

A collective voice for the victims who have been silenced: The Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report (2006) – Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Carrier Sekani Family Services, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Prince George Native Friendship Center, and Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment & Training Association (PDF)

Ending Violence in Aboriginal Communities: Best Practices in Aboriginal Shelters and Communities (2006) – National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence (NACAFV) (PDF)

Researched to death: B.C. Aboriginal women and violence (2005) – Ending Violence Association of BC (PDF)

Stolen Sisters: Solutions and Resources – Amnesty International

Violations of Indigenous Human Rights Special Rapporteur Investigation (2002) – Native Women’s Association of Canada (PDF)

Moving towards safety: responding to family violence in Aboriginal and Northern Communities of Labrador (2002) – Provincial Association Against Family Violence (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) (PDF)

Indigenous women and youth in the sex trade: a systematic review of culturally relevant support systems for exiting the trade (2019) - Surman Kang, University of Windsor Thesis 

Canada, the Perpetrator: The Legacy of Systematic Violence and the Contemporary Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2018) - Gabriel Sy Ancil, Indiana University Thesis

Representations of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canadian Art (2018) - Yasmin Juliet Strautins, Trent University Thesis

Where did that come from? Indigenous activists discuss the creation of Canada’s National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Inquiry (2017) – Lorimer S. Shenher, Royal Roads University Thesis

"When You Change the Life of a Woman, You Change a Nation.": Analyzing the Experiences of Indigenous Women's Organizations and Organizers in Canada  (2017) - Laura Meyers, Queen's University Thesis 

Showing and telling the story of Nikis (My Little House): An Arts-based Autoethnographic Journey of a Cree Adult Educator (2017) - Brenda Isabel Wastasecoot, University of Toronto Thesis

White Gatekeeping and the Promise of Shelter: Confronting Colonial Logics within Women’s Anti-Violence Services (2016) – Monique E. Harvison, Queen’s University Thesis

Preventative education for Indigenous girls vulnerable to the sex trade (2016) - Dustin William Louie, University of Calgary Thesis

"Acts of Resistance": Reclaiming Native Womanhood in Canadian Aboriginal Theatre (2016) - Melissa Colleen Campbell, University of Toronto Thesis 

The Canadian Carceral State: Violent Colonial Logics of Indigenous Dispossession (2016) - Katie Thibault, Queen's University Thesis 

Memorializing Individuals, Seeking Justice for Communities: The Epidemic of Systemic Violence Against Indigenous Peoples and the Role of Art and Public Response in Bringing About Social Change (2016) - Amanda Ferris, East Carolina University Thesis

#AmINext? : A discussion on the sexual violence and trafficking of Aboriginal women in Canada and the link to domestic extractive industries (2015) – Marissa Jean Taggart, University of California Santa Barbara Thesis

Exploring the Potential Relationship between Historical Trauma and Intimate Partner Violence among Indigenous Women (2015) - Melissa Renee Holder, University of Kansas Thesis 

Finding identity through design: re-envisioning Ikew-Widdjiitiwin, an Aboriginal women’s shelter (2014) – Jennifer Norrie, University of Manitoba Thesis  

Warrior Women: Indigenous Women’s anti-violence engagement with the Canadian State (2014) – Robyn Sanderson, Bourgeois, University of Toronto Thesis

Along the Highway: Landscapes of National Mourning in Canada (2014) - Jordan Claire Hale, University of Toronto Thesis 

An Awkward Silence: Missing and Murdered Vulnerable Women and the Canadian Justice System  (2013) - Maryanne Pearce, University of Ottawa Thesis (PDF)

Invisibility, Disappearance and reclamation: A Sociological Investigation into the Location(s) of Aboriginal and African Women in Canada (2011) – Safia Gahayr, University of Toronto Thesis

Domestic violence in Aboriginal communities: a context for resilience (2011) – Anita Olsen Harper, University of Ottawa Thesis

Justice that is Healing: Responding to Domestic Violence in Aboriginal Communities (2011) - Gloria Workman, University of Waterloo Thesis

Image and memory: art about missing and murdered Aboriginal women (2010) –Amber Benson, Concordia University Thesis

University students’ perceptions and reactions to Aboriginal women victims of sexual assault (2010) –  Judy M. Kienas, University of Manitoba Thesis

Bio-Power and death by culture: the em-bodiment of disposability: The femicides and disappearances of Aboriginal women in Canada and las Muertas de Juarez (2007) – Paulina Garcia del Moral, Queen’s University Thesis

Aboriginality & sexualized violence: the Tisdale rape case in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix (2006) – Natalie Kallio, Concordia University Thesis

Crime, cultural reintegration and community healing: Narratives of an Inuit community (2004) – Kate J. Burkhardt, University of Windsor Thesis (PDF)

Aboriginal women and violence, a standpoint analysis (2001) - Lisa Audrey Murdock, University of Manitoba Thesis

An examination of the ability of mainstream institutions to meet the needs of Aboriginal victims of domestic violence (1998) – Sandra L. Stoker, University of Manitoba Thesis

Violence against Inuit women in the Canadian eastern Arctic (1996) – Evelyn Zellerer, Simon Fraser University Thesis

Intimate partner abuse: First Nations Women's experience (1996) - Bette Brazier, University of New Brunswick Thesis 

Indigenous girls and sexual exploitation in a rural B.C. town: a Photovoice study (1995) - Johanne Saraceno, University of Victoria Thesis

Reconciling truths: reimagining public inquiries in Canada (2022) - print book

Red dresses on bare trees: stories and reflections on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (2021) - print book

Stampede: misogyny, white supremacy, and settler colonialism (2021) - print book

Highway of Tears: a true story of racism, indifference, and the pursuit of justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (2019) - print book

If I go missing (2019) - print graphic novel

Keetsahnak: Our missing and murdered Indigenous sisters (2018) - print book &  ebook

Women and gendered violence in Canada: an intersectional approach (2018) - print book

Ohpikiihaakan-ohpihmeh = Raised somewhere else : a 60s Scoop adoptee's story of coming home (2018) - print book

Red light labour: sex work regulation, agency, and resistance (2018) - print book

The wetiko legal principles: Cree and Anishinabek responses to violence and victimization (2018) - print book

Disrupting shameful legacies: girls and young women speak back through the arts and address sexual violence (2018) - print book

Responding to human trafficking: dispossession, colonial violence and resistance among indigenous and racialized women (2017) - print book 

Making space for Indigenous Feminism (2017) - print book

Violence against Indigenous women: literature, activism, resistance (2017) – print book

No home in a homeland: Indigenous peoples and homelessness in the Canadian North (2017) - print book

Obstruction of justice: the search for truth on Canada's Highway of Tears (2016) - print book

Forever loved: exposing the hidden crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada (2016) – print book

The colonial problem: an indigenous perspective on crime and injustice in Canada (2016) – print book

The Break (2016) - print book [Fiction] 

Remembering Vancouver’s disappeared women: settler colonialism and the difficulty of inheritance (2015) – print book

Stolen sisters: the story of two missing girls, their families and how Canada has failed Indigenous women  (2015) – print book

Indivisible: Indigenous human rights (2014) – print book

Those who take us away: abusive policing and failures in protection of Indigenous women and girls in North British Columbia, canada (2013) - ebook

Sexual assault in Canada: law, legal practice and women’s activism (2012) - ebook

Cruel but not unusual: violence in Canadian families (2012) - print book 

Blueprint for an inquiry: learning from the failures of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (2012) - print book & ebook

Torn from our midst: voices of grief, healing and action from the Missing Indigenous Women Conference 2008 (2010) – print book

Dark legacy: systemic discrimination against Canada's first peoples (2010) - print book

Remembering women murdered by men: memorials across Canada (2006) – print book

Conquest: sexual violence and American Indian genocide (2005) – print book

Surviving in the hour of darkness: the health and wellness of women of colour and indigenous women (2005) – print book & ebook

Sacred lives: Canadian aboriginal children & youth speak our about sexual exploitation (2000) – print book

Searching for books

Try searching for the following subjects in the Sofia Discovery tool to find additional books:

Human Trafficking Canada

Indian Women Crimes Against Canada

Indians Of North America Canada Social Conditions

Indigenous Peoples Crimes Against Canada

Indigenous Women Violence Against Canada

Missing Persons British Columbia

Missing Persons Canada

Murder Victims Canada

Women Violence Against Canada

 

Australian Film Comission: Nice Coloured Girls (1987) - Access to Concordia users on Media Streaming and DVD

Donna’s Story (2001) - Access to Concordia users on NFB Streaming

Finding Dawn (2006) – Access to Concordia users on NFB Streaming and DVD

Heels to heal (2017)  Access to Concordia users on NFB streaming

Highway of Tears (2015) - Access to Concordia users on DVD

Mother of many children (1977) - Access to Concordia users on NFB Streaming and DVD

Protect our future daughters (2017) - Access to Concordia users on NFB streaming

Stolen Sisters (2007) - Access to Concordia users on Medial Streaming and DVD

The Spirit of Annie Mae (2002) - Access to Concordia users on NFB Streaming and DVD

This river (2016) - Access to Concordia users on NFB streaming

Women, Contemporary Aboriginal Issues, and Resistance (2016) - Access to Concordia users on NFB Streaming

 

Canadian Newsstream Canadian English daily newspapers, including the Globe & Mail, Montreal Gazette, Toronto Star, National Post and many regional and local papers.

Eureka.cc Canadian/Quebec newspapers and magazines in French and English, includes La Presse, Le Devoir, and L'Actualité.

CPI.Q Canadian magazine articles and news sources.

APTN Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Ongoing coverage about the MMIWG Inquiry from APTN

CBC News MMIWG Missing and Murdered: the Unsolved Cases of Indigenous Women and Girls, ongoing coverage from CBC News

Toronto Star: Inquiry Insider Gone: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, ongoing coverage from Toronto Star Newspaper

Suggested Keywords and Search Phrases: 

Use a combination of the suggested searches below, there is no one perfect search, there are also many social issues related to violence against indigenous women, that may not specifically address the inquiry.  You will want to try at least two different searches. 

1. To search for articles that specifically mention the inquiry use: 

(MMIWG OR "Missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls" OR "Missing and murdered indigenous women and girls") 

2. To search for articles about violence and crimes against indigenous women in Canada, use: 

(Indigenous OR Aboriginal OR "first nations" OR Inuit OR Metis) 

AND (women OR woman OR girl* OR female*)

AND (murder* OR violen* OR traffic* OR abuse OR missing OR crime* OR exploitation)

Tips:

• Putting two or more words in between quotation marks, searches them as a phrase, for example: "first nations"

• Putting an * at the end of a word, the database fills in the suffix or ending of that word for you, for example: violen* will find the words violence and violent

• Putting OR in between synonyms or related keywords tell the database that it may find any of those words in the abstract, title or subject terms of the articles

• Putting AND in between keywords tells the database that it must find all of those words in the abstract, title or subject terms of the articles

 

ProQuest Combined Canadian Scholarly Canadian journal articles, Canadian newspaper articles, & theses

Tip: Check the box beside Peer Reviewed when searching to exclude news articles.

Academic Search Complete Canadian, American and international scholarly journal articles, multidisciplinary

Tip: Check the box beside Scholarly (peer reviewed) journals to exclude non-scholarly articles.

Bibliography of Indigenous Peoples in North America Scholarly articles covering Indigenous culture, history and life in North America

Tip: Check the box beside Scholarly (peer reviewed) journals to exclude non-scholarly articles; use the ‘Choose databases’ option on the top menu to combine Academic Search Complete and the Bibliography of Indigenous  Peoples in North America.

HeinOnline Law Journal Library Canadian and American scholarly law journal articles.

Tip: Click on Advanced Search, then from the Subject drop down menu, choose Canadian Law, to limit your search.

Journal of Canadian Women and the Law

Special volume of the journal, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Conference / Symposium sur Meurtres et disparitions de femmes et de filles autochotones.

Suggested Keywords and Search Phrases: 

Use a combination of the suggested searches below, there is no one perfect search, there are also many social issues related to violence against indigenous women, that may not specifically address the inquiry.  You will want to try at least two different searches. 

1. To search for articles that specifically mention the inquiry use: 

(MMIWG OR "Missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls" OR "Missing and murdered indigenous women and girls") 

2. To search for articles about violence and crimes against indigenous women in Canada, use: 

(Indigenous OR Aboriginal OR "first nations" OR Inuit OR Metis) 

AND (women OR woman OR girl* OR female*)

AND (murder* OR violen* OR traffic* OR abuse OR missing OR crime* OR exploitation)

Tips:

• Putting two or more words in between quotation marks, searches them as a phrase, for example: "first nations"

• Putting an * at the end of a word, the database fills in the suffix or ending of that word for you, for example: violen* will find the words violence and violent

• Putting OR in between synonyms or related keywords tell the database that it may find any of those words in the abstract, title or subject terms of the articles

• Putting AND in between keywords tells the database that it must find all of those words in the abstract, title or subject terms of the articles