Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton have issued the following statement:

“Our government has been clear that we support a national inquiry. We will be happy to share the learnings and progress coming out of our own Missing Women’s Commission of Inquiry here in B.C. as well as any input we can provide on ways to improve safety for Indigenous women and girls. I would expect we will also participate in any consultations and discussions that the federal government choose to hold as they develop plans around their inquiry.

“B.C. has made significant changes coming out of the missing women’s inquiry, greatly improving safety for vulnerable women in our province. In addition, we have provided compensation to the children of the victims, vastly improved police communications, established new police standards for bias-free policing, and established a robust provincial response for missing persons, including new missing persons legislation. We have also made our northern highways safer, helping to improve cell coverage on Highway 16 by almost 50%. Our work covers all the major themes recommended by Commissioner Wally Oppal, QC.

“In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Transportation is planning to announce further transportation improvements, drawing from the feedback and work that they and the First Nation Health Authority have been doing with communities along the highway. B.C. is also taking action on feedback from family members by planning a gathering for relatives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women to heal together by sharing their stories and their strength, and further identifying a path forward to end violence against Aboriginal women and girls.

“These actions – and the work that remains ongoing – form a comprehensive response to the recommendations, and should give British Columbians confidence our province is a safer place than when these tragic murders and disappearances happened more than 15 years ago.”