Premier John Horgan and Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, have issued the following statement in support of the Moose Hide campaign’s Provincial Gathering and Day of Fasting:

“By the age of 16, over half the women in British Columbia will experience physical or sexual violence. In Canada, Indigenous women and girls are tragically three times more likely to experience domestic abuse or be killed by someone they know than non-Indigenous women and girls.

“These are not just statistics, these are people: mothers, daughters, aunts and nieces; Elders, colleagues and friends. For the last 10 years, the Moose Hide campaign has worked to end this violence. Started right here in B.C., the campaign aims to spark 10 million conversations and commitments to action.

“Like so many other events, this year’s Gathering and Day of Fasting will look different — with people coming together online, rather than in person. But this day is more important than ever. The pandemic has increased the danger and isolation many women are facing. For Indigenous peoples, the effects of the virus are compounded by colonial injustices and systemic racism that echo through B.C. communities and institutions to this day.

“By proclaiming Feb. 11, 2021, as Moose Hide Campaign Day in the Province of British Columbia, we show our government is committed to the work of ending gender-based violence and racism that make so many Indigenous women, girls, gender-diverse and two-spirit people unsafe. Together with campaigns like Moose Hide, and with survivors, family members and communities, we will build a safer and more just province for everyone who calls this land home.

“By wearing Moose Hide pins and having conversations about this important campaign, we will all help bring ourselves closer to that brighter future.”