For months it’s been well-known that the MMIWG inquiry was going to ask Ottawa for a two-year extension.
Chief Commissioner Marion Buller appeared on Nation to Nation last month and said a formal request was being worked on.
That request has still not been made.
“So we’re working on the draft still,” she said in an interview on N2N. “We are going to hear from advisors about what we’ve done in our draft, edits to be made, whether we’ve made mistakes, things to add, things of that nature.”
“We want to get it right the first time. So that we’re not going back to the government again.”
Buller expected an extension would take the inquiry to Mar. 31, 2020. She also explained what the inquiry would do with the extra time and money.
“To hear from more people, to hear from more experts, to spend more time in institutional hearings. To give more time to our research team to do the in-depth research that has to be done, rather than skimming the surface, doing a very superficial job,” she said.
“We have the opportunity to go deeper and that’s going to affect the quality of our recommendations. They’ll be better. They’ll be more concrete. They’ll be more usable.”
Union of Ontario Indians Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee was in Ottawa Thursday to show his opposition to a request by the Chalk River Nuclear Lab for a 10-year license renewal.
He also talked about the upcoming legalization of marijuana on N2N. Host Todd Lamirande asked him if Ontario First Nations are ready.
“No, obviously we’ve been trying to tell both levels of governments that this should have taken more time.”
As well, Max FineDay, co-executive director of Canadian Roots Exchange, appeared on the show. He is also an interim board member of the newly created national reconciliation council.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett announced the council a month ago as a response to numbers 53 to 56 in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
FineDay sees the new body playing the crucial role of a watchdog in reconciliation.
“To make sure that in this post-apology era, that we’re in, that we’re committed and we’re sincere with our efforts to advance reconciliation and to allow Indigenous people to have the same quality of life as any other Canadian.”
tlamirande.ca
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Marion Buller talked about listening. She said nothing about following any suggestions. Also talking what we want done. Nothing about the reality only what she wants done.
Marion Buller talked about listening. She said nothing about following any suggestions. Also talking what we want done. Nothing about the reality only what she wants done.