A local police force is looking to shed some light on "the dark history of Canada" through an evocative social media campaign aimed at stimulating conversation about a topic many don't like to talk about.
Friday is the National Day for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S) and the Rama Police Service has been working hard to raise awareness about the day and its importance.
Over the past week, Rama police have worked with Wewena Minidoodawin Health and Social Services to create a series of social media posts centred around the 231 calls for justice that arose from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
“The only way we're going to ever change, I believe, the dark history of Canada, is if we educate ourselves on it, and we talk about it,” Rama Police Inspector Tom Batisse told OrilliaMatters.
“But if we don't talk about it, and we don't educate ourselves on it, how are we going to expect things to change?”
Batisse said “it’s the responsibility of all Canadians” to work on initiatives related to reconciliation and MMIWG2S, but he said the police play an integral role in the discussion and in keeping communities safe.
“We're responsible, I believe, to ensure that victims, vulnerable people, are supported, and that's our role and our responsibility,” said Batisse. “It's really our responsibility to support those individuals that are healing and going down that journey, so any support we can provide to anyone that's vulnerable or a victim of any crime, particularly human trafficking, we're there for them.”
On what is also known as Red Dress Day, Friday, a sunrise ceremony and breakfast will be held at the John Snake Memorial Community Grounds, off Rama Road, in Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
“To honour our women and honour those within MMIWG2S, we're going to start off the day with the sunrise ceremony that's going to occur at 6 a.m … then there's going to be some speeches from some leaders within the community,” Batisse said. “It's just getting together to bring further awareness and support one another on this particular day.
“Everyone is welcome to attend. No one is excluded, and in fact, we encourage people to attend.”
The social media campaign, which features community members and members of the Rama Police Service, is meant to spark those discussions beyond the bounds of Red Dress Day itself.
“Normally what happens is people will come together and honour those that are impacted directly or indirectly on the day of, and then they'll return to their sort of normal daily activities, and go about life in general,” Batisse said.
“What we wanted to do as a police service, and in collaboration with our partners, is we wanted to advance the knowledge and the education (about) the MMIWG2S.”
Rama Police Service's social media campaign may be found on its Instagram and Facebook pages.
Beginning in 2016, the National Inquiry in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls spoke with thousands of survivors, experts, and knowledge keepers, held community hearings, all ahead of releasing its report in 2019.
The report, which contains the inquiry’s 231 calls for justice, may be found here.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Support Line may be accessed 24/7, at 1-844-413-6649.
The Hope for Wellness Hotline may also be reached 24/7, at 1-855-242-3310.
