Red Dress Day Canada Missing and Murdered Women Girls 2Spirit Two-Spirit Trans vigil march event Montreal
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TODAY: There’s a Montreal vigil & march for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & 2Spirit people

by Lorraine Carpenter

“Let’s join together to honour the lives of those who are no longer with us, to learn from activists and elders, and to be inspired to action by the songs and performances of Indigenous artists.”

A vigil is taking place at Cabot Square in Montreal today to mark the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQ+. A march will follow, proceeding down Ste-Catherine from Atwater to Union, site of the Bay department store.

“Too many Indigenous families have lost their loved ones to racist, misogynistic, colonial violence. Too many Indigenous women, girls, trans and Two-Spirit people wonder if they will be next. This can’t go on.

“With the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls having recently been published, it’s time to take stock of its recommendations on how this genocide against Indigenous communities can and must be stopped.

“We refuse to allow the countless hours of testimony and knowledge that thousands of Indigenous people poured into the inquiry go to waste. We have all the information we need. Now is the time to act.”

Confirmed speakers at the event include Kevin Deer, Ellen Gabriel, Autumn Godwin, Traveling Spirit drums and MC Sarah Carriere. The organizers — Centre for Gender Advocacy and Iskweu — encourage participants to bring their own drums.

Sisters in Spirit events are happening across Canada on Oct. 4. to honour and raise awareness about the countless women, girls, 2Spirit and trans people from First Nations and Inuit communities that have disappeared, been killed or been harmed by violence over the years.

The Assembly of First Nations, which is mandated to raise awareness about and address the issue of violence against Indigenous women, reports that Indigenous women and girls are five times more likely to be the victims of violence than other populations in Canada, and that that violence tends to result in more serious harm. To view the final report by the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, please click here.

TODAY: There’s a Montreal vigil & march for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & 2Spirit people

The Montreal MMIWG2ST vigil and march will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more details, please visit the event page.

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by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.