A Brief Edmonton History: “Daughters Day celebrates the lives, contributions, and achievements of all daughters, while seeking to equip people to work for a world and community where every daughter has full opportunity to achieve all she can without discrimination or abuse.” From the Edmonton 2020 nomination form Daughters Day was a … Continue reading “Daughters Day 2020”
What can be said that has not already been expressed? Nothing has so much impact on a parent’s life than the birth and death of a child. My tiny helpless daughter was born in the early morning hours of December 28, 1974. I barely had a glimpse of her before she was whisked away to neonatal … Continue reading “September 1st ~ Unidentified Body Found”
Every year since 2000, CEASE ~ the Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation ~ in Edmonton has held an annual memorial in honor of all who have lost their lives through sexual exploitation. Some of our loved ones are missing, some were murdered, and others may have died from addictions, suicide or illness. All were … Continue reading “August 14 ~ CEASE Annual Memorial”
March 2020 started as an ordinary month. The first week I attended a couple physio appointments and visited my then 94-year old mother. She was already worried because we had visited Mexico in February and one of the first Covid cases in Alberta was a nurse who had also returned from a Mexico vacation. Oh … Continue reading “Coping with Covid – the first four months”
Dear Cara, Here you are first home from hospital and circa 1978 – 42 years ago – rocking a red dress & Deena Hinshaw haircut. On this National Day of Awareness, I would like to take a few moments to reflect on what I wish for all girls and women. As a child, … Continue reading “May 5 ~ National Day of Awareness for MMIWG”
Pondering during the Pandemic: When I decided to write today, I didn’t realize it was our National Day of Remembrance for all who’ve suffered injury or death while on the job. With the pandemic happening around the world the last couple months, it is especially important to remember those who work for the health and … Continue reading “April 28 – National Day of Mourning”
Calls for Justice: (First two paragraphs repeated from 11a.) “As the evidence demonstrates, human rights and Indigenous rights abuses committed and condoned by the Canadian state represent genocide against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. These abuses and violations have resulted in the denial of safety, security, and human dignity. They are the root causes … Continue reading “MMIWG Chap 11b ~ Calls for Justice”
Chapter 11: Valuing Lived and Front-line Experiences Between October and December 2018, the National Inquiry hosted four Guided Dialogues to identify best practices to increase safety, well-being, and the rights of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people in Canada. These were held in four locations across Canada and brought together front-line service providers and community … Continue reading “MMIWG ~ Chap 11a: Valuing Lived & Front-Line Experiences”
Chapter 10: “I am here for justice, and I am here for change. “ Commemoration and Calling Forth The National Inquiry is based on the foundation that women and girls are sacred. Early in 2019 the federal government launched a commemoration fund to honor the lives and legacies of the MMIWG and to increase … Continue reading “MMIWG ~ Chap 10: Commemoration and Calling Forth”
The Introduction to Section Three: Healing Families, Communities, and Nations outlines core principles that increase the effectiveness of supports for healing. These include: valuing wholeness – mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs interdisciplinary and systemic approach to services understanding the importance of cultural safety ongoing mandatory training to engage Indigenous communities in culturally safe ways, … Continue reading “MMIWG ~ Chap 9: Wellnesss & Healing”
