The inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls has entered the next phase with the naming of a five person commission. It will be headed by Marion Buller, a First Nations judge from B-C.
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says the commissioners will have a broad mandate to identify systemic causes of violence. Of particular interest will be policing and child welfare policies.
Federal Status of Women Minister Patty Hadju says the violence is a legacy from colonialism.
The inquiry will begin September 1st and run until the end of 2018 at an estimated cost of $53.8 million.
The Trudeau government also announced more than $16 million in funding to create family information liaison units in each province.
Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says these units will work directly with indigenous families to try to find out what happened to their loved ones they never heard from.
She became emotional when talking about the need to find the root causes of the disproportionate incidence of violence suffered by indigenous women and girls.
