Chief Jackie Thomas of Saik’uz First Nation says she will not welcome the missing women’s inquiry commission back to her community because she fears it will be a one-sided investigation.
Her comments came after a visit from members of the commission to the community on August 1.
“It seems like a really one-sided story that they are going to hear.
“They are going to hear the RCMP and government side instead of the regular people,” Chief Thomas told the Express on Thursday.
In a statement released by Saik’uz First Nation on August 2, Thomas stated three key reasons why she has serious doubts about the integrity of the inquiry.
These are the lack of funding for all groups who have lost women and have had “close calls” so that they can fully participate in the hearings; the decision of the commission to meet with area mayors and leaders separately, and the decision to use scare resources to meet with political leaders instead of the families directly involved.
“I don’t know what kind of a report they are going to get in the end – the writing I see on the wall is they are going to get the answers that they want and do they really want to do justice to our women?” said Chief Thomas.
The missing women’s inquiry will hold a number of forums in September in Northern communities, the dates of which have yet to be announced.
