OTTAWA – The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls will be holding a series of meetings and hearings in 2017 and 2018. For example, hearings are anticipated to proceed in three Phases, first with Family, followed by Institutional and finally Expert hearings. The Family hearings are set to begin the last week of May 2017.
Although family members and survivors of violence do not require standing to participate in hearings, all Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments and organisations require standing to participate in any of the Inquiry hearings.
Although the National Inquiry has not yet released a schedule of hearings for any of the three Phases, it is our understanding that the deadline for all applications for standing at any hearing or Phase must be submitted to the National Inquiry on or before 18 April 2017.
The National Inquiry’s website sets out the types of standing that may be granted (regional, national or issue-specific), who may apply, and eligibility criteria. That information, as well as an Application for Standing and other documents related to applying for standing, can be found online at:http://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/en/legal-notices-and-documents/.
If you have any questions regarding standing and the National Inquiry process, you can contact Christa Big Canoe or Susan Vella at the National Inquiry via Sue Montgomery at (514) 240-0368 or s.montgomery@mmiwg-ffada.ca.
