Jacobs fatality inquiry will hear from Aboriginal women

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Recommendations will be presented by the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women at the Connie and Ty Jacobs fatality inquiry. The IAAW has gained standing at the inquiry and will base its presentation on the recently released report called Violence against Aboriginal Women.

"We have to get attention to the problems and the situations that Aboriginal women are facing, but we also want to focus on solutions," said Muriel Stanley-Venne, president of IAAW.

As part of the presentation, the IAAW president is planning on having Aboriginal women testify at the inquiry about the violence they have suffered . Statistics will be used as much as possible to demonstrate the magnitude of violence against Aboriginal women, said Stanley-Venne.

The IAAW report resulted from the Gathering our Strength Conference held last May. It is also based on three years of research by Aboriginal women in the area of family violence. A large part of the report also takes a skeptical look at Bill 19, The Protection Against Family Violence Act, proclaimed as law in Alberta last spring.

"We are going make about six very strong recommendations from the report," said Stanley-Venne. She will be under oath during presentation to the inquiry in April.

Some of the possible solutions the IAAW pointed to for Aboriginal women are the Guardian Angel program, which would offer in-home assistance by Aboriginal women advocates in the community to women in crisis. Mobile crisis intervention and support units that would reach out to women isolated in the north and other areas is also recommended.

The IAAW wrote to the Minister of Justice, Anne McLellan calling for an independant inquiry shortly after the shooting death of Connie and Ty Jacobs, along with AFN Chief, Phil Fontaine and Tsuu T'ina Chief, Roy Whitney.

A mother defending, in any way possible, the removal of her children is not out of the question for any of us as Aboriginal women, read a part of the letter.

McLellan was sent a copy of the IAAW report with a letter requesting funding for legal council to support their presentation at the inquiry. To date the IAAW has not received an answer from the minister and has no funding to pay for legal council.

Brad Enge, legal council for the IAAW, speculated that Justice Canada is wrestling with the issue of funding legal council for the Aboriginal women's group. Enge is providing his legal expertise pro bono.

"I am a strong proponent of social justice and I can utilize my 22 years of experience with the RCMP," said Enge. The director of the Indigenous Law program at the University of Alberta divides his time between there and a private practice. The nature of the inquiry requires legal expertise, but non-governmental organizations like the IAAW do not receive paid legal council, he said.

The institutions of the state are all protected by legal council who are testifying at the inquiry, stated Enge. But Judge Goodson did not see a connection between the IAAW and their contribution to the inquiry, he said. Goodson used his judicial authority to appoint legal council for several family members related to Jacobs.

Enge suggested other alternative funding sources such asf rom individuals or private organizations who wish to support the position of Aboriginal women's groups like the IAAW. So far there have been no contributions.

"We want to hear from any Aboriginal women out there who have experienced the heavy hand of child welfare or police," said Enge. The IAAW wants to document the situations of Aboriginal women who have had trouble with social services through testimony at the inquiry. It may be that only several women will need to be subpeonaed, said Enge. The busy Aboriginal lawyer thinks it is worthwhile to put Aboriginal women on the stand to bring to light the desparate situation they have been faced with.

"The one thing women fear when they are in trouble is losing their children. They are afraid to call the police," said Stanley-Venne. The pesident wants to build up support in the community for Aboriginal women to advocate change in the system.