The Assembly of First Nations is commending police in Winnipeg

The Assembly of First Nations is commending police in Winnipeg on the handling of the brutal sexual assault of 16-year-old Rinelle Harper of Garden Hill First Nation. Regional Chief for Alberta, Cameron Alexis, offered his thoughts and prayers to the girl and her family. Alexis leads the AFN’s work in addressing and ending violence against Indigenous women and girls. “Your strength at this difficult time is a testament to the resilience of our peoples,” he told the family. “I commend all efforts by local police to ensure justice is sought, and the community of Winnipeg in coming together to show their support. We must all stand together to condemn these senseless acts of violence, particularly by our own people. We must stop hurting one another, we must end the pattern. We have so many challenges before us, it is essential that we remain united and positive for the future of all of us – our children, our peers, our families,” said Alexis. Two First Nations men have been charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon. “This kind of senseless violence must end, and it starts with all of us. It is an absolute requirement that our peoples have access to adequate supports to ensure that we can all remain safe and secure and prevent these kinds of horrific incidents from happening in the first place. This is why a National Public Commission of Inquiry looking into root causes of violence and vulnerability is so urgently required, particularly at a time when three-quarters of Canadians support it.”