Call for safe housing in Winnipeg in the face of deaths of Indigenous women

According to Hilda Anderson-Pyrz who chairs the National Family and Survivors Circlea circle of families and survivors, immediate action is needed to make the province safer for Indigenous women.

These measures include, according to her, better access to housing. She clarified that it is not just about providing more places in emergency shelters, but also about providing more transitional housing and long-term housing with adequate cultural and social support.

We are losing human lives, she warns. Hilda Anderson-Pyrz calls for political will citing the example of the government’s rapid response to the pandemic.

The current situation is very similarshe insists.

At least 11 Indigenous women and girls have been murdered in Winnipeg since June 2019, when the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was tabled.

Among the recent victims was Lori Ann Manchesse, 53, from Manitoba’s Ebb and Flow First Nation.

Her sister Norma Mancheese explains that due to the lack of housing in the First Nation, she sometimes stayed with friends or family members. She also traveled to Winnipeg where she was homeless or staying with friends.

Earlier this month, the body of Lori Ann Manchesse was found in a farmer’s field outside of Winnipeg.

Already in May, Winnipeg police reported the murder of three aboriginal women.

Tessa Perry, niece of Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, was among those killed in Winnipeg.

There’s been so much loss it seems we’re in a state of perpetual mourningemphasizes Ms. Anderson-Pyrz. We are in the midst of a crisis.

Special Advisor Judy Hughes of the CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada notes that when it comes to Indigenous women living in cities, there is a double challenge: finding affordable housing and having it in safe places.

We still have many landlords who refuse to rent to native womenshe explains.

They give the appointments for the native women, we go and see, then they call us back and the accommodation is no longer available. In many cases we know it’s just because they saw the color of the skinshe is indignant.

Ottawa delay

In fall 2020, Ottawa announced $724 million to support the creation of safe spaces and transitional housing for Indigenous women and girls trying to escape violence.

But this funding has not yet been used.

According to Judy Hughes, there is no excuse for this funding not to be distributed.

A spokeswoman for the office of Canada’s Minister of Status of Women and Gender Equality wrote in a statement that applications for the first round of funding have recently ended. She added that an announcement of the allocation of funds would be made over the summer, with implementation expected to begin in the fall.

Undeniably, there is still a long way to go, but we are heading in the right directionmentions Johise Namwira.

She adds that the department will continue to work closely with Indigenous peoples, families, survivors, communities, and provinces and territories as equal partners.