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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 30, 2016 | 10 Sisters in Spirit tribute Oct 4 in Towne Square by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Organizers of Oakville's upcoming Sisters In Spirit gathering are calling a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women and children a welcomed opportunity to begin the healing process. Hosted by the Women of Halton Action Movement (WHAM) and Sheridan Centre for Indigenous Learning & Support, the Sisters In Spirit tribute at Towne Square Tuesday, Oct. 4 will be one of more than 200 taking place Canada-wide that day. The event joins people to remember the lives of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. The local vigil will feature The REDress Project, which uses red dresses to draw attention to the issue and is promoted in colleges across the country, as well as appearances from local dignitaries. Sisters In Spirit works to identify root causes and circumstances of violence that has led to the disappearance or deaths of Aboriginal women and girls in Canada. "This is the biggest door opened that I've seen in these 10 years of more A Sisters In Spirit gathering will be held Tuesday, Oct. 4 at Towne Square to remember the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Organizers, include, from left, Elijah Williams, Karen Hill, Sherry Ardell, Paula Laing and Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, president and CEO of Sheridan College . The red dresses are symbolic of the REDress Project. Nathan Howes photo and more women and children killed or gone missing. We have a timeframe of four years that he's (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) in power, hopefully longer," said Paula Laing, Aboriginal initiatives co-ordinator at the Sheridan Centre for Indigenous Learning & Support. "We need to act on it immediately and we hope that it continues. It's going to take a long time." Laing said there are currently more than 1,800 missing or murdered Aboriginal women and children in Canada. "Many stories are telling us those are unsolved murders. Half, or more, of that number are missing. Some talk about how they've gone into sex trafficking," said Laing. The Sheridan Centre co-ordinator said this is the "first year in history" the Canadian government has formally investigated the issue. "(Former prime minister) Stephen Harper would not recognize it as a national concern. He said it was being handled in the communities," said Laing. "To see our women murdered, (go) missing and not investigated is shameful," said Laing, who lives on Six Nations reserve. She called the government's inquest a "definite positive" because she personally knew many of the individuals who have been killed or went missing in her community. "To me, it has value. Now we're really listening to the true stories. According to the inquiry, this first year is supposed to be learning the truth from families and hearing the stories." Once the inquiry concludes, Laing said the Aboriginal community would like to see "advanced teaching" or sensitivity training to eliminate stereotypes she feels are prevalent in law enforcement agencies. "You need to have the police sit down and listen to the stories of the mothers and families of those children that were murdered," said Laing. "It's hard not to be angry about how we are depicted in this present culture. Where are all the positive stories? I have three university degrees, I was a straight-A student, I've never drank, I've never done drugs. There's no alcohol in my house." Laing added, "My brothers and sisters all have jobs. There are more successful people than we ever give credit to." Sherry Ardell, WHAM member, said Amnesty International considers the issue a "human rights crisis." "One of the things people can do is come out Oct. 4 for one hour. It's an hour of healing, it's an hour of learning and it's an hour of standing in solidarity, honouring these women," said Ardell. There are misconceptions about indigenous individuals that are "permeated in our system," Ardell said, which is why she and Laing have a political call-to-action. see Action on p.11 passion. Myles finds joy through leadership, perseverance and responsibility. Read more at hsc.on.ca/ourstories Hillfield Strathallan College warmly invites you to attend our upcoming Open House on Wednesday, October 5. Call 905-389-1367, or visit hsc.on.ca today.