Trinity Mount Ministries

Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Monday, May 30, 2022

MMIWG Activist Pushing For Changes To Amber Alert System

 

A grassroots activist living in Vancouver who often speaks out on issues involving violence against Indigenous women and girls says she wants to see changes to the Amber Alert system.

Jamie Smallboy, originally from Maskwacis Cree Nation in Alberta, says she has more than 500 signatures on an online petition that will be presented to Justice Minister David Lametti to make that change happen – but is hoping for at least 500 more.

Smallboy says the case of missing 5-year-old Frank Young at Red Earth Cree Nation is just another example of a system that doesn’t serve missing Indigenous people.

“On a reserve, the opportunities to witness an abduction are not the same as in a city or in a town setting because you have people on every corner, but not on the reserve. We do have people that drive on the reserves looking and hunting for our women and our children,” she says.

“They don’t include that- it doesn’t even hit the Amber Alert criteria at all, so it needs to be adjusted to be inclusive of all the differences.”

When Young went missing on April 19, members of the public questioned why there was no Amber Alert issued.

RCMP Sgt. Richard Tonge said at an April 26 news conference that Frank’s disappearance didn’t meet the criteria to warrant an amber alert.

“There’s no evidence to support that Frank was abducted.  We’ve had numerous tips, some from as far away as Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon, Prince Albert.  We’ve been following up on those tips,” Tonge says.

“We’ve been fortunate our partner policing agencies have been taking this seriously and they’ve conducted very quick and thorough investigations to show that sightings in these areas were not Frank.”

But Aly Bear, third vice chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations doesn’t agree.

“There’s a lack of awareness, and when an Indigenous person goes missing, it’s not taken seriously,” says Aly Bear.  “It’s just on us, and we make the posts on Facebook, but it’s not the same as alerting the whole community.”

According to Smallboy’s petition, “Indigenous children are left without the support and resources connected to the amber alert when a child goes missing. They do not fit the criteria required for an amber alert to be issued. The criteria need to be adjusted to include our on-reserve children.

“It is critical to the safety and well-being of our children to have a system and alert in place for Indigenous children. Our Indigenous women and girls are going missing and being found deceased at alarming rates. A billboard campaign with an alert system connected to the missing person reports would bring much-needed awareness and attention to the disappearance of our women and children. These decisions are at the provincial and federal levels but are possible to put into action across Canada.

“We need your support in signing this petition. The more signatures we get the more weight the petition will have as it moves forward. Think of little Frank from Red Earth, Tina Fontaine, Chelsea Poorman, Billie Johnson and so so many others that could still be with us if we had proper alerts and systems in place.”

Smallboy believes the ball gets dropped many times by police when an Indigenous person is reported missing, and it starts when police ask for the caller’s name, and they hear it’s an Indigenous name.

“That kind of seems where the breakdown is, the individual’s bias.  They take it upon themselves ‘well, is this an emergency or not an emergency, is this person really missing or are they just Indigenous’- and they’re out partying, or they’re at a cousin’s or an auntie’s?”

Smallboy says she’s heading home this summer and will continue to gather signatures over the summer. An official federal petition needs 500 signatures – which she has.

Smallboy says she’s hoping to present the Change.Org petition to Lametti and the Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller this fall.



Saturday, January 5, 2019

Three People Charged in Human Trafficking Investigation Involving Tinder in Brampton

by Paige Petrovsky on January 4, 2019

Three people have been charged following a human trafficking investigation involving Tinder.

According to a press release from Toronto Police, on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, members of the Sex Crimes Human Trafficking Enforcement Team started an investigation regarding a human trafficking incident.

It is alleged that a woman met a man, 23, on the Tinder dating website. Police say the man attempted to persuade her into the sex trade. The woman refused but the man continued to harass her.

It is further alleged that a different woman met a man, 19, also on the Tinder dating website. The man, according to the press release, procured her into the sex trade. The man then transported her to a hotel in the Mississauga area.

According to the press release, the man took photos of the woman in various stages of undress, and then posted advertisements for sexual services on the classified ad website Leolist. The man made all of the arrangements for dates of sexual services and forced the woman to turn over all of her earnings in the sex trade to him. He also assaulted her and threatened her family.

It is further alleged that the same 19-year-old man introduced her to a man, 23, and woman, 23. The woman allegedly took photos of her in various stages of undress, and also posted advertisements for sexual services on the classified ad website Leolist. The woman made all of the arrangements for dates of sexual services and forced her to turn over all of her earnings in the sex trade. The victim complied and gave the money to the 19-year-old man or 23-year-old man.

Both men and woman used deception, intimidation and fear to exercise control over the actions and movements of the woman.

Joshua Hamblett, 23, of Brampton, is facing multiple charges including trafficking in persons by recruiting, procuring/recruit person to provide sexual services for consideration, advertising Another Person's Sexual Services, and financial/material benefit from trafficking in persons over 18.

Sashauna Wilkins, 23, of Brampton, is also facing multiple charges including trafficking in persons by recruiting, advertising another person's sexual services, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

Keagan Prophete, 19, of Brampton, was arrested and is facing multiple charges including trafficking in persons by recruiting, procuring/exercising control, material benefit from sexual services, advertising another person's sexual services, assault, and uttering threats.

Police are concerned there may be more victims.

Police are encouraging all affected individuals to come forward and report Human Trafficking occurrences. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).


Sunday, December 3, 2017

DOJ - Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

Readout of Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand Trip to Ottawa, Canada for Trilateral Summit on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls

Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand traveled to Ottawa, Canada on Thursday, Nov. 30, to lead the U.S. delegation in the Trilateral Summit on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls.  This is the second meeting of the trilateral working group.  The first was hosted by the U.S. in 2016 and next year’s meeting will be in 2018, hosted by Mexico.

Associate Attorney General Brand met with Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Canada’s Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs and Ismerai Betanzos Ordaz, Indigenous Rights Coordinator, Mexican Commission on the Development of Indigenous Rights.

“Tackling the issue of violence against Indigenous women and girls in our region and in the U.S. is not only a matter of criminal justice, but a moral imperative,” said Associate Attorney General Brand.

During the event, the three countries agreed to continue to prioritize the discussions, committing to continue the dialogue in 2018. Government representatives, in partnership with Indigenous women from across North America, will participate in events during the upcoming year, in preparation for the next meeting, which will be hosted by Mexico in the fall of 2018.

Themes discussed at this meeting were the importance of meaningful consultation with indigenous women regarding solutions to violence; promising practices for improving criminal justice responses to violent crimes against Indigenous women and girls; and the need for rigorous data collection to understand the full extent of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking in Indigenous communities.

To address this need for data, Associate Attorney General Brand has directed the Department’s National Institute of Justice to adapt an ongoing study on violence in Indian Country to add an inquiry about the prevalence rates of human trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls.

Canada, Mexico and the United States of America were also pleased to welcome Indigenous women from their respective countries to attend the event as full partners in order to ensure that their voices were included in the discussions. Indigenous women shared their experiences and perspectives, contributing to the development of outcomes for the working group.

The Department of Justice remains committed to addressing violence against indigenous women and girls in all of its forms through aggressive law enforcement and programs that serve victims.  The Department is committed to working with our international partners to share information and develop capabilities to address cross-border crimes like sex and labor trafficking together.

Associate Attorney General Brand’s visit supports the Justice Department’s continuing efforts under the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety.

Trinity Mount Ministries Website:
http://www.TrinityMount.Info

Friday, July 26, 2013

Walking for the missing and the murdered:

Written by Brenden Harris on Friday, 26 July 2013

Seven individuals are leaving Kenora today, as they continue to Tears 4 Justice Walk across the country. The goal of their campaign is to raise awareness for the amount of missing and murdered women and children in Canada. This is the fifth walk of it's kind taking place, with three of the individuals taking part in all five.

They arrived in Kenora Thursday, and held a meeting at the Ne Chee Friendship Centre where they each shared there stories. Alayna McIvor was one of those who shared their reasons for getting involved in the walk.

"I'm here in honour, and walking in honour of my cousin Roberta McIvor who was brutally murdered in my home community two years ago. Next week, July 30 will be the second anniversary of her death," she said.

"I'm not only walking in honour of my cousin, I'm walking in honour of two-spirit transgender people because that's who I identify as. My friends have been murdered in Winnipeg," McIvor added.

"I myself was taken and sold, at 12 years old, across this country," she said.

McIvor added that the men who are caught abducting women often face an easier time in prison, than the women who are at risk or have been abducted. Gladys Radek has taken part in all five walks. She says although their walk is not only about First Nations women, there are too many misconceptions when it comes to the missing and murdered women in the country.

"When we hear about a First Nations woman that goes missing we hear they're nothing but a drug addict, or a prostitute, or a drunk, or just another dead Indian. It's not right, we're human beings, all of us," she said.

She says it's their goal to give voices to those who can not be heard.

"We want to make a difference. We want to bring those families voices forward. We want justice. There's some of those cases that are 40 and 50 years old, and we're saying enough is enough," she said.

McIvor, Radek, Mabel Todd, Aleck Clifton, Becky Big Canoe, William Dick and Allision Manitowabi will continue walking for the next two months, towards their destination of Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

The walkers had received much support from those in Kenora, as the issue hits close to home. Unsolved murders of women have been reported for years across the district, including three in Kenora since 2000.