MMIWG Fact Sheet: Update by teams (06/27/2017)
National Inquiry MMIWG started up in September 2016. The following highlights are some of the work completed from then until May, 2017.
Health
- Established Employee Assistance Program with support line and face to face counselling services.
- Hired two Counsellors for Inquiry personnel to provide clinical debriefing as well as wellness training.
- Developed and implement a critical training path for Inquiry personnel and internal policies relating to wellness and risk management
- Analysis of Health support services throughout the country (ongoing).
- Provided health support services to participants of regional and national advisory meetings.
- Established a case management process for individuals who participate in the inquiry inclusive of an initial contact, intake and monitoring process to ensure well-being of families and survivors.
- Fostered relationships with local Elders and traditional knowledge keepers to ensure protocols are respected in local territories where Inquiry is working.
Community relations
- Organized meetings with a national advisory Family Circle and held consultative meetings with various organizations in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal and Whitehorse.
- Established links between families, survivors, Indigenous organizations and the National Inquiry.
- Fostered positive relationships and established cultural protocols.
- Coordinated consultation meetings with various groups (families, elders, members of LGBTQ2S communities and youths).
- Held many respectful and culturally appropriate discussions with organizations, families and survivors.
Legal
- Developed procedures for the Community Hearings of the Truth Gathering Process, expert panels, hearings in addition to procedures for receiving artistic and written expressions through expert panels, institutional hearings and written testimony, in addition to artistic expressions.
- Drafted Legal Path: Rules of Respectful Practice approved in principle by the Commissioners.
- Started document collection and storage from institutions and governments.
- Drafted legal forms for use throughout the Inquiry (on-going).
- Engaged in opening files for and conducting preliminary interviews with survivors and family members to inform of their options for participation and prepare for their sharing of information with National Inquiry.
- Drafted the notice of application for standing guidelines and funding application procedures for organizations and institutions that wish to participate in the Truth Gathering Process.
- Followed up on more than 100 applications for standing.
Communications
- Developed communications plan and procedures for sharing of information.
- Created the mmiwg-ffada.ca website and its content, as well developed the National Inquiry newsletter, videos and general information podcasts.
- Coordinated creation and distribution of communication tools.
- Responded to media requests for information across Canada.
Operations
- Established a service team to coordinate human resources, financial management, contracting, accommodations, information technology in support of all the National Inquiry activities.
- Launched the hiring process of staff in October 2016. Every selected candidate has to undergo a secret security screening process, which is done by the Private Council of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police over a number of weeks.
- Created an information management team to establish policies and standards for organizing, storing, protecting and preserving National Inquiry records; to develop procedures for the filing of National Inquiry records at the end of the Inquiry.
- Opened offices in Vancouver (BC) – Headquarters –, Wendake (QC), Winnipeg (MB), Saskatoon (SK) and Ottawa (ON) for teams from coast to coast.
- Developed and sought approval of the budget and related signing authorities for the National Inquiry by the Prime Minister of Canada Treasury Board.
Research
- Prepared the National Inquiry research plan and strategy.
- Developed a process to collect hundreds of documents, research and scientific studies to support the National Inquiry.
- Prepared research reports on various topics such as the notion of “regions,” maps and statistics, among other topics, to support the National Inquiry.
- Drafted a glossary of terms for a common use by staff.
Information
Toll-free: 1-844-348-4119
General information: info@mmiwg-ffada.ca
Fax: 604-775-5009
P.O. Box 500, Station A
Vancouver, BC V6C 2N3
www.mmiwg-ffada.ca
Emergency telephone line, 24 hrs, 7 days: 1-844-413-6649
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