OTTAWA
Kathy Meyer was one of nearly 100 family members to share their story of losing a daughter, sister, wife or mother during a national gathering on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Feb. 26 and 27 in Ottawa.

A national roundtable on missing and murdered Indigenous women brought together aboriginal leaders and federal, provincial and territorial politicians in Ottawa on Feb. 26 and 27. - photo courtesy of the Status of Women Council

"I think it's good that it's coming out to become public knowledge for so many of the missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls," Meyer said.

"Getting together with other family members is always very uplifting and a renewal of hope."

Meyer's daughter Angela went missing Nov. 27, 2010 from her home in Yellowknife and has not been heard from since. The opportunity to share her story and meet others who have experienced a similar loss is a positive release, Meyer said.

The family gathering was a part of the two-day event that hosted premiers from across the country as well as federal and aboriginal leadership for a roundtable discussion.

"People need to know, they need to know that this is happening and really not to be ignorant or naive and just to be aware that this is happening and it is still happening today," said Meyer.

"I go on social media and see that someone else's daughter has gone missing."

Delegates of the meeting discussed measures to protect the demographic that is three times more likely to be victimized than non-aboriginal women.

"I think there was an appreciation that we all had to work together, that no it wasn't a problem for just one jurisdiction to resolve," said Premier Bob McLeod, who chaired the roundtable.

"I think we've agreed to do that through the fact that we will be having another roundtable before the end of 2016."

McLeod and Justice Minister David Ramsay were two of the NWT's delegates at the meeting. As the NWT representative on the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and chair of the AFN Women's Council, Terry Villeneuve was also in Ottawa for the roundtable.

"I would have liked to see a real concrete decision come out of this and that was my hope all along, that we wouldn't just sit there and listen to recommendations and nothing comes up in the end," said Villeneuve.

Two recommendations that Villeneuve felt would have a positive impact were the decision to host a second roundtable, as well as regional roundtables across the country.

There were key areas identified in the Ottawa meetings-prevention and awareness, community safety, policing measures and justice responses.

Delegates agreed to work together to develop a document outlining the national response to missing and murdered aboriginal women. This living document will take into account proposals from various governments, aboriginal leadership and from the families of missing and murdered women that were brought forward at the meeting.

An official review of those proposals is underway, said McLeod.

Delegates also committed to a workshop in Manitoba this summer on justice and policing and to promote a national campaign on missing and murdered indigenous women.

"I am hopeful that we are taking some steps. It's hard to say when this just happened and ended," said Villeneuve.

"At this point, I'd like to start on an actual working plan-something that we can start working on. I think it's time for action."

McLeod echoed Villeneuve's interest in seeing concrete measures taken on the issue but said there was progress made at this first roundtable.

"For the most part, I would say everybody was very appreciative of the meeting," said McLeod.

"I believe the national aboriginal organizations, who led the planning, I think were happy with the outcome."

A significant part of the event for both Villeneuve and McLeod was the participation of people like Meyer.

"It really added a lot because nobody can realize or appreciate the loss, the great loss and hurt that those families have and are enduring," said McLeod.

Seeing the conversation around missing and murdered indigenous women grow, Meyer said, instils hope that women like her daughter will be protected in the future.

"To see politicians, such as our premier, Bob McLeod, being proactive with this issue, and I must mention Perry Bellegarde (Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations) as well, we can tell that they do feel the emotions that we do," said Meyer.

"I'm very proud of Bob McLeod for taking the lead on this."