News and Updates from SSUC's MFTR Team
Red Dress Day honours the lives of all the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR), and raises awareness of this critical issue.
Every year on May 5, red dresses are displayed in windows as a reminder of all the pain experienced by loved ones, survivors, and those lost.
Indigenous people have been targeted at much higher rates when it comes to going missing or being murdered. Statistics consistently show that rates of violence against Métis, Inuit and First Nations people are much higher than those for non-Indigenous people in Canada, even when all differentiating factors are accounted for.
This violence against Indigenous people is systemic and is a national crisis that requires urgent, informed and collaborative action.
Indigenous women make up 16% of all female homicide victims and 11% of missing women, even though Indigenous people make up only 4.3% of the population of Canada (source: Assembly of First Nations).
On May 10, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society will mark the birthday of “Spirit Bear” with Bear Witness Day for Jordan’s Principle, named after Jordan River Anderson, who died in 2005 at the age of five. It promotes equitable access to services for First Nations children and serves as a day for reconciliation and awareness.
Moose Hide Campaign Day: May 14, 2026
Start Time: 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Location: Edmonton City Hall (1 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton)
Join the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta (ISCA), Elders and Knowledge Keepers, community members, and the City of Edmonton in standing together to end violence against all women and children.
On Moose Hide Campaign Day, take part in a powerful day of reflection, unity, and action. Participate in the pledge, attend the ceremony, listen to inspiring speakers, and walk together in solidarity.
As part of the #fasttoendviolence movement, wear your moose hide pin and join the community in sharing stories, culture, and a collective vision for a safer future.
The day will include cultural performances, meaningful teachings, and a group pledge bringing everyone together in a shared commitment to end violence.
May 17 following the gathering, you are invited to enjoy a Pot Luck lunch and the Indigenous board game The Truth in Truth and Reconciliation.
For the potluck- if your name begins with A-G, please bring vegetables/fruit, with H-M please bring dessert, or N-Z please bring sandwiches.
The Indigenous board game The Truth in Truth and Reconciliation prompts conversations about the socio-economic impact of policies and practices on Indigenous individuals today.
Edmonton is addressing some of the systemic issues highlighted in the Indigenous initiatives: the Red Dress Day May 5 and the Moose Hide Campaign May 14. We as Treaty Six People need to be aware of these:
In November 2022, City Council approved the City of Edmonton’s MMIWG2S+ Action Plan. In this plan, the Indigenous Relations Office presented a way forward that the City could support – short, medium, and long-term actions under the themes of awareness building, addressing underlying causes and Indigenous resurgence.
In the MMIWG2S+ Action Plan, there are 4 themes identified through conversations with community members involved in the local efforts to eradicate violence against Indigenous Peoples: Awareness, Addressing, Resurgence and Advocacy.
MMIWG2S+ Action Plan outlines commitments form the city of Edmonton to:
- Staff training & Education
- Learning and Celebrating (through partnerships between the city and the community)
- Denounce and speak out against violence against Indigenous people,
- Adopt a liveable income
- Call upon Elders, Grandmothers and other Knowledge Keepers to establish community-based trauma-informed programs
- Indigenous-led housing and shelter that is low barrier, sustainable funded…
- Invest in recruitment and capacity building of Indigenous people in fields of health and wellness, in government, in programs and services , and to eliminate employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians
- And others… see the details here.