Missing Indigenous woman found dead; B.C. homicide case prompts calls for justice
The death of an Indigenous woman in British Columbia prompted calls for "immediate action" outlined in the report that summarized the National Inquiry into Missing and Indigenous Women and Girls.
The body of Carmelita Abraham was found in Quesnel, B.C., earlier this month, according to a news release issued by a First Nations council.
The Tŝilhqot’in Ts’iqi Dechen Jedilhtan (Women's Council) said Monday that the 33-year-old was found dead at the Willow Inn on Jan. 14. Abraham was a member of the Takla First Nation, and had been missing since late December.
Her body was found the same day that a 51-year-old man was charged in what was initially described as a "suspected" homicide.
The accused, Joseph Simpson, and Abraham knew each other, according to the RCMP. Simpson has been charged with murder and indignity to human remains.
The Tŝilhqot’in Ts’iqi Dechen Jedilhtan says Abraham's case "reveals that not enough has been done" to implement 231 calls for justice outlined in the final report from the inquiry.
These calls are described in the report as "steps to end and redress" the systems that have "worked to maintain colonial violence for generations."
Directed at all levels of government, the list of actions includes the implementation of a national action plan with devoted funding, measures to prevent and investigate violence against Indigenous women and girls, and protocols that ensure all MMIWG cases are thoroughly investigated.
It also calls for the review and reform laws about sexual violence and intimate partner violence, and to consider violence against Indigenous individuals as an aggravating factor at sentencing.
There are dozens more recommendations, all of which can be read online.
The women's council did not specify which of 231 calls it applied to this case, but said government inaction "continues to deny justice" and cost lives.
In the statement about Abraham's death, a member of the council said there's a need for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to fight for that action.
"Carmelita had goals and dreams that are left unrealized. She was a powerful woman, a woman of strength," Joyce Cooper wrote.
"There are many like Carmelita in Williams Lake. We need to stop talking about what needs to happen and make it happen… We need change now."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.