North Battleford is taking a leading role within the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association in calling for an inquiry or round table on missing and murdered indigenous women.
A resolution to "join with voices in our community" calling for an inquiry or round table passed unanimously Monday night. The resolution, moved by Councillor Ray Fox and seconded by Cathy Richardson, follows a recommendation to council passed at Planning Committee the week before.
But city council is not stopping there.
It was confirmed Monday that a resolution sponsored by the City will be put to the floor of the SUMA provincial convention in Saskatoon in February of next year.
The intention is for the motion to be put forward by a SUMA committee and seconded by North Battleford, with the North Battleford delegation being the first to speak on the motion on the floor of the convention.
Should the motion pass on the floor, it would throw the collective support of SUMA, the organization that represents all urban municipalities in the province, behind the call for an inquiry or roundtable.
"I am anticipating strong support for the motion," said Mayor Ian Hamilton. "I do strongly feel that we, as a province or provincial bodies representing some 80 per cent of the province at that convention, should provide a strong voice for action, towards action."
Hamilton explained to reporters the motion going to SUMA will be worded "inquiry or round table," given there have been some conflicting opinions on the call for an inquiry.
"The option of a round table, I think, is key to getting stronger support," said Hamilton.
As well, Hamilton said he will be writing to federal officials on the issue and will be circulating a copy of that to Premier Brad Wall and MLA Herb Cox.
Hamilton acknowledged the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women is one of great concern.
"Something has to be addressed with this, there are certainly some inequities existing that I don't believe are acceptable in our community, nor in our cultures and in our country."
