Ottawa, ON – The federal government has released the details of its highly publicized plan to conduct a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

This morning in Ottawa the government announced five commissioners will lead the Inquiry as well as the Terms of Reference for the National Inquiry.

It follows months of consultation with survivors, families, loved ones, national Indigenous organizations as well as provinces and territories.

The commissioners are:

• The Honourable Marion Buller, Chief Commissioner
• Michele Audette, Commissioner
• Qajaq Robinson, Commissioner
• Marilyn Poitras, Commissioner
• Brian Eyolfson, Commissioner

Ottawa says the inquiry will be funded by the federal government with the full co-operation of all provinces and territories “to ensure the Inquiry has the necessary mandate and tools to help bring this national tragedy to an end.”

The government has committed $53.86 million over two years to establish an Inquiry “which will make recommendations on concrete actions to address and prevent violence against Indigenous women and girls, including systemic and societal discrimination.”

That money includes $16.17 million over four yeas for the creation of Family Information Liaison Units in each province and territory and to increase Victims Services funding “to provide culturally-appropriate victims services for families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and survivors of violence.”

The Inquiry was launched in December and was followed by a three-month pre-inquiry engagement process which included 18 face-to-face sessions from coast-to-coast with over 2,000 participants and over 4,100 online submissions.