The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Chiefs Executive Council (CEC) was informed that the two accused in Roxanne Louie’s murder were both granted bail March 3, 2015 in spite of the brutality of the murder and the covering up of their culpability.

The CEC and community stands with the Louie and Hall family and demands justice for Roxanne and her
son. This country must honor its obligations to provide justice. It is critical that the system ensures that Roxanne is afforded justice and does not become one of the legions of Indigenous women and families that have been denied that.Indigenous women go missing or are murdered at a rate of 4 times more than other women in this country. There has been seemingly little Government interest for implementing the recommendations set out in the 40 or more reports submitted on this crisis over the years.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights IACHP Report entitled Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia, Canada dated December 21,2014 sets out their findings on the state of Indigenous women in BC. They found, in part:

“Prevalent discriminatory attitudes – mainly relating to gender and race ‐ contribute to the
vulnerability of indigenous women and girls. Sometimes these attitudes motivate acts of
violence, either by contributing to stereotyped, discriminatory perceptions that indigenous
women are inferior, sexually available and/or easy victims, or by giving the perpetrators
confidence that disappearances of indigenous women will not be carefully investigated. Other
times these attitudes manifest themselves through the dismissive responses of the police and
broader society, and in a failure to provide help when needed, thereby making indigenous
women more vulnerable and hence more attractive as potential victims”.

The families in these tragic situations have not been afforded a voice and yet continue to fight for justice for their loved ones, some for as long as 20 years and we cannot comprehend how they must live with this injustice the rest of their lives!

The Province of BC and the Federal Governments must immediately take steps to end the systemic
discrimination and racism that is at the root of epidemic of violence perpetrated on Indigenous women and
girls in staggering numbers.

The Syilx Nation joins all other First Nation leaders, other Groups and Organizations and Allies calling upon the Federal Government to act now and launch the Inquiry for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
and Girls.