additional funding will help families of missing, murdered indigenous people in nova scotia
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five-year-old scarlett marshall holds a sign to honour missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in canada, while her grandparents, ida johnson-denny and jeffrey denny, look on, in november 2024.
ardelle reynolds
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cape breton post
families of missing and murdered indigenous people in nova scotia are getting a hand up when they need it most.
a renewed federal-provincial agreement will provide increased funding for nova scotia’s family information liaison unit, a program co-ordinated through provincial victim services.
a portion of funding also goes to the nova scotia native women’s association for its work on community outreach and prevention.
the agreement was announced wednesday by jaime battiste, mp for cape breton-canso-antigonish, on behalf of federal justice minister sean fraser, at the native women’s association in millbrook.
the new five-year agreement provides a total funding amount of almost $2.2 million, an increase of almost $800,000 from the previous five-year pact. the funding is provided by justice canada through the federal victims strategy’s victims fund.
“families of missing and murdered indigenous people have experienced unimaginable pain,” battiste said.
“they deserve more than words. they deserve real support. this investment in nova scotia’s family information liaison unit will help families get the help they need to find answers, honour their loved ones, and begin to heal. it also responds to recommendations from the national inquiry, like better co-ordination, cultural support, and services that put families first.”
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the liaison unit, with its additional funding, will add a full-time case co-ordinator with victim services and a full-time community outreach position at the native women’s association.
“through nova scotia’s victim services, we strive to provide supports that are culturally responsive and easy to navigate so that people can access justice and move toward healing,” nova scotia justice minister becky druhan said in a release.
“the family information liaison unit is an important resource for indigenous families, and i’m so pleased to see it continue and expand.”
the liaison unit provides specialized support services to families of missing and murdered indigenous people in a family-centred, culturally grounded and trauma-informed manner.
jaime battiste, the liberal mp for cape breton-canso-antigonish.
cape breton post file
it helps gather information from government sources about the family’s loved one, including assistance in addressing unanswered questions.
the liaison unit also makes connections between family members and cultural advisers, elders and other culturally grounded community supports.
“for many families, getting information about a missing or murdered loved one is an essential part of the healing process,” said fraser, the mp for central nova.
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“this support will help more families in nova scotia get the answers they deserve. it means more staff on the ground to guide families, stronger outreach in mi’kmaw communities across nova scotia, and services that are grounded in culture, compassion and trust.”
family information liaison units, established in 2016, support the federal government’s commitments made in the federal pathway to address missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and 2slgbtqqia+ people.
the units are also a key mechanism to implement victims’ right to information under the canadian victims bill of rights.
“too many mi’kmaw families in nova scotia have faced barriers when searching for answers about their loved ones,” said leah martin, provincial minister of l’nu affairs. “this funding will ensure they’re met with compassion, understanding and culturally grounded care when it matters most.”
in 2023, the federal government increased support to allow the units to serve families of all missing and murdered indigenous people, including men and boys.
there are units in all provinces and territories, funded through the federal victims fund.
“we are committed to empowering women, girls and two-spirit people and providing them with vital resources and safe spaces for growth,” said dawn mcdonald, executive director of the native women’s association.
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“this new funding is essential in our work towards improving safety, implementing preventative measures and raising awareness of the filu (liaison units) program. the addition of an outreach and prevention worker will also enable us to provide direct support and resources to mmiwg2s families and survivors.”
liaison units exist across canada and are supported by the collaboration of the federal, provincial and territorial governments.
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