Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one year ago, I sat in the front row at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, while the report for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was presented to the Prime Minister. Although he didn't use the term "genocide" that day, he told a crowd the next day in Vancouver, we accept the findings, including what happened amounts to genocide. The families and lost loved ones were acknowledged that day for the injustices against them. Last week, we learned that the federal action plan in response to this Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls final report has been delayed, Minister Bennet citing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Speaker, while I can certainly appreciate that we've all been busy dealing with this pandemic, I must say I was terribly disappointed. I was insulted to hear the news of this delay for a national action plan and using COVID-19 as an excuse. They've had ten months since they received the report, and it's not as if they had not heard the request over and over again. The families and the victims across the country have fought hard to ensure that a national plan would be developed and that governments would implement the calls for justice outlined in the final report and take steps towards real lasting positive change. One aspect to this change was the federal government to develop this national action plan.
Mr. Speaker, this delay in the development of the action plan concerns me deeply. We, as Canadians, as a government, as an Indigenous woman, as a mother, as an aunt of Indigenous women and girls cannot afford any more delays when it comes to the safety and protection of our women and girls and to 2SLGBTQQIA people. I truly hope that the Prime Minister will rethink this delay and give our women and girls and everyone waiting for this action plan the respect and justice that they deserve. I urge this government to push the federal government to develop an action plan now, not later.
Mr. Speaker, while this is occurring, I fully expect and encourage this government not to wait and to develop our own action plan and lead the way and make this a reality. As I mentioned, we cannot afford to wait any longer, have any more blood on our hands, lose any more loved ones, violence in our homes and our communities, silence of the issues of our Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA faith at the rate higher than anyone else in Canada that will continue as a result of not implementing the calls for justice. I will keep this issue at the forefront for everyone, in everyone's mind, and I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.