REGINA — The Saskatchewan Government supports families of missing persons through the Missing Persons Liaison (MPL) programs and the Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU).
The MPLs are based in the victim services units of the Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon Police Services, and work to keep families updated and support their needs. They identify best practices, develop training materials and provide expertise, advice and education to all police-based victim service programs in Saskatchewan.
The FILU helps families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls navigate government processes, ensuring that they can access supports and information about their loved ones.
The province also funds a wide variety of supports for families of missing persons including counselling sessions, educational sessions for professionals and family members and sharing circles.
Currently, these programs support over 170 families across the province. They also help organize Missing Persons Week and Red Dress Day events and gatherings, which are held across Saskatchewan to honour those who have gone missing.
Saskatchewan has enacted a wide variety of legislation to address interpersonal violence and abuse in recent years, including:
- The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act, which expands the definition of interpersonal violence in The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act to include cyberstalking and online harassment, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour. This change clearly defines cyberstalking and coercive control as a form of interpersonal violence and provides legislative support to victims when they are seeking help.
- Clare's Law, which authorizes police to disclose risk-related information to potentially at-risk intimate partners;
- The Protection from Human Trafficking Act, which provides additional supports to victims and survivors of human trafficking; and
- The Protection from Human Trafficking (Coerced Debts) Amendment Act, which amends existing legislation to prohibit lenders from including information about coerced debts in credit reports and from taking coerced debts into account when evaluating a potential loan.
Ongoing commitments to strengthen Saskatchewan's response include provincial projects funded through the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence. The province was among the first in Canada to sign on to the federal National Action Plan in November of 2022. It provides $20.3 million over four years to enhance programs and services that address interpersonal violence and abuse.
"Our focus is on prevention, on stopping violence before it starts through investments in community-based supports, stronger laws and collaborative partnerships," Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross said. "As we honour the lives and voices of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, we will continue to build partnerships that help women and girls live safe, healthy lives."
Additionally, the provincial Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ (MMIWG+) Community Response Fund continues to provide $800,000 to community-led projects that promote and enhance violence prevention and build safety, with half of the funding provided by Women and Gender Equality Canada. Established in 2022-23, the program has supported 83 projects to date through grants of up to $40,000.
"Our government is committed to working with Indigenous partners and communities to help build a safer Saskatchewan for Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit+ people," Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs Eric Schmalz said. "Through the MMIWG+ Community Response Fund, we are supporting community-based projects that strengthen local responses and support safer communities across Saskatchewan."
The province has also introduced powerful campaigns and outreach programs that highlight interpersonal violence and abuse in Saskatchewan.
Campaigns, commitments and programs including the following:
- Face the Issue, designed to raise awareness and start conversations about the reality of interpersonal violence, continues to run across social media platforms.
- Stop Human Trafficking, a province-wide video awareness campaign to draw attention to the issue of human trafficking in the province.
- $100,000 to #NotInMyCity, through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, to have the International Association of Human Trafficking Investigators deliver specialized training to Saskatchewan law enforcement.
- A commitment of $115,000 through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence to Hospitality Saskatchewan. This funding will support an industry-wide training program across Saskatchewan's hospitality and tourism industries to identify and safely respond to instances of human trafficking.
- 211 Saskatchewan: A 24/7 service referral platform for situations involving interpersonal violence and abuse, including sexual violence and human trafficking.
- The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released on June 3, 2019. In the seven years since the Report was released, the province has made significant progress in developing initiatives, building legislation and raising awareness about this important issue.
For additional information about Saskatchewan's response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, visit:
