New PM, Old Promises: MMIWG2S+ Advocates Demand Justice, Not Gestures

OTTAWA, ON – May 08, 2026

Red dresses hung from trees and balconies across the nation this week, stark and silent symbols of an ongoing Canadian tragedy. On Parliament Hill, the silence was broken by drumming, ceremony, and impassioned calls for justice. This Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people (MMIWG2S+), was marked not only by remembrance but by a pivotal transfer of responsibility, placing the weight of a national crisis squarely on the shoulders of a new government.

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national voice for Métis women, stood at the forefront of the day's events. In a powerful ceremony, LFMO President Melanie Omeniho participated in the transfer of a Sacred Bundle—a physical embodiment of the truths and responsibilities contained within the National Inquiry's final report—to Prime Minister Mark Carney. The bundle, first given to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019, now serves as a tangible reminder to the new administration of the 231 Calls for Justice that advocates say have been largely ignored for seven years.

Alongside Amnesty International Canada and Families of Sisters in Spirit, LFMO co-hosted a gathering on the Hill, honouring the stolen lives while reinforcing a message of unwavering resolve. The day underscored a deep-seated frustration: that while symbols are important, they are no substitute for the concrete action and funding required to end a genocide.

A New Mandate, An Old Burden

The transfer of the Sacred Bundle to Prime Minister Carney, who took office in March 2025, represents a critical juncture. For Indigenous leaders, it is a test of his administration's stated commitment to reconciliation and a demand for a renewed sense of urgency. In his own Red Dress Day statement, the Prime Minister reaffirmed this commitment, announcing $2.6 million in funding over three years for the National Family and Survivors Circle (NFSC) and an additional $300,000 for a pilot project for a Red Dress Alert system.

While these funds address immediate concerns—the NFSC had reported its core funding expired in March 2026—they are seen by many as a small step in a marathon. The scale of the crisis, advocates argue, requires a systemic overhaul, not piecemeal investments. The core of the issue remains the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice, a comprehensive roadmap for change that has seen agonizingly slow progress.

Seven years after the report was delivered, a staggering 82 of the calls have seen no action whatsoever, while 138 are considered merely “in progress.” Only two have been fully completed. This glacial pace has fueled a growing chorus of criticism from Indigenous organizations who see a disconnect between the government's rhetoric of reconciliation and the reality on the ground, where Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people continue to face disproportionate rates of violence.

The Unfunded Front Lines

A central theme of this year's Red Dress Day was the precarious financial state of the very organizations tasked with doing the work. LFMO was unequivocal in its press release, stating it “has not received dedicated federal funding for its work on the MMIWG2S+ file to assist families and survivors.” Despite this, the organization has continued to pour its own limited resources into advocacy, awareness, and direct support, including co-hosting the Parliament Hill ceremony.

This experience is not unique to LFMO. In April, a coalition of Indigenous women's organizations, including the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, raised the alarm about the “sunsetting” of critical federal funding for MMIWG2S+ programs. They described the potential loss of funding as a “life-or-death decision” that undermines progress and disrupts essential, life-saving services.

While the federal government points to large-scale commitments, such as the $2.2 billion allocated in Budget 2021, Indigenous-led groups argue that the funding is often short-term, project-based, and fails to provide the sustainable, core operational support needed for long-term work. This forces organizations into a constant cycle of applications and uncertainty, hindering their ability to build lasting capacity and trust within the communities they serve. For LFMO, the fight for justice also includes the fight for the 62 Métis-specific Calls for Miskotahâ, which demand distinctions-based approaches that are often overlooked in broader funding envelopes.

In her address, LFMO President Melanie Omeniho also spoke to internal challenges, cautioning against the harm of lateral violence within the movement itself. “We gain no traction in working against each other,” she stated. “Imagine the strength we would have if we lifted each other up?” Her words served as a powerful reminder that unity and mutual support are essential tools in the face of systemic inaction.

From Symbolism to Safety Systems

Beyond sustainable funding, advocates are demanding the implementation of tangible, life-saving measures. Chief among them is the creation of a national Red Dress Alert system. Envisioned to function like an Amber Alert, it would rapidly notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl, or 2SLGBTQQIA+ person is reported missing, mobilizing a swift and widespread response.

The House of Commons declared the MMIWG2S+ crisis a national emergency in May 2023 and explicitly called for the creation of such a system. Yet, a year later, progress remains confined to a pilot project in Manitoba and a series of consultations. For those on the front lines, the pace is infuriatingly slow. As one advocacy group has stated, “our safety is not a pilot project.”

Implementing a national system is complex, involving intricate jurisdictional issues, the need for robust Indigenous-led oversight independent of police, and technological challenges like ensuring access in remote communities with limited broadband. Consultations have also stressed the necessity of a public education campaign to ensure the alerts do not inadvertently reinforce negative stereotypes or put Indigenous people at further risk. However, the consensus is that these challenges are surmountable with sufficient political will and investment—resources that have been slow to materialize.

The call for a Red Dress Alert, alongside the full implementation of the Calls for Justice, represents a fundamental demand to move beyond awareness campaigns and toward concrete protections. For families of the missing and murdered, and for the communities living with this threat every day, the time for symbolic gestures has long passed. The transfer of the Sacred Bundle to a new Prime Minister is a moment of renewed hope, but it is a hope tempered by years of broken promises and the urgent, unwavering demand for justice.