Emotional start to first day of MMIWG inquiry
Anita Ross said she butted heads with OPP during search for her missing daughter
The first of the three day national inquiry into the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls has begun on Monday morning in Thunder Bay, Ont.
The inquiry, which is tasked at examining the systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls, is scheduled from Dec. 4 to 6 at the NorWester Hotel and Conference Centre on Highway 61.
- A timeline of staff departures from the MMIWG inquiry
- Valentine's Day memorial walk offers support to families, friends
- Missing, murdered indigenous women pre-inquiry meetings begin in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Hearings have already taken place in Yukon, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec, however this week's hearing in Thunder Bay, Ont. is the only one scheduled across the entire northwestern Ontario region.
In Thunder Bay, Ont. opening ceremonies were held on Sunday Dec. 3 and commissioners are expected to hear from 50 family members and survivors through public and private hearings, sharing circle testimonies and artistic expression panels, according to a written release from the inquiry.
Anita Ross was the first person to testify this morning, according to CBC's Matt Prokopchuk.
Ross's daughter, Delaine Copenace was found dead in Kenora, Ont. last year.
She said an attending officer did not show up to her house until the next day and assumed Copenance was drunk and partying in the days leading to her disappearance.
After 13 days, Ross said Ontario Provincial Police officers told her they will start checking the waters.
CBC's Matt Prokopchuk is at the inquiry with up to date information and details:
Ross says Delaine had bruising on different parts of her body, a cut on her head. Cut not explained in coroner’s report, she says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMIWG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMIWG</a>
—@CBCMattProkopRoss says coroner’s office explained bruising as being the result of intoxication and falling down, but Ross says no wounds on hands, knees. All bruising on one side of the body, like she was trying to defend herself <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMIWG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMIWG</a>
—@CBCMattProkop“It’s so hard seeing your child dead. I just wanted her to wake up.” Ross says through tears of seeing Delaine after she was pulled out of the water. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMIWG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMIWG</a>
—@CBCMattProkop