A vigil for missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada. Photo by Max Fine Day / Twitter

Finding Our Missing Aboriginal Women
By Carly McIntosh

As you stand by the Assiniboine River you hear the running of Mother Earth's water, as well as feel her love flowing near you.

Being placed near the soft running water of Mother Earth's, you hear the calls and cries of our Canadian Aboriginal Women who have gone missing. The Canadian Aboriginal Women who have been taken only have Mother Earth to give them faith and comfort.

In Canada the estimated number of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women is 1,750, as you see with your own two eyes that number is close to 2,000. How is it possible that the number of missing and murdered aboriginal woman is so high in Canada? Canada is told to be one of the safest countries in the world, but the question is, is it?

The Canadian Government does not give the Canadian First Nations the equalization in life and the respect that they deserve. I myself am not one with the Canadian Government, I try and find ways I can help First Nations in any way possible.

It has been told that the province of Manitoba has the most unsolved cases of the aboriginal woman who have been taken from us. With nothing being done every year that passes that number keeps getting higher.

The REDress Project was created five years ago by a Métis artist in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The reason of The REDress Project is to raise the awareness of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada. Slowly collecting red dresses one by one, fills the anonymous of one taken Aboriginal Woman at a time.

The REDress Project. Photo from Facebook

As you take step by step down a public space you see a gathering of red dresses just hanging in your clear sight. The wind and snow damaging the red fabric, as if it is the abuse the aboriginal woman is feeling right at that exact moment. Seeing a red dress hang in front of you with no heart beat makes you feel the pain the women are going through. Day by day the red fabric of the dress tears more and more, making you see the damage she is living every day.

When I see a picture of a Aboriginal Woman who has gone missing, at that exact moment I feel that one of my sisters has gone missing. Wishing I had some way to bring her back to her family in any way possible. Just looking at the photo of the taken aboriginal woman you can feel the sadness coming from her family's heart. A tear drop of sadness from each of the missing women and their loved ones, lands on Mother Earth every second.

As I write my comment on Canada's Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Woman, I have to admit it is hitting me very deeply. To be straight up, I feel that racism is the biggest issue fighting this dilemma. When a case file of a Missing or Murdered Aboriginal Woman is placed in the hands of the Canadian Government or Canadian Law Enforcement I feel that they could care less.

If a case file is handed to them on a missing or murdered woman of any other culture then the Canadian Government or Law Enforcement will jump on it straight away. Canada was known to be a non-racist country, but you can instantly see and feel the imbalance in this country.

The First Nations were here first, treat them with respect. I do.

Born and raised in Manitoba, Canada and now residing in Calgary, Alberta. McIntosh recently found her ancestry. Her goal is to pursue a future with writing and hopes to open some closed eyes and minds.