“Each year on Aug. 9, we honour Indigenous cultures worldwide. This year’s theme is The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge.
“The resilience of Indigenous cultures is a testament to the central role of women in preserving and passing on traditional knowledge – from entrepreneurs who are renewing the original supply chains their ancestors created to teachers preserving culture for the next generation to academics and professionals bringing together traditional and contemporary roles.
“Yet, there is an ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Canada.
“This is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and that is why Alberta’s government created the Premier’s Council on Missing and Murdered Women and Girls (MMIWG), following the advice of the Alberta Joint Working Group.
“The council has a five-year mandate to guide government actions using Alberta’s MMIWG roadmap to reduce violence and improve the safety, well-being and economic security of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people. We are committed to ending this crisis.
“I ask non-Indigenous Albertans to find local ways to reach out and strengthen your relationships with the First Nations and Métis people, and the Inuit, who call this land home. They have a deep connection to this land that spans thousands of years and created societies, traditions and innovations that we can still see all around us.
“Sign up for an Indigenous history class, book a stay at an Indigenous culture camp or look to collaborate with Indigenous people on projects that bring mutual benefit. Reconciliation is an ongoing journey for all of us. We must walk these paths together, and when we do, they will lead somewhere meaningful, inspirational and rewarding.”