Indigenous Women - 0, Toronto Police +11.5

"Police have a choice NOT to be police. 

Indigenous women do not have a 

choice NOT to be Indigenous." 

If you are unaware of the missing Indigenous women cases that go unsolved, here is a new flash for you. Native Women Association of Canada (NWAC)'s Sisters in Spirit have estimated that 580 Indigenous women have gone missing or have been murdered in the last 30 years. To those who can picture it immediately, that is basically 1 1/2 of the large lecture hall in the Administrative building at my University Campus. For those who cannot picture it and choose to see it differently, it may be viewed that 580 is surprising a low number to report. 
For the latter group, it should be noted that 580 and a very big number and it is an underreported number. 580 THAT WE KNOW OF. 


Unfortunately, we have very little help from the Toronto Police Department. Many of the missing Indigenous women cases receive very little attention. 


In 2010, the government discontinued funds to Sisters in Spirit in search of missing Indigenous women. We're not too pleased with this of course. 
You know who is REALLY pleased? Chief Blair and the Toronto Police Department. I don't doubt that police officers have a difficult job and I don't deny that they have a risky job. The difference between the police and Indigenous women that go missing or are murdered is that for the police, it's a risk that comes with their job. For Indigenous women, going missing or being murdered is a risk that comes with being Indigenous. Clarification: Police have a choice NOT to be police. Indigenous women do not have a choice NOT to be Indigenous. 


This month, it was announced that the Toronto Police officers will get an 11.5% pay increase over four years. Does this mean that the money will motivate them to give these cases more attention? I mean... if they won't do it because they really believe in the bullsh*t slogan TO SERVE AND PROTECT...


Of course there are dedicated police officers that truly help and think others first before themselves. But people see authority, people see police, people see the uniform and give too much credit to the ENTIRE police department. I see that too. I also see the power-tripping and the over-usage of their shield, gun and the cuffs. I would really like to see the over-usage of the officers to pay attention to cases that they have been ignoring for years. Why do they get to choose WHO they serve and protect? The 11.5% pay increase says they shouldn't have the option to pick and choose who the SERVE AND PROTECT slogan applies to. 


This 11.5% was pulled out of thin air then? Let's not forget the deficits of G20.
Does this make sense to you? Where did this 11.5% come from? From the fund that would have been going to Sisters in Spirit?
Does the government have a money tree hidden somewhere that we don't know about (perhaps they have it stashed on sacred Indigenous land)


Colonialism. Who said it no longer exists?