The families gathered this week in Saskatoon at the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls all have stories loss and pain.
Colleen Whitedeer is one of those family members. But her story is different.
She testified this week about her brother Timothy Charlette, who has been missing since 2014, in hopes of pushing the inquiry to include missing and murdered Indigenous men.
“At the end of the day, the men are human beings and my pain, my mom’s pain, is no different than the majority of the families here,” Whitedeer said Wednesday while attending the inquiry.
Whitedeer and her family testified in a closed door hearing, but she said she is continuing to speak out about her brother’s case.
‘The men are being ignored’
Whitedeer’s brother was last seen at a bridge north of Prince Albert, Sask., with his girlfriend. They were both reported missing.
His girlfriend’s body was found in the North Saskatchewan River a few days later, but so far nothing has turned up about Charlette’s disappearance.
Colleen Whitedeer participates in a march in Saskatoon in 2014. (Kathy Fitzpatrick/CBC)
“I want to commend all the women who’ve done the work in the past to bring attention to this huge imperative issue that has been ignored,” Whitedeer said.
“And now in the same context, the men are being ignored.”
Whitedeer has been holding walks to raise awareness about her brother’s case. She has also previously called for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous men.
She was surprised, she said, that she was invited to testify in Saskatoon. But she said the staff at the inquiry were caring and welcoming.
Whitedeer said she was one of two families who testified in Saskatoon this week about missing or murdered Indigenous men. She said she’s optimistic that all the stories heard this week will form the basis for some real change.
She’s been critical of the police’s handling of her brother’s case and she hopes some of the inquiry’s recommendations include requiring more Indigenous involvement in local and city police.