justice

VANCOUVER, B.C.: Feb. 24, 2018 -
Protestors raised their hands in solidarity
with speakers. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE PLONKA

»

milton (left) sharing a traditional song with her mother (right) after making her speech. pHoTo By

trial outcomes, youth rally together
of justice system

of the deaths of two

of whom attended
tice system they feel
Colton Boushie safe
ions to take a stance
Indigenous youth.
st who attended the
nstitutions to use the
ndigenous people.

>

a 7 victims like Fontaine and Boushie. “You get in
Canada is supposed front and you lead. Hold yourself to the high-

: to be in this time of est standards and hold each other accountable.”
- ate te ” Cicely-Belle Blain, a Black Lives Matter
reconciliation. representative, expressed anger at the rally over

, — CHRISTIE CHARLES, A MUSQUEAM ACTIVIST
: AND FORMER LANGARA COLLEGE STUDENT

condary, their studies

s, business entrepre-
development can all
2 in love and peace.”

trial for the second-
heasant First Nation,
od trial for the sec-
- First Nation, north
within two weeks of

o attended the rally,

acilitated on campus

“I don't think there’s enough of it yet, but it’s happening, so that’s
all you can ask for, really,” she said.

Every week, Cross-Blanchard and other students meet on campus
to read stories of Indigenous communities written by authors from
different treaties. In her arts program, Cross-Blanchard said teachers
welcome students to have open dialogue in structured classroom set-
tings about what reconciliation means.

Audrey Siegl, an Indigenous activist who spoke at the rally, said
students should stay educated and promote open dialogue with both
Indigenous communities and governmental organizations.

“The systems are stacked against us,” Sieg] said, noting that until
reform of governmental systems that discriminate against Indigenous

peoples is achieved, there can be no justice for

Fontaine being described as an at-risk youth by
the Powerview RCMP.

“They never say it is colonialism, racism,
classism, and failing systems that kids like Tina
are at risk of,” Blain said.

Fontaine’s father was murdered in 2011, after which she spent time
living between family and in foster care before travelling to Winnipeg
in 2014 to reconnect with her birth mother.

Fontaine is reported to have gone missing from Child and Fam-
ily Services custody several times in the following weeks, and was
in contact with police and admitted to hospital within days of her
disappearance.

According to Charles, Fontaine’s tragic story highlights how the
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
and Girls is not fulfilling its promise to keep Indigenous women safe.

“Canada is supposed to be in this time of reconciliation,” Charles
said. “With Colten Boushie and then Tina Fontaine, it’s a huge step
backwards from what we're trying to accomplish.”

‘ae

VANCOUVER, B.C.: Feb.
24, 2018 - Activists circle
around an Indigenous
protestor outside the law

courts. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE
PLONKA

VANCOUVER, B.C.: Feb. 24, 2018 - An activist at the rally holds up a hand-
made sign during Audrey Siegl’s speech. PHoTo By GABRIELLE PLONKA