Cousin of murdered N.L. woman says MMIW inquiry doesn't go far enough

The cousin of a Labrador woman murdered in 2014 says she's worrieda new inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women doesn't have enough teeth.

• Marion Buller, B.C. First Nations judge, to lead MMIW inquiry

Holly Jarrett, a cousin of Loretta Saunders an Inuk woman murdered by sublettersofher Halifaxapartment said while she's pleased with Wednesday's announcement of the five-member commission, it's unclear how closely the inquiry will look at the justice system.

"How can there be transparency if we're not including the entire system?" she asked.

Critics of yesterday's announcement saidthat while the inquiry will be able to question police, officers could decline to give evidence regarding cases still considered open.

Theinquiry also won't have the ability to reopen cases that have already been closed.

"We're not including the justice system. We're not including law enforcement. And it sounds like the teeth aren't there. It doesn't sound good."

The lack of clarity made for mixed emotions during Wednesday's announcement, Jarrett told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

Positive step

"It's relief that we don't have to fight for the inquiry anymore, but there's a lot of contention because the terms of reference don't outline a very clear feminist lens, a very clear lens looking at law enforcement as an issue," she said.

"I listened to (Justice Minister Jody) Wilson-Raybould say that we will do as much as we can, and that kind of spoke to me just for the simple fact that their hands still are bound by Canadian government legalities," she said.

"It's like walking into the scene of a crime: You don't know what you're looking at, you're just trying to do the best that you can. I think we've got a lot of good people on our side; we've just got to wait and see how everything plays out in the next couple of months."

Overall, said Jarrett, Wednesday's announcement was a positive one, and she added Saunders' family wasn't willing to let her death be in vain.

"I feel a little bit of relief in the fact we got something accomplished for Loretta,and for all of the women who've been murdered and all of the women who are still missing," she said. "I do have hope that we'll make progress for indigenous women in Canada through the inquiry."