Mother of Kelly Goforth welcomes move toward a national inquiry

The mother of a homicide victim welcomes the chance to participate in a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.

MaxineGoforth'sdaughter was killed two years ago, and left in a Reginadumpster.

• Carolyn Bennett to announce plan for missing women inquiry 'shortly'

Carolyn Bennett, the new indigenous affairs minister, said theLiberal government will start the process of consulting Canadians on an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women in the next couple of weeks.

Goforth says she gets a chill every time she looks at a dumpster and saidshe doesn't want her daughter to have died for nothing.

"Potentially more girls wouldbe gone, missing, still missing, if my baby wasn't found when she was, she probably would have still been missing."

Kelly Goforth'saccused killer is now charged in two murder cases, and a sexual assault, all involving First Nations women.

Goforth saidit's too easy for people to blame the victims.She hopes an inquiry changes that.

"Why can't they dress nice? Wear tank tops, skirts, high heels without being looked at as a prostitute, you know?"

Goforthsaidother inquiries have made recommendations about helping indigenous people, only to be ignored.

She'dlike this inquiry to make it easier for people to get access tocounsellingand parenting programs.

Supports for families needed

DarleneOkemaysim-Sicotteis the co-chair of Women Walking Together(Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik) a Saskatoonorganization that is trying to bring attention to the issue of murdered and missing indigenous women.

She would like to see several specific goals in an inquiry, especially around the supports for families.

"I would like the families to have more access to the policing part of their missing persons cases," she said.

Okemaysim-Sicotte said a fund needs to be established to allow the family tosearch and help the police with thecase. She said other supports need to addressburn-out for families and include the men in the family.

She would also like to see more ages considered.

"It really impacts children," she said."These children are going parentless."

Other concrete measures Okemaysim-Sicotte would like to see include expanded search infrastructure so the load is not entirely on the family.

She is also hoping an inquiry will have an educational function to help break down stereotypes about missing women.