City honours Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Individuals

The City of Oshawa is committed to taking action to advance the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The month of May offers two opportunities for the City to strengthen our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and educate the larger community on Indigenous issues:

1. The National Day for Awareness of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Individuals; and,
2. The Moose Hide Campaign.

National Day for Awareness of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Individuals

The National Day for Awareness of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Individuals (M.M.I.W.G.2.S.+), also known as Red Dress Day, occurs annually on May 5.

M.M.I.W.G.2.S.+ began in 2010 as a response to the more than 1,000 missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada and has become a call to action to the disproportionate rates of gender-based violence facing Indigenous communities.

In honour of M.M.I.W.G.2.S.+, the City of Oshawa is looking to draw attention to this crisis through a red dress art installation at City Hall (50 Centre St. S.). Inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black, 13 dresses now line the pathway from King St. W. and Centre St. S. to City Hall, and 13 more inside on the main floor of the building. The groupings of 13 represent the Thirteen Moons followed by the Anishinaabe calendar teachings that may vary slightly among different communities; essentially each Moon reflects a teaching that emphasize the importance of maintaining balance, respect, and harmony in relationships with oneself, others, and the environment.

Service Oshawa at City Hall, along with entrances at the Civic Recreation Complex (99 Thornton Rd. S.), Delpark Homes Centre (1661 Harmony Rd. N.), Donevan Recreation Complex (171 Harmony Rd. S.) and South Oshawa Community Centre (1455 Cedar St.) now also feature signage bearing the names and faces of known past and present cases of M.M.I.W.G.2.S.+ and a QR code to learn more about this day and ways to get involved and promote action.

Moose Hide Campaign

The Moose Hide Campaign is a nationwide movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians from First Nations, local communities, governments, schools, post-secondary institutions, and many other organizations that are committed to taking action to end violence towards women and children. The official Moose Hide Campaign Day is May 16.

The cornerstone of the Campaign is the moose hide pin. Wearing a moose hide pin signifies the wearer’s commitment to honour, respect and protect the women and children in their life and speak out against gender-based and domestic violence.

In addition to being a symbol against gender-based and domestic violence, moose hide is also a symbol of undoing the effects of Residential Schools.

Throughout the month of May, pins will be available at the service counters at City Hall, Civic Recreation Complex, Delpark Homes Centre, Donevan Recreation Complex and South Oshawa Community Centre. Community members are encouraged to visit a facility to pick up a pin and wear the pin in May and beyond.

Learn more about the City’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation at oshawa.ca.  Additional information about the National Day for Awareness of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Individuals, artist Jaime Black and the Moose Hide Campaign are also available online.

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