In the summer of 1986, Betty Bird was well on her way to joining the military. The twenty-year-old ran and trained everyday.

Then everything changed.

She learned her close childhood friend had been murdered in Edmonton on June 4.

As teens growing up in Fort Smith, the two had bonded over their shared, unspoken trauma. Kindred spirits with a deep connection.

Some time after hearing the horrible news, Bird picked up an Edmonton newspaper.

In bold black ink, the story of who her friend was was lost; replaced with one that SA国际影视传媒渂elittledSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渄egraded,SA国际影视传媒� her. She'd been whittled down to nothing more than a murdered streetworker.

To Bird, she was so much more.

Dropping her military dream, Bird pursued a new one. In the wake of her friendSA国际影视传媒檚 death, and the SA国际影视传媒渆nragingSA国际影视传媒� media portrayal that followed, she went back to school to become a social worker.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just wanted to make a difference SA国际影视传媒� to make her death count; for her not to be just another statistic,SA国际影视传媒� said Bird.

SA国际影视传媒淪heSA国际影视传媒檚 been my motivator.SA国际影视传媒�

For the past 27 years, Bird has worked in the SA国际影视传媒渉elping field.SA国际影视传媒� SheSA国际影视传媒檚 now stationed in Fort Simpson as a victims service worker.

In an office room above the Yellowknife post office, adorned with photos SA国际影视传媒� some fading, some new SA国际影视传媒� of local missing and murdered women and girls, BirdSA国际影视传媒檚 strong voice wavers at times, her eyes reddened by a receding tide of tears.

Just moments before, she was joined by other friends and family members of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls at the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association of the NWT's office. There, representatives of the non-profit reflected on the final report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

During a panel discussion on how Indigenous women and girls in the North can be protected from violence, one answer kept coming up: long-term funding for community-centred services that safeguard the vulnerable from continued violence.

When Bird moved to Fort Simpson, a Dehcho community populated by 1,200 plus people, there were six suicides her first year there. Bird, the only on-call victim services worker in the community, often works overtime, taking calls in the middle of the night; volunteering countless hours.

Bird has to, she said. "Our community is in trouble.SA国际影视传媒�

Among the 231 SA国际影视传媒渃alls for justice,SA国际影视传媒� the final report calls for SA国际影视传媒渟pecific and long-term funding to create and deliver prevention programs, education and awareness campaigns designed for Indigenous communities and families related to violence prevention and combating lateral violence,SA国际影视传媒� along with the development of an SA国际影视传媒渆nhanced, holistic, comprehensive approach for the provision of support to Indigenous victims of crime and families and friends of Indigenous murdered or missing persons.SA国际影视传媒�

Overwhelmed, overburdened and dealing with a high turnover rate of victim service workers, Bird said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 encouraged to see discourse happening over those calls for justice.

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As a member of the National InquirySA国际影视传媒檚 Family Advisory Circle, Lesa Semmler played an important role in ensuring issues faced by Indigenous women and girls in the North were reflected in the final report.

In her role, she spoke about the needs of small communities in the territory SA国际影视传媒� advocating for strengthened police and health services.

Semmler, who attended WednesdaySA国际影视传媒檚 discussion at the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association of NWT alongside Betty Bird and others, said she pushed for long-term support in communities, to provide SA国际影视传媒渁s much support and care,SA国际影视传媒� to make residents feel comfortable in their communities.

Because, she said, protecting women and girls from violence is a long-game, one that requires long-term funding and support.

SA国际影视传媒淚t takes many times for someone to leave a violent relationship," said Semmler. "You might have to help them 15, 20 times. But wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 you rather help them 15, 20 times than have to help a family get through burying them?SA国际影视传媒�

In 1985 in Fort Smith, her mother Joyce Semmler was murdered by her common-law partner. Semmler was only eight.

Decades later, Semmler now a mother, said she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get involved in advocacy work, or with the National Inquiry, for herself.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 for the future generations of women and girls and our families and our boys and our men so that they can have healthier, happier lives so they know they can live free of violence. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I do this,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

On Wednesday, Jane Weyallon, president of the Native Women's Association of the NWT, made it clear she agreed with the final reportSA国际影视传媒檚 findings: that ongoing, colonially-rooted violence against Indigenous women and girls SA国际影视传媒渋s a genocide.SA国际影视传媒�

Semmler wholeheartedly supported the use of the word.

SA国际影视传媒淭he definition SA国际影视传媒� we meet," she said.

SA国际影视传媒淎s Aboriginal people, weSA国际影视传媒檝e known whatSA国际影视传媒檚 been happening. We just didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a legal, colonial tool to say SA国际影视传媒榟ere, now letSA国际影视传媒檚 work on it,'SA国际影视传媒� she continued.

Semmler said she hopes the inquiry's final report will empower women and girls to speak up, use their voices and engage politically to spur change.

As for closure, for Semmler, healing is helping.

SA国际影视传媒淎s long as I continue to help, ISA国际影视传媒檓 healing,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

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On June 5, almost 33 years to the day her friend was murdered in Edmonton, Betty Bird made a long-awaited discovery.

After years of searching archives, calling numbers and visiting countless cemeteries to no avail, she finally found her childhood friendSA国际影视传媒檚 resting place.

Bird was due to visit her gravesite in Edmonton over the weekend.

Without the inquiry, and the help of a Yellowknife-based victims services employee who connected her with the right information, finding her lost friend wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have been possible, said Bird.

Before learning the whereabouts of her friendSA国际影视传媒檚 final resting place, Bird said she SA国际影视传媒渄idnSA国际影视传媒檛 realize how much she still carried."

Since then, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 cried for two weeks straight.

With the visit, she hopes to find closure.