About a year after the federal government made the commitment, a project to help families of missing and murdered Indigenous women find information about what happened to their loved ones has finally materialized in the NWT.

The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Justice has established family information liaison units in Yellowknife and Inuvik, where residents can get help seeking details about investigations, the coronerSA国际影视传媒檚 office, court or other victim services.

Staff began seeing clients Aug. 1.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou might think of them as an information navigator,SA国际影视传媒� said Megan Holsapple, team lead for family violence and violence against women at the department. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e basically like a one-stop shop, like an information service.SA国际影视传媒�

Although offered at just two locations SA国际影视传媒� the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association in Yellowknife and the Mack Travel Building in Inuvik, the units are intended to serve people from across the NWT.

According to Marie Speakman, family support worker at the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association, residents from communities who canSA国际影视传媒檛 physically meet with staff can connect with them via teleconference instead.

Last August, federal Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould committed to providing $11.7 million over three years to establish family information liaison units in every province and territory across the country.

To date, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Qu茅bec, Yukon and the NWT have operational family information liaison units, while units in the remaining six provinces and territories are still in the works, according to the federal justice department.

The announcement came the same day the federal government revealed the terms and commissioners of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

At the time, Raybould explained families had expressed during pre-inquiry meetings that they were having difficulty finding the information they needed about what happened to their loved ones.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a need,SA国际影视传媒� said Speakman, who works with the justice departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 family information liaison coordinator daily.

When families initially learn a loved one has been murdered or gone missing, she said, they may not be able to absorb all the information they receive.

SA国际影视传媒淚n moments like that, you canSA国际影视传媒檛 think straight,SA国际影视传媒� Speakman said, adding the reaction is normal during moments of trauma. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e in shock.SA国际影视传媒�

The family information liaison coordinators can help them find any information theySA国际影视传媒檝e missed, directing them to resources and helping them navigate the system while Speakman provides emotional support.

But the family information liaison units cannot reach out to families.

SA国际影视传媒淚f they want our services, they need to contact us,SA国际影视传媒� Holsapple said, explaining they can do so by visiting the liaison unit locations in Yellowknife or Inuvik, or by emailing them.

Although the units are not associated with the national inquiry, they can help families find the information they need to share their story with the inquiry if they choose to do so.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do definitely expect that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be a lot of cross-over, that a number of our clients will want to participate in the inquiry,SA国际影视传媒� Holsapple said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut weSA国际影视传媒檙e separate in that we donSA国际影视传媒檛 share client information directly with the inquiry, unless the client asks us to.SA国际影视传媒�

Speakman said the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association is also helping families of missing and murdered women heal through events like sharing circles, another of which is being planned for Aug. 28.

SA国际影视传媒淪omehow, some ways, weSA国际影视传媒檙e all touched by the ripple effect of what happened,SA国际影视传媒� she said, referring to the more than one thousand Indigenous women and girls in Canada who are estimated be missing or murdered.

The national inquiry is making a community visit to Yellowknife during the week of Aug. 28 and is holding a hearing the week of Nov. 13.