The real culprit in Tina Fontaine’s death
An Indigenous spokesperson interviewed on CBC Radio the day after a jury acquitted Raymond Cormier in the death of Tina Fontaine said the case is a symbol of the way our society doesn’t seem to value the lives of Indigenous females as much it does those of other women.
He’s right.
Indigenous girls and women are much more likely to be the victims of abuse – or murder – than are non-Indigenous females. In fact, Statistics Canada says Indigenous women are three times more likely to be the victims of homicide.
A steady stream of cases make their way through the courts involving Indigenous females who’ve been victimized. These cases are regarded as routine and receive very little attention from the media or Indigenous organizations. For all intents and purposes, they are ignored.