NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH 2016

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LOCAL
By Patricia Petit Liang

More than 500 citizens marched to Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica on Tuesday to protest violence against Indigenous women.

According to CTV News, citizens are calling for a provincial inquiry into police abuse towards Indigenous women and into the lack of action surrounding the disappearances and murders of women from reserves all across Quebec.

Tuesday marked the 11th year of Montreal’s march against violence towards Indigenous women, with the first march taking place in 2005 following the wrongful death of a woman struck by a Sureté du Quebec patrol car in 2001.
 

NATIONAL
By Patricia Petit Liang

A report by British Columbia’s representative for children and youth has found that more than 230 foster children in the province have been sexually assaulted since 2004.

CBC News reported that the number of victims is most likely higher because many cases go unreported.

The report also found that more than 60 percent of the assault victims were Indigenous girls.
 

INTERNATIONAL
By Patricia Petit Liang

Mass protests led by women against Poland’s total abortion ban have successfully deterred the conservative government from enforcing it.

CTV News reported that the conservative leadership wanted to ban abortions even in cases of sexual assault or when the mother’s life was in danger.

The mass protests were attended by tens of thousands of people, with Monday having the largest attendance of all.