NORTH BAY
Canadore College remembers Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit people

Canadore College is remembering Canada's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit people. A single red dress by artist Thaila Sarazin stands in The Village at the College Drive Campus as a silent but powerful recognition of the scores of people harmed or killed by violence.

"I have a lot of people say it's fairly impactful to them," said Sarazin. "It's not just another hanging dress, it's a form that looks like a person. Making it 3D and putting it in a space people come to all of the time kind of interrupts their daily life in a way that makes them stop and think."

The Red Dress was installed for October 4, the National Day of Action, and Canadore College acknowledged the tragic reality that, while Indigenous women account for less than five per cent of the Canadian population, they make up 24 per cent of female homicide victims. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis since Jaime Black's installation art project debuted in 2010.

"The red dress displayed here is a powerful reminder of the devastating reality we face," said George Burton, President and CEO. "We must change the narrative. I urge everyone to take action and help put an end to violence against one another."

"We acknowledge all the families who are seeking answers, to this day, of their loved ones' fate, those who are grieving, and those who are still searching," said Gerald McComb, Cultural Advisor with the First Peoples' Centre. "We hope they find their loved ones or answers so they may find closure."

The Red Dress will remain on display until Friday, October 11, 2024, in The Village at the College Drive Campus.