OTTAWA — Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says the examination of violence against aboriginal women must go beyond the murdered and missing.
Bennett says a specific count of victims doesn't capture the true number of aboriginal families in Canada that have been affected by violence.
Bennett made headlines Monday when she said the number of missing and murdered women is likely much higher than the 1,200 put forward in reports by the RCMP.
She says it is important to hear from survivors in the inquiry process, such as those who managed to escape from convicted killer Robert Pickton's farm in British Columbia.
The minister also says she's heard about some cases that were wrongly classified as suicides, such as when someone was found shot in the back of the head or with their arms tied behind their back.
Bennett says she does not have data to indicate how big the problem is, but says ministers have heard enough anecdotal evidence to believe the depth and breadth of the tragedy is greater than anticipated.
