The fight for women’s health equity demands action for MMIWG2S+ families

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By Paulette Minard, Director, Community Investments, Shoppers Drug Mart

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In 2013, Jennifer McPherson went missing in British Columbia. The 41-year-old had been living with her husband on the remote Hanson Island, and her family had lost contact. After days of searching, she was found murdered. Jennifer’s husband would confess to her murder and to killing another Indigenous woman, Myrna Letandre, who disappeared from Winnipeg in 2006.

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Jennifer’s sisters, Kim McPherson and Gerri-Lee Pangman have spoken out about how the tragedy shattered their world in that moment — and forever.

The family was left reeling from unexplained loss, the kind that is far too common, tearing through generations in Indigenous communities across Canada. Family members of missing and murdered women describe a profound emotional void that steals the joy from life.

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And we all know, the ripple effects extended deeper. The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and two-spirit+ people (MMIWG2S+) inflicts cascading harm on women’s health far beyond the immediate victims.

Families left behind to grieve — particularly women — endure chronic stress, PTSD, and heightened risks of substance use disorders as they navigate inadequate support systems and circumstances that perpetuate violence.
In communities already facing barriers to healthcare, these traumas exacerbate physical ailments, reproductive health issues, and overall life expectancy disparities.

In short, what’s abundantly clear is that there is no true path to women’s health equity in Canada without confronting this epidemic head-on.

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The Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health has been a leading source of funding to promote women’s health in Canada. We have come to understand that our work is incomplete without acknowledging the crisis of MMIWG2S+.
Earlier this year, Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health made a $10 million donation to the MMIWG2S+ Healing and Empowerment Fund, administered by The Winnipeg Foundation.

This is not about taking credit

The Government of Manitoba challenged us to reflect, then step up and do more to address this crisis impacting women and families. In turn, Jennifer McPherson’s sisters asked us to challenge other companies across corporate Canada to consider how they, too, can contribute to this important work.

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I’m writing to make good on that call to action. Because much, much more support is needed.

Whether through donations, partnerships, education, or internal initiatives, every effort counts. For us, it is about answering the call to provide continual and accessible healing programs and support for the children of MMIWG2S+ people and their families.

Manitoba’s strategy is called Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag (“All Women Doing Well”) which speaks directly to the reality that in order to achieve health equity for women in Canada, we must tackle the unique crisis facing Indigenous women. But this crisis is not limited to one province. It’s a national tragedy that implores all of us to do more.

What became clear through this experience is that real change requires many voices, working together. Governments, Indigenous communities, grassroots organizations, and corporate partners all have important roles to play. When we come together — each bringing our strengths, resources, and commitment — we can make a bigger difference than any of us could alone.

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This is not about any one organization. It’s about standing together in compassion, in solidarity, and in action. It’s about listening to the voices of those directly affected and responding with humility and purpose. It’s about acknowledging that while we cannot undo the pain of the past, we can – and must – take steps to help build a better future.

Lasting change will require all of us — corporate Canada, community leaders, governments, and everyday people — to keep showing up, keep listening, and keep taking meaningful action.

Yes, it’s about reflection. But it’s also about commitment. And action. Together, we can help create a future where Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people are safe, healthy and supported.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of Truth & Reconciliation Day in Canada. It’s a fitting time to amplify the challenge from the families of MMIWG2S+ people to do more. We’re in. Are you?

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