OSSTF/FEESO Members Support the Sisters in Spirit Vigils

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 4, 2012) - Today marks the 6th annual Sisters in Spirit Vigils and Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) members will be participating in events across Ontario to honour the lives of missing or murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Participants will also pay tribute to the families of these women, who insisted that the lives of their loved ones not be forgotten.

In 31 Ontario communities, OSSTF/FEESO members will join in solidarity with the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), Amnesty International Canada, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice, National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC), and the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), to support Aboriginal mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties, grandmothers, and their families.

"Our members have been actively involved for many years educating our students and the public about violence against Aboriginal women," said OSSTF/FEESO President, Ken Coran. "The Sisters in Spirit Vigils are an important reminder that we must continue to pressure all levels of government to implement a national plan of action. That plan must begin with a public inquiry and be developed in partnership with Aboriginal women."

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.