Indigenous critics of ABCB次元官网网址檚 kidnapping drama B次元官网网址淏ig SkyB次元官网网址� say it fails to acknowledge real-life missing and murdered Indigenous women and are extending their grievance to CTV for airing the series in Canada without added context.

The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is among several Indigenous groups lambasting the Vancouver-shot series for a storyline about kidnapped women in Montana that skirts a real-life epidemic in that state, as well as B.C.

The B.C. groupB次元官网网址檚 secretary-treasurer Kukpi7 (pronounced COOKB次元官网网址檖ee) Judy Wilson called it B次元官网网址渋mperativeB次元官网网址� that B次元官网网址淎BC demonstrate some awareness and cultural competencyB次元官网网址� regarding systemic violence against Indigenous women and girls.

But she took issue Thursday with CTV, too, saying B次元官网网址渢hey are equally responsibleB次元官网网址� for airing a series that appears to discount a painful reality that extends to Canada.

Her union has joined several other Indigenous groups in asking ABC to append an information card to the end of future episodes that explains the MMIWG crisis.

If ABC wonB次元官网网址檛 do it, Wilson said sheB次元官网网址檇 like to see CTV do it themselves.

B次元官网网址淎nyone in the film industry and in the broadcast industry in Canada B次元官网网址� especially with the National Inquiry (into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) B次元官网网址� should have a social conscious if not a moral conscious and obligation to include this kind of information in their productions or at least an info card at the (end),B次元官网网址� Wilson said when reached by phone near Vernon, B.C.

B次元官网网址淏y omitting it and by not including any references B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e adding to the issue of the genocide against Indigenous women and girls.B次元官网网址�

CTV did not provide comment by mid-afternoon Thursday.

Similar complaints against ABC have been raised by the Great Plains Tribal ChairmenB次元官网网址檚 Association representing members of tribes in North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska; and the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, which represents MontanaB次元官网网址檚 eight federally recognized tribes; and the international Global Indigenous Council, which said itB次元官网网址檚 not asking the network to pull or reshoot the series, but to insert an information card.

B次元官网网址淏ig SkyB次元官网网址� premiered Nov. 17 on ABC and CTV with Canadian stars Katheryn Winnick and Kylie Bunbury alongside Ryan Phillippe as detectives on the hunt for two sisters kidnapped on a remote Montana highway.

ItB次元官网网址檚 based on C.J. BoxB次元官网网址檚 novel B次元官网网址淭he Highway,B次元官网网址� which the critics say also failed to address the disproportionate number of Indigenous missing and murdered women in Montana.

While much MMIWG advocacy has been directed towards politicians and the justice system, Wilson said the entertainment industry must also address the way it portrays Indigenous issues. She said there are many Indigenous organizations willing to help film and television productions tackle these concerns responsibly.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of it is social media or the messages that go to a lot of people on how we treat Indigenous women and girls, and social media can be a change-agent in whatB次元官网网址檚 happening out there,B次元官网网址� said Wilson.

B次元官网网址淲e need to stand in the truth and we need to talk the truth and we need to experience it so we can move forward and find solutions that are truth-based.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian Press

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