'It is a historic event': Quebecers react to MMIW inquiry

First Nations leaders in Quebec and family members of missing Aboriginal women and girls mostly welcomed the federal government's launch of the inquiry into their disappearance and thenaming of the inquiry'sfive commissioners Wednesday.

However, they also highlighted the urgency of the situation, reminding political leaders that Indigenouswomen continue to face violence every day in Canada.

• Reaction continues to the MMIW inquiry
• Meet the 5 commissioners overseeing the inquiry intoMMIW

Here are some of their reactions:

GhislainPicard

Chief,Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador

"We're certainly happy that the mandate of the commission is limited to a little more than two years. I think that's positive. That certainly gives us hope that whatever needs to change in the system could happen not only in two years, but I think it needs to start now."

Melissa Mollen-Dupuis

Spokesperson,Idle No More Quebec

"It's a very radical change from the Harper government, where you had no acknowledgement of almost of any issues that were touching First Nations people."

"It's an emergency action that we need.We need something that stops the violence now. We need money going to shelters and emergency services."

"We heard a lot of the word 'prevention' of violence, but we want to see also justice. There's been a lot of issues with police work and with systems of racism that are in place that still existin Canada in 2016."

EdithCloutier

Executive director, Val d'OrNative Friendship Centre

"The fact that at the heart of the whole process and the commissioners, that it's a First Nations, Indigenous-driven process, I think it does make a big difference."

"The fact that there will be a broad mandate looking at systemic causes, in terms of causes of violence against Aboriginal women, including looking atpolicing and how the system needs to be studied, that's very positive news for us."

Laurie Odjick

Mother of Maisy Marie Odjick, missing since 2008

"This is a moment that,as families, we have been waiting for. It is a historic event. But as a family member, you can't wait to see action, so time will tell."

"[Commissioner]Michle Audette has been with our families for a very long time. I am so very happy that she is one of the commissioners because she's also a family member and I know she'll do right by us."

• Meet the Quebec woman helping to lead theMMIWinquiry

"My biggest hope was that all the recommendations that were given by the families would be implemented across Canada, you know nationally. I believe that's happened today. I mean not all of them are there, but the biggest ones that we've asked for are there."

Bridget Tolley

Daughter of Gladys Tolley, killed in 2001 by a police cruiser

"It's so hard because I still don't know. I don't know the outcome, I'm worried. As for my family, I know that I might not ever get the justice that my family wants, but if we can help other families not go through what we went through, that would be justice enough."