On October 18, 2022, a group of Ministers, MP’s and Senators gathered together on Parliament Hill to participate in the first annual Moose Hide Campaign 10 Men on the Hill and Day of Fasting Ceremony.
Since 2016 the Moose Hide Campaign has held ceremonies and events in October on Parliament Hill as a response to the October MMIWG Day of Remembrance. The Moose Hide Campaign is an
Indigenous-led movement to end violence against all women and children in Canada. Following three pandemic years the Campaign resumed these events starting with the 10 Men Ceremony on The Hill.
The 10 Men ceremony was an opportunity for male-identifying leaders to join the Moose Hide Campaign family in taking a stand to end violence, the ceremony is a crucial way the campaign calls on men, boys, and all Canadians to that stand.
The ceremony is a safe, non-partisan gathering where men from all personal and cultural backgrounds can join together in collective effort to create a country that is safe for all women and children. Fasting is one way to deepen and demonstrate personal and collective commitment to this vision. Holding a one-day fast has been a cornerstone of the Moose Hide Campaign’s approach to deepening personal and collective commitment to reconciliation and ending violence against women and children.
Minister Marc Miller, MP Mike Morrice, MP Gary Vidal, MP Taylor Bachrach, MP Vance Badawey, MP Jaime Battiste, MP Marc Dalton, MP Dan Vandal and MP Yasir Naqvi and a senator, Brian Francis all stepped forward to commit themselves as champions of this movement and to personally take a stand against ending gender-based violence in Canada.
As part of the ceremony, Honorary Witnesses were called forward. The role of these women was to witness the ceremony, to carry the story of the day on behalf of those gathered, and to be willing to share about the ceremony in the future when asked. MP Lori Idlout, MP Laurel Collins, SR. Indigenous Advisor to the Office of the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations – Diane Gauthier and Senator Michelle Audette were the honorary witnesses who stepped forward.
On Wednesday Nov 2 in the Senate, Senator Audette acknowledged The Moose Hide campaign and the men who participated in the 10 Men Ceremony. Senator Audette’s words “We need warriors. We need men walking beside us women.” were resonant, impactful and signalling of how important it is for men and boys to protect the women and children in their lives and to pull focus to the surmounting crisis of gender-based violence in Canada.
