For lack of attention

The federal government commendably promised money to create a hotline and database for missing native women earlier this year. But word comes out today both that none of the money has yet been approved, and that it's been the federal government holding up the process all along:

Newly released documents are fresh fodder for critics who say the ranks of murdered or missing native women grew by at least six cases while the Liberals dragged their feet.

No money has been released for related research in the eight months since Ottawa first promised $5 million over five years.

(A) briefing note dated March 1, 2005, almost two months after the money was promised, says a proposal by Status of Women official that cabinet formally approve the funding was held up.

Nanci-Jean Waugh of Status of Women Canada said the delay was due to the need to develop related work plans.

"In the whole process it did go fairly quickly, but we did have that delay."

If there's any silver lining, it's in the fact that the money is expected to be released following a meeting later this month.

But from all available indications, the group partnering with the federal government has been ready to proceed with the project from the beginning. And there's no apparent reason for the delay between the initial agreement in January and an announcement in May, which in turn has ensured that no money would flow until this fall.

We'll never know whether earlier delivery of the promised funding could have helped any of the women who have gone missing in the meantime. But it's fairly clear that the fate of the missing women hasn't been anywhere near the priority that it should have been.