Fifteen groups representing Aboriginal people, sex trade workers, and social justice activists have sent letters to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry rejecting commissioner Wally Oppal's invitation to return to the inquiry, citing concerns of discrimination against Aboriginals and women during the commission thus far.

Mona Woodward, executive director of the Aboriginal Front Door Society, which boycotted the first phase of the inquiry and intends to boycott the second, told The Tyee the inquiry has inadequately represented the views of Aboriginal and community organizations.

"They have not been giving us our voice right from the get-go because we couldn't afford the lawyers," she says.

"More and more is being revealed about the blatant sexism, racism that happened within the police force, and a week ago when one of the staff was accused of being sexist and racist, and these are the people that are supposed to give justice to the missing and murdered women?"

Woodward says many of the groups are planning to bring these issues before the United Nations in hopes of starting a "shadow inquiry" into the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.

"Because once the inquiry's over, that's when the work really begins in implementing preventative educational tools, pieces."

Inquiry Senior Counsel Art Vertlieb says the Commission respects the decisions of the groups not to participate in the second phase.

"Obviously these groups have information that could be of assistance, but we understand the concerns they've expressed for many months, and we certainly respect those concerns and comments," he told The Tyee.

Vertlieb says he has no knowledge of a shadow inquiry, but is aware of a call for national inquiry into missing and murdered women in Canada.

"We certainly understand that some of the groups have talked about having a national inquiry, and we understand why that's on their mind, and whatever groups feel that they need to do to deal with the issues of concern we respect that."

According to the Commission's website, the second phase of the inquiry, set to begin in May 1, will be Policy Forums to focus on two of the Commission's terms of reference:

4. c) recommend changes considered necessary respecting the initiation and conduct of investigations in British Columbia of missing women and suspected multiple homicides; and

4. d) recommend changes considered necessary respecting homicide investigations in British Columbia by more than one investigating organization, including the co‐ ordination of those investigations.

The list of groups who have rejected Commissioner Oppal's invitation to return to the inquiry include the Aboriginal Front Door Society, Amnesty International Canada, Atira Women’s Resource Society, B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Battered Women’s Support Services, Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence Society, Ending Violence Association British Columbia, February 14th Women’s Memorial March Committee, First Nations Summit, Native Women’s Association of Canada, PACE: Providing Alternatives Counselling & Education Society, Pivot Legal Society, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, Union Gospel Mission, West Coast LEAF, and WISH Drop-in Centre Society.

Katie Hyslop reports for the Tyee Solutions Society.