Episode One - An Introduction to Stolen Voices

In this first episode, our host Nicole Robertson discusses the intention behind Stolen Voices, a podcast created to confront the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and human trafficking impacting First Nations communities. Joined by producer Greg, the conversation opens with an honest and personal look at why this work matters—both professionally and deeply personally—and the responsibility they feel in amplifying voices that have too often been silenced or overlooked.

Nicole shares her perspective on the importance of storytelling as a tool for awareness, healing, and change, grounding the podcast in a commitment to truth, respect, and cultural sensitivity. Together, Nicole and Greg reflect on the gaps they’ve witnessed in public understanding, the systemic issues that continue to put Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people at risk, and the urgent need for conversations that are led by community, informed by lived experience, and rooted in accountability.

This episode also sets the tone for the season ahead, outlining what listeners can expect—from survivor-informed discussions and expert insights to community voices and real stories that highlight both the challenges and the resilience within Indigenous communities. Nicole and Greg emphasize that Stolen Voices is not just about raising awareness, but about fostering meaningful dialogue, supporting prevention, and contributing to real change.

Raw, reflective, and purposeful, this first episode invites listeners to step in with open minds and hearts, and to walk alongside those whose voices deserve to be heard.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Welcome to the very first episode of Stolen Voices, the First Nations fight against human trafficking. I'm your host, Nicole Robertson, and I'm honored to be here with you today. This podcast is dedicated to Indigenous women and girls and shedding light on one of the most pressing issues facing Indigenous communities today: human trafficking, exploitation, and the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and two-spirit people. I'm joined by our producer, Gregory White, who leads the anti-trafficking efforts for G4 Justice. Gregory, welcome.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Thank you, Nicole. It's really an honor to be here and to finally be launching this podcast with you. This has been in the works for quite some time now, and it's something very close to my heart and to the First Nations communities which we serve at G4 Justice, Sutina Nation and Stony Nakota, which includes Bear's Paw, Chinnekee, and the good stony First Nations. Nicole, let's start with the name. Why Stolen Voices? What does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 1:10

The title Stolen Voices reflects the harsh reality that human trafficking, exploitation, and violence silences First Nations peoples. It takes away our voices, our community members, and the well-being of our future generations. The goal of this podcast is to return those voices and to honor those who've been lost and to amplify those who are still fighting and living with the harsh reality of this crisis.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

That's really powerful, Nicole. And it reminds us that this isn't just an issue of statistics. It's personal and it's human and it's about people's stories.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Exactly. Every person impacted is someone's daughter, niece, son, sister, mother, brother, auntie, and friend. We want to bring those human stories forward while also looking at the systematic issues that allow this crisis to continue. For some of our listeners, this may be their first time hearing about how widespread trafficking is in Indigenous communities. Greg, can you give us some context?

SPEAKER_00 2:15

Yes, absolutely, Nicole. So while Indigenous women make up less than 4% of Canada's entire population, they account for nearly half of all human trafficking and sexual exploitation victims. This is directly tied to the ongoing impacts of colonization, residential schools, intergenerational trauma, and systematic racism. It's also a multi-billion dollar industry with over 20 billion in Canada alone. That's a horrifying amount that's tied to the exploitation of Indigenous women, men, and children.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

That's staggering. And yet it doesn't always make media headlines.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

No, it really doesn't. And that silence is part of the problem here. Many of these cases go unreported, and survivors aren't always believed or supported. And so our goal with this podcast is to bring some of this conversation more out and into the open.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

The impact of this issue in our community actually did make national headlines in June of 2025 when the Setina Nation Police Service, Tascuna, launched Project Buffalo. Can you tell us a little bit more about that, Greg?

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Yeah, Project Buffalo was this joint initiative between the Sutina Nation Police Service and Calgary Police Services, and it launched in May of 2025. It was created to target human trafficking and sexual exploitation happening on and around Sutina lands. The investigation led to charges against 10 individuals, none of whom were nation members, for 31 offenses, including the luring of minors and the intention of purchasing sex from underage girls. What makes this project so important is that it reflects a zero-tolerance stance by the Sutina Nation. And it also shows that First Nations communities are not only speaking up, but taking action to protect their people.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

That is powerful. It also is a reminder that exploitation doesn't come from within our communities. It's often people from outside who prey upon the vulnerabilities created by systematic inequalities.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

Exactly. And Project Buffalo really highlights the importance of partnerships, survivor supports, and prevention. It's a model that I hope we see more in communities in the future.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

As our producer, Greg, can you talk a bit about what listeners can expect from stolen voices? What kinds of stories and conversations are we going to be hosting here?

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Well, we're going to be bringing on a really wide range of guests from across all kinds of different sectors so that we're able to explore this topic from different viewpoints. So we're going to be speaking with survivors who are going to bravely share their stories with us law enforcement officers, social workers, elders, cultural knowledge keepers, policy makers, and nonprofit grassroots advocates. We're going to be exploring prevention, healing, justice, and the resilience of First Nations communities.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

I learned that it's just not focused on the harm, but also on indigenous cultural values, traditions, and knowledge.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Absolutely. It's about naming the problem, uh, but also highlighting some solutions, culture as protection, and the ways that people are standing up and taking action.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Greg, before we close, why does this work matter so deeply to you?

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Over the years, I have seen firsthand how this issue impacts people in a community that I care very deeply about. So I've heard from survivors, I've heard from families who've lost loved ones. And lately I've been attending a lot of conferences and workshops where so many of the issues that I hear about tie into human trafficking. So I've heard the pain, but I've also seen the strength and the hope. And I believe that we have a responsibility, not just as professionals in this sector, but as community members and advocates to do much better and to protect one another and to speak when others can't. How about you, Nicole? I know that this issue also matters deeply to you.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

For me, as a First Nations mother, sister, auntie, and former journalist, this work matters because our stories matter. Our lives matter. I covered stories as a former broadcast journalist, which included human trafficking and MMIWG, which had a huge impact on me personally. I had a high school friend who went missing over a decade ago. They searched for her remains at a landfill in Winnipeg, but unfortunately to this day, they haven't found her body or DNA yet. I'm very hopeful they will. And I want to ensure that the current and future generations have agency and are safe upon our own lands and territories.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Thank you, Nicole. One of the highlights of my work over this last year has been getting to know you and collaborating with you. And I really look forward to going on this journey together and hopefully shedding some light on a really dark subject matter and a national crisis.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

Thank you so much, Greg. We also want to thank our listeners for joining us. That brings us to the end of our first episode. Stay tuned for future episodes when we'll be hearing from our guests. Episode two with Survivor and Advocate Stephanie Harp is out now. This podcast exists because our stories matter, our people matter, and every single stolen voice deserves to be heard, honored, and protected. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1833-900-1010. It's available 24-7, confidential, and judgment free. You can always reach out to Greg, our anti-human trafficking lead at G4 Justice. His email address is GregoryWhite at G4TC.org. Please subscribe to the podcast, share it with your community, and follow G4 Justice for updates. Until next time, stay safe and stay informed. Hi hi, Kinanask Metin, which means in Cree. Thank you. I'm very grateful.