Content warning: The following story contains details of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Monday, September 18 is an International Day of Action for Missing, Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit Peoples (MMIWG2S). Rallies are being held across the country to pressure the government of Manitoba to search a Winnipeg area landfill for the bodies of murdered Indigenous women.
A Winnipeg man was arrested in May of 2022 in connection with the suspected murder of at least four Indigenous women.
The remains of Morgan Beatrice Harris, Marcedes Myran, along with the remains of a third, unidentified woman who has been named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or “Buffalo Woman,” by the community are believed to be in the Brady Rd. landfill.
For more than a year, the Manitoba provincial government under Premier Heather Stefanson has resisted calls to have the landfill searched and the bodies recovered so they can be given a respectful burial and so that their families can be given closure.
READ MORE: Search demanded in Winnipeg-area landfill; government apathy condemned
Stefanson has cited concerns about the cost and safety of conducting such a search, which her government believes makes such an action unfeasible.
Sit-ins planned across Canada
Families of MMIWG2S and their supporters are organizing sit-ins and other rallies are being planned in major cities across the country including Ottawa (ON), Montreal (QC), Prince George (BC), New Denver (BC), and of course, Winnipeg.
Indigenous leaders, unions, and other non-profit organizations have spoken out in support of the day. A statement from Amnesty International Canada reads:
“Indigenous grassroots organization Families of Sisters in Spirit and Amnesty International Canada, in a joint statement, have urged the Governments of Canada and Manitoba to listen to the urgent calls of MMIWG2S+ families, community members and advocates to immediately search and bring home the remains of Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) national office has offered to provide support to the City of Winnipeg to help support a search of the landfill.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) made a post in support of the day on X (formerly Twitter) as did NDP MP Leah Gazan.
Gazan is an Indigenous woman who represents the riding of Winnipeg Centre. Gazan has been a strong advocate on the issue of MMIWG2S in Parliament, including through her introduction of a motion to implement a national Red Dress Alert system to help prevent and solve cases like the one that led to this current tragedy in Winnipeg. Gazan’s motion passed unanimously in the House of Commons this past May.
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