Cross-Canada protests call for Winnipeg landfill search

On this International Day of Action to Search the Landfills, families, supporters, and organizations across Canada continue to pressure all levels of government to complete a search of a Manitoba landfill for the remains of Marcedes Myran, Morgan Harris, and an unidentified victim known as Buffalo Woman, who were allegedly murdered by Jeremy Skibicki last year.

“We value our lives, and our lives are at stake,” said Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris.

“We’re not trash, we’re not garbage, we’re not disposable and we never will be, and it’s time for us to stand up and fight that system and those changes and cracks within the system that continue to fail us repeatedly.”

In July, Manitoba’s Premier refused to search the Prairie Green Landfill, north of Winnipeg, citing safety and health risks – a decision that has seen wide backlash.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), Indigenous leadership and the families of Myran and Harris were in Ottawa Monday meeting with Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree and discussing the landfill search. Cambria Harris, the daughter of Morgan Harris, says the minister failed to give definitive answers on federal support for a search.

“It’s frustrating watching politicians bicker amongst each other because they can’t figure out who is responsible for searching the landfill. I think it’s sad that jurisdiction has more place than my mother’s dignity,” said Harris.

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Several protests and gatherings taking place across the country, including right here in Winnipeg at the Manitoba legislature, as calls grow for Manitoba and Ottawa to search the landfill.

Hundreds, dressed in red, ascended to the grounds of the legislature Monday afternoon, urging for the government to search the landfill. Donna Bartlett, Mother and Grandmother of Marcedes Myran says it’s time for the government to wake up.

“You have our land, but you can’t take our lives or our respect, so give us our women back,” said Donna Bartlett, grandmother of Marcedes Myran.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz says by refusing to search the landfill, the rights of the victims are not being upheld.

“This is a horrific act of violence that Premier Stefanson has done to Indigenous people in this country by refusing to search the landfill. You can’t get any more violent than that, than to disregard human life, even in their time of death,” said Anderson-Pyrz.

Robyn Johnston says missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada is a genocide.

“Indigenous women are going missing and murdered every day. We are in a crisis. Over the past five years, every single missing woman case that remains unsolved, 100 per cent of them are Indigenous women,” said Johnston.