Manitoba marks first National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S+ since women’s remains found at landfill
Posted May 5, 2025 4:26 pm.
Last Updated May 5, 2025 8:59 pm.
May 5 marks the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2Spirit People in Manitoba.
But what’s changed since last year is the province has successfully found remains of First Nations women in a Manitoba landfill, which many are saying marks a historic moment in the fight for no more stolen sisters.
“It’s precedent-setting, when we talk about a landfill search,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. “I don’t really know across this country what other landfill searches that we’ve seen where we’ve been successful in finding our missing loved ones.”
Grand Chief Wilson was among the hundreds of people who marched from Memorial Park to The Forks’ Oodena Circle Monday.
“We are entering into a new journey for our families that have been impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous People,” she said.
Patience Sinclair marched in the walk, calling for justice for Rachel Muswagon, a woman from Norway House killed in Winnipeg last year. She says no matter the time passed or the cost, loved ones need to come home.
“It’s very important because those are someone’s sister, brothers, aunties, uncles,” Sinclair said.
Manitoba’s government also commemorated the day.
Minister of Families Nahanni Fontaine says the MMIWG2S+ Healing and Empowerment Endowment Fund is being spread across organizations representing First Nations, Métis, Inuit and urban Indigenous populations: Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakinak, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, Giganawenimaanaanig, Infinity Women’s Secretariat and Tunngasugit.
“This is incredibly low barrier,” Minister Fontaine said. “I don’t want MMIWG2S families to have to jump over hoop over hoop to be able to access some supports.”
By next year on May 5, Grand Chief Wilson says she’s hopeful another successful search for stolen sisters will be underway.
“I’m hoping that we’ve already started the Brady Landfill search and that we’re finding our women that are suspected of being there,” she said.
“We have so many missing people still, from our nations. Our families.”
