The famous intersection in Winnipeg has been in the news lately, but the recent activity downtown is not related to the mayor’s plan to reopen Portage and Main to pedestrians.
Members of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) organized a protest at Portage and Main on Friday morning to honor International Women’s Day and urge a search of the Prairie Green Landfill near the city.
The Prairie Green Landfill is believed to contain the remains of several Indigenous women who may have been victims of a suspected serial killer.
Efforts to search the landfill have sparked controversy in Manitoba and across the country, leading to protests, blockades, and involvement from various levels of government.
Jeremy Skibicki is facing charges of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois, and an unidentified woman referred to by Indigenous leaders as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman).
The AMC, which submitted a report to the government in January regarding safety concerns related to the investigation at the landfill, announced the protest on Thursday. AMC called for an end to delays and an immediate start to the search at Prairie Green in the report they submitted to the government in January. Melissa Robinson, cousin of Morgan Harris, expressed frustration on Friday with the government’s inaction, stating that it has created conflict within the community and among supporters.
Melissa Robinson, cousin of Morgan Harris, shared that the families are exhausted from waiting for government action, saying, “It’s draining. It’s causing conflict among not only us, but also our supporters, our community.
Harris’ daughter Cambria, a prominent figure in the movement advocating for a search, criticized elected officials for their lack of action, calling it a failure on their part.
Cambria, the daughter of Harris who has been actively supporting the search, criticized the systems in place, stating that they continuously fail their people and urging a stop to the bureaucracy and a recognition of basic human rights.
The protest in Winnipeg, which included speeches at the Manitoba legislature, was part of a series of planned events across the country, with similar protests scheduled in Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Toronto.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is demanding an end to delays and an immediate start to the search at Prairie Green landfill.
