The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) issued a statement on Wednesday, commending the recent announcement made by the Province of Manitoba for initiating a search for the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris at the Prairie Green landfill.
In the statement, Grand Chief Cathy Merrick acknowledged the strength and perseverance of those who have advocated for the search to be performed since December of 2022.
She said she is “pleased to see that the government of Manitoba is initiating the search and has already begun taking the necessary steps. The approach to seeking a search has been family-first and trauma-informed. We must remember to keep this approach, which is consistent with the MMIWG National Inquiry Final Report and its Calls for Justice.”
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The AMC continues to advocate that the search must not only use Indigenous-led solutions and services but also include the families of the victims. It’s a sentiment shared by Melissa Robinson, cousin to Morgan Harris: “While we appreciate the efforts initiated by the Provincial government, it is critical to recognize that two families are at different stages of grieving and should have been included from the outset, Moving forward, we insist that both the Myran and Harris families, as well as the AMC, are involved in this process…We are finally seeing progress, and with AMC’s continued involvement, we are confident that we will achieve justice and bring our loved ones home.”
The statement continued, stating the Province has only one opportunity to do the search correctly, stressing the recommendations of the MMIWG National Inquiry Final Report should be followed and the process must be approached with “the utmost seriousness and respect”.
Global News also reached out to Waste Connections Canada, the company that operates Prairie Green Landfill, but did not hear back by the deadline.
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