Taking on the mantle of responsibility, Manitoba’s Premier Wab Kinew offered and heartfelt apology on Thursday to the bereaved families of two murdered First Nations women. It is believed the remains of these women lay at a Winnipeg landfill, utilized as political ammunition during the recent provincial elections, an act which left Kinew apologetic and remorseful.
Premier Kinew reached out to meet with the grieving families of victims Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, intending to mend and strengthen the relationship between the government and the aggrieved families.
Kinew clarified during his apology, “While the government of Manitoba isn’t accountable for the actions of political parties during election campaigns, as Premier, I occupy the same moral ground as my predecessors. Hence, I felt it was essential to extend an apology for the handling of these tragic occurrences.”
The prior Tory administration under Premier Heather Stefanson vehemently ignored calls to search the Prairie Green Landfill, using this stance as a pillar during the election campaign. Despite the feasibility of the search as outlined in a federal-funded report, the Tory party leveraged their stance against the search, citing workers’ potential exposure to toxic materials.
This rigid attitude of the previous government was replaced by promising statements from Kinew, who assured that under the New Democrat reign, the landfill would indeed be scoured for the missing remains despite a lack in finalized funding arrangements.
These words brought solace to Donna Bartlett, the grandmother of Myran. She expressed her gratitude to Kinew after hearing his apology, describing the moment as “absolutely amazing”.
Accompanied by cabinet ministers Nahanni Fontaine, Bernadette Smith and Matt Wiebe, Kinew met for over an hour and a half with the family members and First Nations leaders. The manner of the meeting impressed Long Plain First Nation Chief Kyra Wilson, who saw the participants sitting in a circle as an essential shift in dynamics and energy. She foresees a promising and productive relationship evolving with the provincial government.
Affirming Chief Wilson’s optimism, Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick described the families as “very optimistic” about the comprehensive search of the landfill, despite endured hardships.
The federal government’s recent donation of $740,000 to the families will aid in compiling a report within the next 90 days to review the scope of the search. However, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree pointed out the need for further research into the mechanics of the search.
In reference to the murders of Harris, Myran, Rebecca Contois, and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe or Buffalo Woman, charges for first-degree murder have been put forth against Jeremy Skibicki.
