Statement in Support of Searching the Landfills

West Central Women’s Resource Centre and North End Women’s Centre stand in solidarity with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran and all the Indigenous communities that are calling for the City of Winnipeg to work together with other levels of government to search for their loved ones at the Prairie Green landfill.

An attempt to get an injunction to remove peaceful demonstrators from the Brady landfill is an example of ongoing colonial violence in the face of a genocide of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people. Just because the City may have the legal right to take this action, does not make it right. The City’s own Indigenous Accord makes commitments to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, and the MMIWG2S Commission’s 231 Calls for Justice. It outlines a commitment to enter into respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples. These actions defy this Accord.

We support the call to stop dumping at both sites so that a search can be conducted. These women deserve to be brought home to their families so that they can be properly honoured. We also support the call for the City of Winnipeg to direct the Winnipeg Police Service to search these grounds and ask for assistance from both the Provincial and Federal governments to do this. We call on the Provincial and Federal governments to support these efforts financially and to send a clear message that the lives of Indigenous women are sacred.

We cannot issue land acknowledgements while at the same time stripping Indigenous people of their rights to defend the land and their very lives. It is the responsibility of all levels of government to come together and demonstrate a true commitment to the 94 Calls to Action and the 231 Calls for Justice and to fully implement UNDRIP. Governments cannot speak of reconciliation in the absence of truth and justice.