Indigenous people and allies across Canada are planning to gather on Monday, Sept. 18 for #SearchTheLandfill day of action to show solidarity with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran whose bodies are believed to be in a Winnipeg landfill the province refuses to search.
“It’s overwhelming, it feels like the government doesn’t care at all and it shows,” said MMIW survivor Jody-Leigh Pacey. “(Their behaviour) is showing that you can go and dump a Native woman’s body because the government is not going to search.”
“They’re showing us we don’t matter and it’s just so sad.”
Monday’s action is planned for Sept. 18, the day the House of Commons returns from summer holidays.
Events are being held across the country with major ones planned for Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Edmonton and others in Vancouver, Prince George and North Battleford.
Manitoba Conservative premier, Heather Stefanson, has continued to deny search efforts at the landfill, citing cost, safety risks and no guaranteed success despite the union representing landfill workers saying there’s no reason the search can’t be done if proper precautions are taken.
And landfills have been searched before. In 2021, the remains of Nathaniel Brettell were found in an Ontario landfill after a several-month long search.
The province is in the midst of a provincial election and the landfill is a major campaign point — the Liberals say they’d pay half the cost of a $184 million search if elected while NDP promise they’ll do what Stefanson won’t, which is “try.”
CUPE believes that the Brady site should be thoroughly searched. We are willing to work with the City of Winnipeg & other authorities to provide support to any organization conducting a search.
Join us & stand with AMC and families of #MMIWG2S!https://t.co/B81W5w88oL
— CUPE National (@cupenat) July 20, 2023
“It’s very exhausting, especially as a survivor, I know how it is,” said Pacey. “To go through something so violent and I wasn’t able to protect myself, there’s no protection and there’s a fear of safety for us every day, every single day.”
Monday’s events are for everyone and will include speeches, drumming, dances and marches — those who can’t make it are encouraged to wear red.
“We need more people to get involved because they’re not listening to us here in Winnipeg. We’ve done rallies, marches, a blockade and its disheartening to feel like we’re trying to fight this alone,” said Pacey.
“This is an awareness and callout for support from across the country — its been done before, they’ve searched the landfill for other people so I don’t know why this can’t be done again.”