Press Releases

Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) took time this past week to acknowledge the ceremonial closure of the Prairie Green Landfill (PGL) Search Site, where sacred efforts were undertaken to search for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, two First Nations women from Long Plain First Nation whose lives were stolen in acts of colonial violence.

The closing of this search site is not an end, but a spiritual moment in a long journey of truth, healing, and justice. The AMC lifts up and honours the search technicians and support teams who carried out this work with profound care, strength, and respect. The Prairie Green Landfill search was a shared pain, carried together, so the weight didn’t fall entirely on the shoulders of the families. Their heart work, grounded in ceremony and love, has become a testament to what is possible when we walk together in unity, courage, and humanity.

The AMC further acknowledges the leadership of Grand Chief Kyra Wilson, who was Chief of Long Plain First Nation when the call to search Prairie Green was first made. This call was echoed and uplifted by the late Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, who stood as a tireless advocate for the families and all missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two Spirit, and gender-diverse peoples. Their combined leadership has laid the foundation for continued efforts and collective healing.

“Our hearts remain with the families of Morgan and Marcedes. Their lives matter. Their spirits guide us. And we will not stop until all our loved ones are brought home,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “We honour the sacred responsibility to search, no matter the place, no matter the barrier.”

The AMC also wishes to acknowledge the family of Rebecca Contois, their strength and advocacy have helped carry this work forward and remind us all of the urgency to protect and honour our women.

While the PGL search site has been closed, the AMC reiterates the urgency of continuing the search at the Brady Landfill for Ashlee Shingoose, also known as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman), and Tanya Nepinak. Their spirits, like so many others, have not been forgotten.

At the 36th Annual AMC General Assembly, Chiefs-in-Assembly unanimously passed Resolution JUL-24.01, formally calling for an Independent Inquiry into the deaths of Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, and other First Nations people in Manitoba. This resolution builds on years of advocacy and calls for justice, and mandates the AMC to work alongside governments to co-develop the scope and terms of reference for an Order in Council and to ensure First Nations-led oversight of the inquiry process.

The AMC also calls for a dedicated Special Investigation Unit to address ongoing failures by law enforcement to investigate cases such as Tanya Nepinak’s, whose tragic disappearance in 2011 remains unresolved to this day.

“Our women are sacred. Our Two Spirit and gender-diverse relatives are sacred. They are not statistics, and they are not forgotten,” said Grand Chief Wilson. “Every landfill, every alley, every riverbank, these are not crime scenes, they are the resting places of our loved ones. We will search. We will honour. And we will carry this work forward in love and in ceremony.”

-30-

For more information, please contact: 

Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email:  media@manitobachiefs.com  

About The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs:

The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.