Statement from Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Chief Kyra Wilson, Long Plain First Nation
May 6, 2023
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Cathy Merrick and Chief Kyra Wilson of Long Plain First Nation release this joint statement regarding the leaked feasibility study.
We are aware that a sensitive feasibility study presented late this week to the Government of Canada was unexpectedly made public yesterday, on, of all days, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We understand that interest in the report, its details, and its distribution has been high.
We also understand why interest is so high. Non-Indigenous governments have only recently come to recognize the fact that our daughters, mothers, sisters, aunties, and grandmothers continue to go missing at wildly disproportionate rates.
Less than six months ago, we were told that searching for our cherished family members was impossible, but our communities refused to accept that. We then worked together to prove that the search is possible, and essential to the process called “Reconciliation.”
As the people responsible for the dignity of the women and families mentioned in the study, it has always been the plan of Chief Kyra Wilson and I, in full partnership with these families, to publicly address the report and its findings. We had hoped, and continue to hope, to do so on terms that respect the families who have yet to fully digest the report.
We will be available Friday, May 12, at noon for a press conference, and a media advisory will be sent out within the coming few days.
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For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
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 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 151,000 First Nation citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anishininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) people. The current elected Grand Chief of AMC is Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of Pimicikamak Cree Nation.