Statement on Brady Road Landfill Search for Ashlee Shingoose and Planning for Tanya Nepinak
August 14, 2025
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Trigger Warning: Details of this news release may be very distressing to read. Please be prepared to reach out for support while reading or afterwards. The Hope for Wellness helpline is available 24/7 by calling 1-855-242-3310 or visiting https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) welcomes and thanks the Province of Manitoba’s announcement that a pilot search has begun at the Brady Road Landfill for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose. The Premier also confirmed plans to search for Tanya Nepinak, who is believed to have been there since 2011. As with the Prairie Green Landfill search, this work must be trauma-informed and led by the families. The voices of both the Shingoose and Nepinak families must be central in every step of the process.
We honour the Shingoose family of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation and the Nepinak family of Minegoziibe Anishinabe for their unwavering commitment to bringing their loved one’s home. Both families have carried the weight of grief while fighting for answers, and their strength, courage, and persistence have brought us to this moment.
“Today’s announcement brings hope to these families and to all First Nations in Manitoba. On behalf of the AMC, I thank Premier Wab Kinew and the Province of Manitoba for taking these important steps, and for engaging directly with the families,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “Ashlee and Tanya’s families have shown extraordinary strength in seeking justice, and the AMC through our Missing and Murdered First Nations Persons (MMFNP) team will continue to work closely with the province, the federal government, and the impacted Nations to ensure that these searches are conducted with respect, ceremony, and care.”
“For far too long – 14 long years – we have waited, hoping, searching, and demanding action,” said Tanya’s partner Vernon Mann of Sagkeeng First Nation, who is also the father to their two children. “We have never stopped advocating for this search. This work is now about bringing both Ashlee and Tanya home, honouring their spirits, and ensuring no other family has to endure what we have endured. Now, finally, we see a path forward to bring Tanya home.”
The AMC has worked and will continue to advocate for the direct involvement of the impacted families and Nations at every stage of these processes, from planning to search operations, to the respectful return of Ashlee and Tanya, so that these efforts truly reflect First Nation cultural protocols and responsibilities. The AMC also supported the Prairie Green Landfill search, which allowed the families to bring home Morgan and Marcedes.
“These searches are a powerful reminder of the unwavering strength of families, Nations, and their allies. They show that through advocacy, unity, and hope, we can create meaningful change and honour the lives of loved ones. The AMC remains committed to supporting the families, guiding the process with cultural care, and ensuring that Ashlee and Tanya are remembered with dignity and respect,” said Grand Chief Wilson.
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.