By Lisa Parent

Search the Landfill day of solidarity held at city hall

Sep 18, 2023 | 6:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Today, at seventeen locations across Canada, Indigenous groups and allies across the country gathered to support the “Search the Landfill” initiative. This national movement was created to push the Manitoba government to search a landfill for the bodies of four Indigenous women.

“Our family members, brothers, sisters, parents, they should not be in that landfill,” said Lynne Marshalsay, organizer of the event. “If that was your child or family member in that landfill, is that where you would be okay having them rest in peace? Not me. I wouldn’t.”

“I know exactly how it feels to be a family member looking for a loved one and nobody should ever have to go through that,” explained Alexis Mistakenchief.

The Niitsitapi Kookums Society organized the Medicine Hat event. The group gathered in front of city hall, emphasizing that it wasn’t a protest, but a display of unity. Manitoba premiere Heather Stefanson stated safety risks as a reason to not search the landfill. However, women at the Society say a Indigenous-led feasibility study said it could be done safely.

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Those attending the Medicine Hat event were encouraged to bring drums and wear red. “Indigenous women are not disposable” was written on an event poster. Many women at the event said this initiative is important, because they know what it’s like to lose a loved on

“This is the true reality of being an Indigenous person in our country. We have to wake up every morning knowing a loved one could possibly be in a landfill, or is known to be in the landfill but nothing’s going to be done about it because it’s just not (a) priority. It gets frustrating,” said one woman at the event, Chick Stuber.

“I don’t feel that Canada is really putting their best foot forward, as they say they are doing,” said Rachil Brousseau.

The Niitsitapi Kookums Society hopes to hold more events in the future, coming together as a community to draw awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.