Cambria Harris has been advocating for her mother, whose remains may be in a landfill for months.
“All levels of governments-they need to do better in the future whether that be in terms of landfill searches or even just supplying support to MMIWG2S families,” Harris told APTN News.
Cambria Harris emerged from a meeting with Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham saying that the meeting was constructive. She said Gillingham offered what support the city was able to for a search of the landfill, but that help does not include funding.
Manitoba Indigenous leaders say that although Gillingham has offered support for a landfill search for human remains, the province continues to be an obstacle.
Grand Chief Cathy Merrick was also among the small group that met with the Winnipeg mayor to discuss calls for a search of the Prairie Green Landfill, north of the city.
“So, it’s the provincial government that really has to come to the table and to be really, to approve what needs to be done. It’s the only thing! It’s crazy that the only response to them is to say no, and it’s not right to say no.”
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The remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are believed to have been dumped in the landfill last year, and the Manitoba government has said a search would be too hazardous for workers.
Kyra Wilson-Chief of Long Plain First Nation where the women were from, says the mayor’s office showed the family respect.
“We did not unfortunately have that with the meeting with the premier which was unfortunate, and right now we’re going to continue moving ahead,” said Wilson.
The province has also said a search could interfere with the scheduled trial of Jeremy Skibicki, who has been charged with first-degree murder in those deaths and the deaths of two other Indigenous women.
With files from the Canadian Press.
