Indigenous activists have been protesting since last Tuesday next to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights located in Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba, in the center of the country. They decided to move there after being evicted from one of the entrances to the town’s main dump, where they had set up camp. Their protest is due to the provincial government’s refusal to search for the remains of three Indigenous women in another landfill, victims of a suspected serial killer.

Winnipeg police arrested in May 2022 Jeremy Skibicki, a 35-year-old man with a long criminal history of sexual assault, threats and assault. He was charged with the death of Rebecca Contois, a 24-year-old Native American woman whose remains were found in an area of ​​the Brady landfill. In December, Skibicki was charged with the murder of three other indigenous women: Morgan Harris, 39, Marcedes Myran, 26, and a third victim who has not yet been identified by authorities. Police suspect that the remains of these women may be at the Prairie Green landfill.

The provincial government announced earlier this month that it would not fund the search for the bodies in the dump, after analyzing a report presented in May. The document says the investigations could take up to three years and represent a maximum bill of 184 million Canadian dollars (about 140 million US dollars). However, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said the decision was made because she could not risk the health and safety of the workers performing the tasks “due to an investigation whose outcome is not yet clear.” was not guaranteed”.

Two days later, a group of indigenous activists decided to block access to the Brady landfill, located in the south of the city, in protest. The eviction took place Tuesday morning, after a judge’s order. The protesters decided to move their camp a few meters from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Jorden Myran, sister of one of the victims, told the CBC network that they plan to “keep the camp open and protest until the search in the landfill is complete”.

Marc Miller, federal Minister of Indian Relations, deplored the Manitoba government’s July 12 decision, calling it “cruel.” In response, Prime Minister Stefanson called Miller’s comments “unfortunate” and asked not to politicize the issue. On Monday, the Assembly of Manitoba Indian Chiefs called on the provincial government to reconsider its decision, saying experts believe there are ways to protect workers from toxic waste from the dump.

These deaths and their respective investigations once again raise difficult issues in Canada. A federal government report released in 2019 estimated that Indigenous women across the country are up to 12 times more likely to be victims of murder and disappearances. Likewise, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other security forces have acknowledged that many of their actions have been conditioned by racism and discrimination, particularly towards Indigenous communities. The trial of Jeremy Skibicki, the alleged serial killer, will begin in April.

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