The year 2023 saw families and advocates plead and rally for a search for human remains in a landfill, violence against Indigenous women and girls continue to plague communities, and the province of Manitoba elect Canada’s first ever First Nations premier.
As we near the end of another year, here are five notable stories that made headlines over the last 12 months in Manitoba.
Search the landfill
Families and advocates have been demanding since last winter that the Prairie Green Landfill be searched for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, two Indigenous women believed to have been killed by an alleged serial killer and dumped at the landfill north of Winnipeg. Two separate encampments set up in Winnipeg continue to run, and those at the encampments say they will not leave until the landfill is searched. The calls for the search have also led to controversy as on multiple occasions in the past year protesters have blocked access into the Brady Road Landfill, at one point forcing police to step in and remove a barricade to reestablish access.
Violence against Indigenous women continues
Winnipeg continued to deal with incidents of violence against Indigenous women and girls in 2023, and calls continue for all levels of government to find ways to keep women and girls safe. In December, an attack saw a 27-year-old Indigenous woman lured to a home where she was held against her will, beaten unconscious, and later left in a dumpster. Another incident in December saw a 14-year-old Indigenous girl stabbed to death in downtown Winnipeg. In a recent statement, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) said both the federal and provincial governments need to take “immediate action” to stop what they say is an “epidemic” of violence.
Kapyong reborn
A ceremony in November saw First Nations leaders break ground on a massive project that will see the former Kapyong Barracks, which has sat empty since 2004, transformed into this country’s largest urban reserve. The site along Kenaston Boulevard is now slated to become Naawi-Oodena, a massive urban reserve that will be a joint venture between the Treaty One Development Corporation and Canada Lands Company, a self-financing Crown corporation. In total, approximately 68% of the 168-acre site will be developed, and residential, commercial, educational, cultural, recreational, and other community-related facilities are expected to be built in the space.
First Nations premier
The province of Manitoba made history in October when NDP leader Wab Kinew was elected as the 25th premier of Manitoba, and the first ever First Nations premier in Canada. The AMC called Kinew’s election victory a “historic achievement,” and a “powerful affirmation of increased inclusivity and First Nations’ participation and representation within Manitoba’s political landscape.”
Business owners grapple with theft
Theft in rural Manitoba was on the rise this year, while some business owners say they continue to feel helpless trying to combat thieves. Statistics show theft this October up by 5% from last October in the RCMP’s west and north districts, but also up by 23% in their east district. Portage la Prairie business owner Arishya Aggarwal recently said her and other business owners no longer feel they can rely on the RCMP or the justice system to combat theft, because they believe RCMP detachments lack the resources to deal with theft calls, and the current bail system continues to put perpetrators back on the streets.
