The Manitoba police recently confirmed that human remains unearthed in a landfill near Winnipeg belong to Morgan Beatrice Harris, a victim of a serial killer. The search for remains has highlighted political divides and raised critical questions regarding justice for Indigenous communities.
Remains of Indigenous Women Linked to Serial Killer Found in Manitoba Landfill
Remains of Indigenous Women Linked to Serial Killer Found in Manitoba Landfill
The discovery of human remains in a Winnipeg landfill has reignited discussions about the treatment of Indigenous victims in Canada.
The police in Manitoba have announced that some human remains recovered from a landfill search near Winnipeg are those of Morgan Beatrice Harris, marking a significant development in the investigation into the murders of four Indigenous women. Harris, a 39-year-old member of the Long Plain First Nation, is one of the victims connected to Jeremy Anthony Michael Skibicki, sentenced to life in prison for the killings late last year.
The search for remains in the Prairie Green landfill garnered political attention, particularly during the 2023 provincial elections. The Progressive Conservative party, which faced defeat, opposed the costly search, arguing that the chances of finding additional remains were slim. This opposition drew criticism from Indigenous groups, who referred to the historical precedent set by the 2002 investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton in British Columbia, highlighting a perceived disparity in the treatment of cases involving Indigenous victims.
Since the elections, the identification of Harris's remains was announced by the incumbent New Democratic Party government led by Wab Kinew, the first Indigenous provincial premier. This moment proved bittersweet for Harris's daughter, Cabria, who expressed mixed feelings about the news on social media. Previously, only the remains of another victim, Rebecca Contois, had been identified.
In the wake of the announcement, the Progressive Conservative's interim leader, Wayne Ewasko, offered an apology for the party's stance against the search, acknowledging a loss of empathy for victims’ families. However, Cabria Harris has dismissed the apology as insincere until proven otherwise through action.
The second unidentified victim is known among First Nations elders as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, while the identities of the other women include Marcedes Myran, aged 26. The harassment of Indigenous women in Canada continues to be a pressing issue, reflecting deeper societal challenges that families and communities face in seeking justice and closure.
