Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were murdered in 2022, and their bodies were left in a Winnipeg landfill. Morgan and Marcedes’ families and communities have been calling for a search of the landfill ever since, and the province has refused. The federal government will not take action alone.
Landfill searches for non-Indigenous murder victims have been successfully undertaken in the past, yet Manitoba remains unwilling to act in this case. This is an act of racism, and demonstrates a lack of humanity. It has emboldened others to commit racist acts against those calling for the basic dignity that has been afforded to others to be shown for Morgan and Marcedes.
The United Church of Canada believes that the inherent dignity of every human being must be respected. In life, and now in death, Morgan, Marcedes, and thousands of other missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people have been denied the dignity and respect that they deserve.
In December 2022, the Rev. Michael Blair, General Secretary, wroteto Winnipeg Chief of Police Danny Smyth asking that he revisit his decision to not search the Prairie Green landfill at that time. The Prairie-to-Pine Regional Council has just released a statement calling for members to raise the issue with officials and contact their local MLAs.
We call on the government to bring Morgan and Marcedes home to their loved ones.
We are in solidarity with Camp Morgan and Camp Marcedes in Winnipeg. #SearchTheLandfill
Communities of faith, ministries, and individuals across the country are invited to share this message and add their own voices to the call for a search. As you do so, please be aware of the trauma that these recent events continue to bring up for those who have been most closely affected. Visit The United Church of Canada Facebook page and Instagram channel for social media, banner images, and profile graphics you can share to amplify this call for justice.