In a media release the organizers say, “Fontaine was in the care of Child and Family Services at the time of her disappearance. She was a daughter to us all, and represents both the ongoing epidemic of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada and, what’s more, the neglect shown by governments to fully, substantively confront this issue in an actionable way.
The public are invited to a peaceful assembly at the Alexander Docks at 7:00 PM CDT, where a moment of silence and reflection will be held.
Afterwards, all are invited to a peaceful walk up Alexander Avenue to Lily turning left until we get to Market Ave. We will walk up Market until we get to Main Street, walking south past Portage and main until reaching Mahatma Gandhi Way, where the procession will continue along Israel Asper Way until reaching the recently installed Monument for Murdered Missing Aboriginal Women at the Forks near the Oodena Circle, where offerings of gifts and medicines will be made in a spirit of unity and change.
Maps will be provided for all walkers.
Afterwards, a vigil will be held at the Oodena Circle where offerings of songs and words will be gifted to the public by members of the family of Tina Fontaine and other leaders within the community.
In May of 2014, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police issued a detailed statistical breakdown spanning nearly 1200 cases of murdered and missing Aboriginal women since 1980. The report said aboriginal women make up 4.3% of the Canadian population yet account for 16% of female homicides and 11.3% of missing women.
This event is also held in honour of the memory of Faron Hall, a Dakota Tipi member of the Winnipeg Aboriginal community best known for bravely rescuing two people on two, separate occasions from the Red River. His remains were also found on Monday, August 18. Faron is a hero to many and was given awards for his courage.Today’s walk and vigil will be convened rain or shine. Walkers may want to park their cars at the Forks and car-pool to the assembly site, and all are encouraged to act responsibly.
