A new monument commemorating missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S+) was unveiled on August 29 in Thompson, Man. It aims to serve as a permanent reminder of the lives lost and the families forever affected.

The monument features an Indigenous woman wearing a jingle dress, with a floral-adorned shawl behind her. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), the organization representing First Nations in northern Manitoba, led the project with input from elders and consultations with families across the region. Development began in 2019.

Reflection and action

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Angela Levasseur told CBC that the monument inspires reflection and action. “This is not only a place of mourning, but also a place of resilience. It honours those we have lost, and it calls on each of us to recommit to the work of justice,” she said.

Levasseur urged the community to remember their collective responsibility to protect Indigenous women and gender-diverse relatives. “Let us be reminded of our collective duty to protect our women, to protect our gender-diverse relatives, to uplift our family members, our survivors, and to build a future where violence is not tolerated,” she said, as per CBC.

Misipawistik Cree Nation Chief Heidi Cook described the monument as a public commemoration and a reminder of the need for systemic change. According to CBC, she encouraged people to carry forward the memory of loved ones who never returned home and to commit to justice for future generations.

Statistics Canada reported in 2023 that homicide rates against Indigenous women and girls were six times higher than for non-Indigenous women. Between 2009 and 2021, 490 homicide victims in Canada were Indigenous women and girls.

“Behind every statistic is a daughter, a mother, a sister… loved and cherished by so many,” Levasseur told CBC. “To the families and survivors: You are not alone, your courage and love carry us all forward.”