Uncovering the Landfill Graves: Canada's Indigenous Women Return Home
Discovered Female Corpses in Canada
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A gruesome tale unfolds in Canada as authorities identify the remains of 26-year-old Marcedes Myran, one of four Indigenous women murdered by convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. Her remains were discovered on a landfill north of Winnipeg, the same site where the body of Morgan Harris, another victim, was found previously.
Last week, the third victim, Rebecca Contois, was found in a dumpster near Skibicki's residence in 2022. The search for a fourth victim, Buffalo Woman, continues. Suspicions about the missing bodies on the landfill date back to the initial stages of the investigation, but the complexity of excavation deterred authorities initially.
Relatives of the victims expressed their outrage, with Morgan Harris' daughter stating, "They always say it's about feasibility. But when it comes to people and bringing these people home, feasibility doesn't matter." This sentiment fueled political debate, leading to a change in the Manitoba provincial government in late 2023. The newly elected Premier Wab Kinew ordered the search of the landfill, aided by a CAD 40 million allocation from the federal government.
The excavation, which began in December, unearthed over 20,000 cubic meters of material, with a 45-member special team, half of whom are Indigenous, sifting through the waste. Working conditions were challenging, with outdoor temperatures reaching -20 degrees Celsius in December.
Skibicki, who targeted homeless Indigenous women in Winnipeg between March and May 2022, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2022 for his crimes, which the judge attributed to "purely racist views." His trial revealed his racist, misogynistic, and white supremacist sentiments, leading the defense to argue for not guilty by reason of insanity due to a schizophrenia diagnosis.
The murders sparked outrage within the Indigenous community and fueled a debate about the disproportionate violence against Indigenous women in Canada. Manitoba, home to the second-largest population of "First Nations" people in Canada, grappled with the profound impact of these crimes.
The ongoing excavations at the Prairie Green landfill symbolize a renewed commitment to addressing the violence against Indigenous women in Canada and providing justice for the victims and their families.
- Murder and Manslaughter
- Canada
- Racism
- Indigenous Peoples
Enrichment Data:
The change in provincial government in Manitoba in late 2023 likely influenced the decision to proceed with the excavation at the Prairie Green landfill, where potential human remains were discovered, believed to be those of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, two Indigenous women killed by serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. The excavation began in December 2024, following the change in government, which may have reflected a renewed commitment to addressing the systemic issues faced by Indigenous communities in the province and the country as a whole.[2] The new government's actions may also reflect a response to the recommendations made by a national public inquiry in 2019, which termed the violence against Indigenous women in Canada a "genocide."[2]
- The newly elected Manitoba Premier, Wab Kinew, ordered the search of the Prairie Green landfill in late 2023, following a change in the provincial government, which was likely prompted by the Traces of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, believed to be victims of the serial killer Jeremy Skibicki.
- The Manitoba provincial government, under the leadership of Premier Wab Kinew, allocated CAD 40 million for the excavation of the Prairie Green landfill, which began in December 2024, in response to the confirmed murder of Indigenous women by Skibicki.
- The confirmation of Skibicki's involvement in the murders of Indigenous women sparked a renewed focus on the Community policy and Employment policy concerning the protection and support of Indigenous peoples in Manitoba, particularly addressing the employment of specialized teams for such excavations.
