Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew apologizes to families of slain women for PC landfill election ads

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew formally apologized Thursday to the families of two First Nations women believed to have been victims of an alleged serial killer, saying they were "forced to become a political prop" during the recent provincial election campaign.

The apology came before a closed-door meeting at the legislative building on Thursday between the province and the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.

"It was very relieving for the premier to apologize, it felt great actually ," said Donna Bartlett, the grandmother of Myran. "And I'm happy that he did apologize because it's been a long year, year-and-a-half, and to hear that from one of the premiers is absolutely amazing."

WATCH | Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew formally apoligizes to families of two First Nations women believed to have been victims of an alleged serial killer:

Manitoba premier apologizes to families of women believed to be in landfill

1 year ago

Duration 4:10

Before a private meeting Thursday with First Nations leaders and family members of the two women whose bodies are believed to be in Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew publicly apologized for the way the issue of searching the landfill was treated as a political issue by the previous government and promised, "We are going to try to bring your loved ones home."

Police believe the two women were among four killed by the same man, and that Harris and Myran's remains were taken to Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, in May 2022. 

While there have been repeated calls to search that landfill for the women, and a feasibility study on a possible search earlier this year estimated it could be done, the previous Progressive Conservative provincial government under Heather Stefanson refused to support a search.

The party made that opposition an issue in the election campaign, including taking out ads and billboards saying the PCs would "stand firm" on that approach. Stefanson apologized for the ads following her party's Oct. 3 election defeat.

"No one who has their loved ones taken from them in the fashion that you have should ever be forced to become a political prop in an election campaign, and I am deeply sorry that you have been put through that," Kinew said Thursday.

"The government of Manitoba is not liable for what a political party does or what politicians do during an election campaign, but I — as the premier of Manitoba — I share the same moral space as my predecessor, the former premier of Manitoba."

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said she "always remained optimistic" a day like Thursday would come. She added while it "was a really hard journey," she's done her crying and is moving forward with strength.  

"I couldn't imagine the feeling that the families were going through every single time that this was brought up," she said. "Every single time this was brought up during the election and they had to re-live it time and time again, so they gave us strength and for them to be able to move forward in the same manner."

"It gives us strength to work and be with them by their side," she added. 

'Lot of work ahead:' Long Plain First Nation chief 

Kinew said while the province cannot change the past, "we are here to tell you today that we are going to try. We are going to try to bring your loved ones home."

"The work is starting now … we just want to start over and reset the relationship."

Kinew hasn't committed a specific dollar figure to a search, but said both during the campaign and after he was elected that his NDP government will support one. 

Long Plain First Nation Chief Kyra Wilson added Thursday the focus is still on the 90-day deadline to provide more information to the federal government on the process for a landfill search. 

"Right now it will be dependent on those conversations between both levels of government and I do want to respect that process as the provincial government [was] just sworn in recently," said Wilson. "So, being able to give them that time, but also acknowledging that there's a lot of work ahead." 

The feasibility study estimated a search could take one to three years and cost between $84 million and $184 million. 

Earlier this month, the federal government announced it will put $740,000 toward further review of a possible search.

City motion calls for 'clear message': councillor

Earlier Thursday, Winnipeg city council approved a motion calling on the provincial and federal governments to fund a search.

The motion passed with nine councillors voting in favour and six in opposition, including Mayor Scott Gillingham. The motion originally came forward in July and asked the city to formally request the province and federal government fund the search.

WATCH | Winnipeg city council calls on province, feds to fund landfill search:

Winnipeg city council calls on province, feds to fund landfill search

1 year ago

Duration 1:47

Councillors passed a motion urging the federal and Manitoba governments to fund a search of the Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, for the remains of two First Nations women who police say were victims of a serial killer.

Speaking to reporters before the vote, Gillingham reiterated his position that Prairie Green is outside the city's jurisdiction, and he did not think it is appropriate to tell the federal or provincial governments what to do.

"I've met with two premiers on this matter, I've met with two federal ministers of Crown-Indigenous relations on this matter, imploring all of them to take next steps to work with the families [of Harris and Myran]," said Gillingham, adding that the city is prepared to provide assistance in the event a search is conducted.