Six people from Manitoba and Ontario have taken to the streets to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous people of Canada. The walkers walked from Norway House to Winnipeg, about 800 kilometres, and are continuing on to the destination point of British Columbia.
Brenda Osborne’s daughter Claudette has been missing since 2008, but when asked if she’s walking for her, Osborne quickly said she’s walking for everyone. “I think everyone has forgotten about the missing and murdered. People are going missing and murderers are getting away with murder. We want to raise awareness.”
Back in 2011 the group walked to Ottawa, but thought it was time to raise awareness in Western Canada.
The walkers plan to go through Saskatoon and Edmonton before hitting Prince Rupert. “We will probably speak to media along the way, and are hoping to have vigils in a few places,” Osborne explained.
The walk has been tiring, stressful and emotional , said Osborne, but worth it.
The participants come from Norway House, Winnipeg, Sagkeeng, Lake Manitoba, Duck Bay, and Red Lake, Ontario.
“All of us are walking for our families, and all of us have been affected. This is why we’re doing it. We need the awareness, so people aren’t blind to murders.” Osborne went on to explain that they had set up a GoFundMe account, but there have been technical difficulties, so the walkers are asking for donation through email transfer, to the email address [email protected]. Donations will go towards supplies and food.
Osborne hopes that people will see the group and the support vehicle, and will walk with them for a period of time and learn about the issue of missing and murdered indigenous people.
By the end of the walk they will have walked more than 3,500 kilometres.
