Since 2022, family, friends, and allies have been in a long, arduous battle to have the Prairie Green Landfill searched. It was believed that was where the bodies of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran had been disposed of.
On February 26, 2025, two sets of remains were discovered. On March 7, the RCMP confirmed that one belonged to Morgan Harris. On March 17, the second set of remains were identified as Marcedes Myran.
With Harris and Myran recovered from the landfill, their recovery marks a bittersweet moment for the families, who have fought tirelessly for this outcome, explains community advocate and Indigenous Elder Geraldine “Gramma” Shingoose. She says after hearing that the two women were recovered, emotions were intense.
“I guess the reaction we had was of sadness. And then also, just the overwhelming feeling of relief for the family. Feeling happy for the family, finally they’re finally bringing their loved one home. That’s always been the purpose of the Harris family was to bring Morgan home since they found out in December of 2022. It was very emotional just to see them in that emotional state. But also, you know, just wanted to uplift them and give that support, it’s, it’s news that they’ve been waiting for.”
Harris and Myran were among four women murdered by convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki, alongside Rebecca Contois and an unidentified woman named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman). Skibicki was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to four life terms.
Police initially refused to search the Prairie Green landfill for Harris and Myran’s remains, calling it unfeasible in 2022, while the Progressive Conservative government later opposed the search for safety reasons and even campaigned against it during the 2023 election. After winning the election, the NDP followed through on their promise by commissioning a feasibility study and ultimately committing to the landfill search.
Mary Burton, Executive Director of Zoongizi Ode, a non-profit in Winnipeg’s North End that focuses on education and community advocacy, says the recovery of Harris and Myran has reignited the conversation of action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit folk (MMIWG2S+) and the role government plays.
“I would really like the Feds to step up and say to the province right now, we found two. Let’s find more, Let’s continue looking. And I would really like the province to say to the city, look, we found them. Let’s continue looking. Let’s keep going. Let’s find the money. Let’s keep looking for our women. Because I say our women because they are our women. Not just Indigenous women. They’re the city’s, the province’s, the country’s women and they deserve a decent last place to be. They deserve a respectable resting place, not a garbage dump.”
Gramma Shingoose, reflects this sentiment, saying it is a united effort in addressing the ongoing MMIWG2S+ epidemic.
“And I think moving forward governments need to include the families, include their supports include our elders, like, you know, like, you know, to to lead, like, you know, in the search or there’s, there’s so many like, it’s about thousands. There’s so many murder of missing indigenous women, men and boys and girls, to spare. Like, you know, that that are still like, you know, on these lands where there’s families out there waiting.”
Burton adds that individuals also play a role in moving forward, that allyship and reconciliation in addressing MMIWG2S+ require non-Indigenous people to educate themselves about colonial history, recognize their privilege, and use their voices to amplify Indigenous voices.
“Read about residential schools. Read about the 60s Scoop. Read about child welfare. Read about millennial groups. Read about the colonization that happened and created all of this to begin with. And understand that we as a collective people don’t blame the non-Indigenous people of today for what happened to us. What we are doing is we are saying that you may not have created these systems that you guys are benefiting from.”
For Gramma Shingoose, true allyship means action, to stand with families, demand justice, and ensure Indigenous voices lead the way.
Related Articles
- https://u-channel.ca/landfill-search-gets-40-million-from-feds-province/
- https://u-channel.ca/manitoba-landfill-protest-moves-to-camp-marcedes/
- https://u-channel.ca/although-brady-road-barricade-is-gone-protestors-continue-to-advocate-for-a-search/
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
