Landfill debate raising questions about relationship between Indigenous, non-Indigenous Manitobans

Alisha Bigelowwalked Thursday withthose demanding a search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women, but also apart.

She marchedonthe median, in between the westbound protesters andeastbound drivers onPortage Avenue in the downtown core.

She wanted to search the eyes of the drivers who weren't part of their rallycalling tosearch for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. At one point, she pumped her fist when a motorist honked in support.

"Maybe the people in the carswill not know what's going on, they'll listen to the news tonight and they'll find out what this event is," saidBigelow, a member of White BearFirst Nation in Saskatchewan who grew up in Flin Flon, Man., and is now inWinnipeg.

"I like to be infront, gaining awareness, making eye contact with people."

Calls to comb through theprivately run Prairie Green landfill for the remains of Harris and Myranhave intensified in the month sincePremier Heather Stefansonannounced her government would not support such a search.

Those who want a search, including First Nations leaders and families of the victims, have worked tirelessly to keep the issue in the public eye, blockading another landfill and setting up a protest camp in the shadow of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

On Thursday, they stopped afternoon traffic with a round dance at Portage and Main before marching to the Manitoba Legislature.

CBC News sought out people along the route ofThursday's protest,asking them where they think the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people stands today.

While no consensus emerged, there are feelings of hope andfrustration.

Called out and celebrated

Kyrra Kematchexperienced bothemotions on Thursday.

Before the round dance, Kematch, 18, was already wearing her ribbon skirt anda red handprint painted across her face when she visited a store. There, she was confronted by a womanwho asked if she'd also search for the white people who had gone missing.

Later, Kematch said shewasapproaching Portage and Main on the bus,when fellow riders noticed the commotion of people gathering for the round dance.

One passengerasked Kematchwhy her face waspainted red.

"Oh, to search for the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.' And he's like, 'Oh yeah, good for you. Go do that,'" she said.

"So there's those mixed signals," said Kematch, whose late father, Kyle, helped launch Drag the Red, a group that searchestheRed River to giveclosuretofamilies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Kematch, who is Cree, said it was gratifying to see people who came across the demonstration unexpectedly and stayed.

One such person was Kathleen Harris, who was in downtown Winnipeg to buy ribbon skirts for her granddaughters.

She was pleasantly surprised to see the rally. A memberof Sioux Valley DakotaNation, she's been following the story closely.

"It makes me want to get up there and start chanting, 'Our women are not garbage,'" she said.

Whilethe purpose behind the rally resonated with Harris, she questioned whether other people are tuning out. The relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, overall,is deteriorating, she feels.

"I hear a lot of talk out there about that and people just get mad when they see these demonstrations going on 'those Indians are at it again,'" she said.

"Alot of people think that [thevictims]deserve what happened to them. They're out there living not a great lifeand that's how they end up getting murdered or missing," she added.

Dwayne McGillivarysaid protestscould cause existingtensions to surface,buthe feels it's a small blip on the way to greater acceptance.

Looking out at the round dance, McGillivary, who's from Opaskwayak Cree Nation,was encouraged by thediversity in the crowd.

"I can see it all over this place. I see Black people, I see brown people, Asians. We're pulling together as a people."

Jules Rocqueand Nanette Godbout, married educators,came to the demonstration in support.

"I feel that if it was a Caucasian family [that was in the landfill], we wouldn't even be having to demonstrate,"Godbout said.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission encouraged them to build relationships and a greater understanding of Indigenous people and the issues they face.

Rocqueisoptimistic a growing number of non-Indigenous people like them are having those same reflections.

"I know there's always dissident voices, but I'm confident that people's awareness is rising," Rocque said.