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We acknowledge the
financial support of the
Government of Canada
through the
Canada Periodical Fund
of the Department of
Canadian Heritage.

Volume 134 Issue 31

inside

6LQFH

Friday, October 14, 2016

www.minnedosatribune.com

90 cents plus tax

Sisters In Spirit Hold Vigil

this week

By HILLARY CAMPBELL

O
Grocery Grab
Winner

Welcome
RDs On
Main

Expressions
Opens
Season

n Tuesday, October
4th, the Native Womens Association of Canada
(NWAC) holds vigils across
Canada to remember the
missing and murdered
indigenous women. As a
part of this, the Minnedosa branch of the Sisters in
Spirit held a vigil in town.
To remember some of the
women from Manitoba
who are missing or have
been murdered, their
names were spoken aloud
and pieces of red fabric
were tied to the handrails
of the Main Street bridge at
Tanners Crossing Park.
Th e local Sisters in
Spirit group is out of the
Minnedosa United Church.
According to Natasha Pearen from the Minnedosa
United Church, like many
churches, they are part of
the reconciliation process
for trying to engage in acts
that we feel will lessen the
divide between aboriginals and non-aboriginals
in our community.
The names that were
spoken aloud, which came
from the Native Womens
Association of Canadas
website, were Amanda
Bartlett (who went missing
in 1997 from Winnipeg),
Elizabeth Dorian (went
missing in November 13,
1999 in Pukatawagan, MB),
Emily Osmond (LaPlante)
(went missing September
9th, 2007 in Kawacatoose
First Nation, SK), Danita
Bigeagle (went missing

Photo submitted

February 11th, 2007 in Regina, SK), and Claudette

Osborne (went missing
July 24th, 2008 in Winnipeg, MB). These names
represent only the women
whose families have given
permission for their names
to be publicized. There
were other women whose
names were spoken aloud
by attendees at the vigil.
According
to
the

NWAC website, We firmly

believe that the October
4th Sisters In Spirit Vigils
are a movement for social
change. The number of SIS
Vigils has grown from 11
in 2006 to an impressive
216 vigils in 2014. These
vigils fi rst started in 2006,
and Pearen commented
that the best way to raise
awareness of this issue
is, having the conversa-

tion. Thats in part why the

names of the women were
spoken aloud. It is the
idea that theyre not just a
name, theyre not forgotten, and we will remember
them. So talking about it is
our best way of sharing information and supporting
each other.
It was reported by the
RCMP that in 2012, there
were 1,181 missing or mur-

When planning your wedding, visit the

Minnedosa Tribune for:
Invitations and Envelopes
Envelope Seals
Scroll Rings

Thank You Notes

Confetti Cards
Keepsake Bookmarks
Personalized Napkins
Personalized Match Books and Boxes
Place Cards

&oPe in and browse our Fatalogue of FlassiF and FontePporary designs sure to t the
liking of every bride and groom!

dered indigenous women

across Canada between
1980 and 2012. Most of
these cases are from western provinces, and while
aboriginal women represent 3% of the female population in Canada, they
represent a shocking 10%
of all female homicides.
Continued on
Page 2