Red Dress Day in North Bay: ‘This is a real thing that’s happening’

Red Dress Day marked in North Bay (2023) About 80 people walked to waterfront from the Indigenous friendship centre to mark the day.

Friday marks Red Dress Day, a day to shine a light on the tragedy of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.

About 80 people walked from North Bay’s Indigenous Friendship Centre to the waterfront dressed in red to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women.

“This is real, this is a real thing that’s happening and we need to put a stop to it,” one participant said.

“Not just Indigenous women but all women and men and children.”

“I’m here today because I had a cousin who was actually stolen a few years ago,” said another.

“It’s sad. She did get away, but they were still after her.”

Organizers said the conversation around the topic has come a long way but said days like Friday can’t be the only time it’s brought up.

“It’s important to be able to gather and recognize that we have support in our community,” said Brittany Chevrier of the friendship centre.

“We are here. We do exist. We do care for one another. I hope the conversation just grows from here. Just to have people keep the movement alive.”

Chevrier said North Bay has about 4,000 Indigenous women. And the problem of violence against Indigenous women isn’t getting any better.

“There’s still Indigenous women being taken, going missing every single day,” said Natalie Austin, of Amelia Rising Sexual Violence Support Centre.

“So no … the answer definitively is it’s not getting better.”

Austin said there’s a waitlist at Amelia Rising for those needing help.