Winnipeg walk shines light on missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys

Families hit the streets to raise awareness of violence, loss and systemic injustices experienced by Indigenous men and boys.

Families, community members and supporters gathered in Winnipeg Wednesday for the second annual Walk to Honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Men and Boys, calling for greater awareness and justice for a population they say has long been overlooked.

The walk began at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights before proceeding to the Manitoba Legislative Building, where a gathering was held featuring speakers from impacted families from across the province.

The event was organized by Corrine Chief, whose brother Bernard Chief was 28 when he was killed in Winnipeg in November 2021. She said the lack of supports and resources available to families of missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys—compared to those for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ people—motivated her to act.

“The men and the boys are overlooked with their missing and murdered loved ones,” Chief said. “There’s no advocacy, there’s no awareness, and I really want to be my brother’s voice and for other families to bring that awareness to the public.”

She described her brother as a generous and joyful person. “He was a happy guy. He was an uncle, he was a brother, he was a son,” she said. “He was the kind of person who would give you his shirt off his back.”

Chief said seven families were set to share their stories at Wednesday’s gathering, with many more in attendance who have lost loved ones or are still searching for missing family members.

“Today is about healing, love, justice, and for all of us to come together to speak and to honour our loved ones,” she said.

Among those who attended was Kelly Lavallee, whose son Dwayne Lavallee disappeared from Ebb and Flow First Nation. She said he was last seen on camera footage at a gas station and that the family has been following tips ever since.

Lavallee said the size of the turnout offered some comfort.

“We’re not alone—whatever other families are going through,” she said.

She added that she has had the chance to connect with other mothers in similar situations. “Healing is an everyday process, like it’s never-ending,” she said.

Chief said she hopes the walk will eventually lead to a National Day of Recognition for missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys.

“For years, Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ relatives have rightly received national attention and mobilization,” Chief said in a statement ahead of the walk.

“While that work must continue, we must also make space for the experiences of Indigenous men and boys. They, too, face disproportionate rates of violence, incarceration, systemic racism, and disappearance—realities that are too often silenced or overlooked.”