Dozens of people gathered at the Saskatoon Police Station this morning to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Many of them donned red ribbon skirts, as today, May 5th, is known as Red Dress Day.

The day’s correlation with red dresses came about in 2010 when red dresses were hung as part of a national public art installation to bring attention to the crisis.

Tears were shed by many, including Paul Trottier, the father of Mackenzie Trottier, who has been missing for over three years.

“This is an issue nobody wants to speak of. Nobody wants to hear about it. Nobody wants to deal with it because it’s horrid. Our family struggles. All of our ‘missing’ families struggle every single day.”

Today marks day three of the search for Mackenzie that Saskatoon police are conducting at the city landfill.

Myrna LaPlante, a residential school survivor, joined the fight against Indigenous violence after her aunt disappeared in 2007.

“I’m not sure when we’ll find Auntie. We hope and we pray that we do, but we must keep the faith, keep the hope, keep the memory, and keep supporting families.”

LaPlante is a member of the Day Star First Nation, a longstanding activist, a community advocate, and member of Iskwewuk E-wichiwitachik (Women Walking Together).

Dorthea Swiftwolfe, the SPS Indigenous missing person liaison, says every day, people ask her how they can contribute to the cause.

“The easiest message I have is (to ask them to) show up. Walk with us. pray with us. Search with us. Gather with us, because together we will bring change. We will bring awareness.”

She says those related to women who are missing or murdered make up a family, however it’s a family that she hopes does not gain any more members.