Manitoba premier apologizes, meets with families about searching landfill for remains
CTV
The families of two First Nations women whose remains are believed to be in a Winnipeg-area landfill met with the new premier Thursday.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew apologized Thursday to the families of two slain First Nations women whose remains are believed to be in a Winnipeg-area landfill for what he called being reduced to a "political prop" by the former government during the recent provincial election.
Kinew met with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran to reset the relationship between the two families and the government.
"The government of Manitoba is not liable for what a political party does or what politicians do during an election campaign," Kinew said to the families ahead of the meeting.
"As the premier of Manitoba, I share the same moral space as my predecessor, the former premier of Manitoba. Because of that I wanted to take this time to say sorry, to apologize for those things that never should have happened."
Former premier Heather Stefanson and the previous Tory government opposed a search of the Prairie Green Landfill and highlighted their refusal during the provincial election campaign.
The Tories took out ads, including large billboards, promising they would "stand firm" in opposing a search due safety concerns outlined in a feasibility study funded by the federal government. The report found a search would be possible but that toxic materials could pose a risk to workers.
Before forming government last week, Kinew said a New Democrat government would search the landfill but stopped short of providing a funding commitment.
