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For immediate release
May 24, 2022

 

Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Inc. is issuing this statement regarding the homicide of 25-year-old Doris Lydia Trout of Winnipeg.

MKO is assisting the family of Doris Trout. Staff are helping to organize a vigil to remember and honour the late Doris Trout and will also travel to the community of God’s Lake First Nation to support the wider community.

The vigil for Doris Trout takes place from 4 to 6pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at 444 Kennedy Street in Winnipeg; the location where she was located.

The MKO Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Liaison Unit supports families and communities who are impacted by the issue of MMIWG in addition to supporting survivors of violence. Anyone who needs to access support from our Unit can call toll free at 1-800-442-0488 or at 204-677-1648.

Grand Chief Garrison Settee states:

“On behalf of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, I express condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the late Doris Trout, who was only 25 years old at her time of passing. I send condolences to Doris’s home community of God’s Lake First Nation.

Doris had been missing since May 12 and she was found deceased in the Central Park area of Winnipeg on May 19. The Winnipeg Police are investigating her death as a homicide.

Our women are sacred. They should be treated with respect and dignity. The homicide of a second young Indigenous woman in a week is a tremendous loss and concern for our community. I am extremely worried we are witnessing an increase in deadly violence impacting First Nations women in the City of Winnipeg.

Violence against women is all too common.

As the MKO Grand Chief, I will continue to support First Nation women, girls, Two Spirit, and gender-diverse people. I will also continue to speak out against gender-based violence that is occurring in our province.

We are just over one week after from the third anniversary of the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. MKO will continue taking actions and events in the coming weeks to serve as reminders that we must work at all levels to create societal change to provide increased prevention and better protections to end gender-based violence.”

Heidi Spence, Director of MKO’s MMIWG Liaison Unit, shares:

“I am very concerned with the high rate of violence against our women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ community members. The loss of another indigenous woman in Winnipeg due to violence is unacceptable. We all have a responsibility to take action and end gender-based violence. We all have a right to feel safe, a right to walk freely with without the worry of danger.

I encourage anyone with information on any investigation of homicide to please contact the Homicide Unit at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477). Your support and assistance is essential to help investigators bring the individual(s) responsible to justice.”

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For more information:
Melanie Ferris, MKO Communications
Cell: 204-612-1284
Email: [email protected]