It was an emotional day in Kenora.
There has been outrage across the country following a not guilty verdict in the death of Tina Fontaine
Fontaine was only 15 when her body was found wrapped in a duvet, weighed down with rocks in the Red River in Winnipeg in 2014.
Community members gathered together for a walk in Kenora today to honour her memory and seek justice for what happened to her.
At the meeting place in Market Square an Indigenous doll with long dark hair and a blue skirt was found.
“The Police Chief in Winnipeg says there is outrage by people when there’s cats or dogs thrown into the river, and this little girl suffered an unimaginable death and thrown out like she was trash,” said Tania Cameron an Organizer of the event. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that someone made their way down here and placed the doll the way she is. I am hurt, but we have to continue to be strong.”
People from across the Kenora district came to support the walk.
Some noting that we face the same problems here in Kenora.
“There is to much injustice happening. I think about Azraya, she was supposed to be in protection. I think about all these other kid’s that you hear in the news that die in care. It’s because we failed, we have to be the ones that step up and start looking after our children,” said Chrissy Isaacs a woman from Grassy Narrows.
Isaacs continued after looking at the doll that was left there.
“Today my heart goes out to Tina Fontaine’s family and Colton Boushie’s family. I feel bad that it went that far, that it got that far. Now we have to look after our young ones. These young girls on the streets we have to look out for them and we have to try and wake them up. Just like that doll there, don’t let that be a shame. Somebody go there and stand her up, groom her hair, send a message back that we are not going to let our sisters be fallen anymore.”
Following the speeches, the group walked down to the water and back to Knox United Church.
Raymond Cormier was charged with Fontaine’s death in late 2015, but was found not guilty in a Winnipeg court yesterday.
A march was also held in Winnipeg this afternoon with members of Fontaine’s family.
