NORTH BATTLEFORD ‑ Krista Fox took her nationwide walk for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women into North Battleford Friday.
The walk, titled Krista’s Kilometres for MMIW, started the day by walking the stretch of road coming in from Paynton.
The group of walkers were joined on this latest stretch by Mayor David Gillan of North Battleford.
The group made their way into North Battleford for a barbecue event at the Miwasin Kikinaw shelter during the noon hour, to raise money for missing and murdered indigenous women.
At that event, they were greeted with words of encouragement from area leaders including Chief Cheryl Kahpeaysewat of Moosomin First Nation and Chief Sylvia Weenie of Stony Knoll First Nation, and by other area chiefs and council members from Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs, who made a donation of $10,000 to the cause.
Mayor Gillan offered a donation of $1,500 from the city of North Battleford, with Councillor Alexis Christensen offering a matching donation of $1,500 from the town of Battleford. Mayor Gillan also welcomed Fox and her team to be honoured by city council once their journey is over.
Walking with Krista alongside her on her journey has been Diane Morin, mother of Ashley Morin who has been missing since July 10, 2018, and Lindsey Bishop, sister of Megan Gallagher who has been missing out of Saskatoon since Sept. 19, 2020.
“There is no doubt that I would not be able to be as successful as we’ve been already and will continue to be across Canada if it wasn’t for those two. Diane is our support person, she makes sure we are drinking water, she makes sure we are eating, she makes sure that we are getting rest, everything. And Lindsey is my co-walker, and that’s why I really need to shout that out.”
It was an emotional homecoming for Fox and Morin, as North Battleford is their home community.
“Pulling into this parking lot today and seeing everybody and seeing the support, see(ing) the beautiful, huge donations, you know it gives us the feeling of people believing in us, believing in what we’re doing, and that just boosts us … it gives us that get up and go you need to get going again.”
She noted people have been “amazing” along the way. “We have no complaints whatsoever. We’ve never been stuck, never been without a place to sleep. Our gas tank has always been full, so people are looking after us out here.”
Gillan said he was “honoured” to walk with the group into North Battleford today and called it a “humbling” experience.
“It’s an awakening for myself, to understand more about the issue, and the whole idea is for more people to be awoken to this issue and raise more awareness. I’m really proud of Krista and Diane and Lindsey. They’re just doing something that’s truly amazing.”
From here, Krista and her group will take the weekend off before heading to Saskatoon. The group will depart the Battlefords Monday at 9 a.m. from the Western Development Museum.
There are still many kilometres left to go on the nationwide journey. Fox says she hopes to take her message to Ottawa where she hopes to meet directly with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Either way it’s going to show his involvement,” said Fox. “Either he will sit down at a table with me and listen to what I have to say, or he will turn me away and that will also speak volumes.”
