At the request of Minegoziibe Anishinabe (Pine Creek First Nation) community leaders, the Manitoba RCMP has opened an investigation into the ground anomalies detected beneath a church on the first nation.
A ground search was conducted by a private contractor in May, and they found a number of anomalies. In August this year, a meeting was held at Manitoba RCMP headquarters between senior RCMP officers and representatives from Pine Creek First Nation, where the RCMP was asked to investigate the anomalies.
Chief Derek Nepinak says they are working to identify and share their difficult truth.
“The Minegoziibe Anishinabe have ventured down a pathway towards identifying and sharing our difficult truth. We do this for the future well-being of our children. In this effort, we are looking at establishing relationships of respect and collaboration but ever mindful of the difficulties we have survived through.”
Manitoba RCMP Superintendent Rob Lasson says it's the RCMP's job to provide answers.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that a thorough, methodical and culturally sensitive investigation takes place. It is the RCMP’s role to collect evidence in order to provide the answers sought by the community.”
Community delegates will be working closely with the RCMP during their investigation, and a community liaison will ensure ongoing and open communication between the community and the RCMP. The full Manitoba RCMP Press Release about the meeting and investigation can be found here.
