The body of late Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick will lie in state at Manitoba's legislative building.
Merrick, who was 62, died suddenly on Friday when she was speaking to reporters outside of Winnipeg's law courts. She collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where she passed away.
A wake, funeral and burial are being planned in her home community of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, but no dates have been set as of yet. On Saturday, Premier Wab Kinew said that Merrick's family have been permitted for her to lie in state and the province is expected to announce the date for the lying in state soon.
Cathy spent more than a decade as a band councillor at Pimicikamak First Nation and became the community's chief in 2013, the second woman to do so. She was then elected grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in October 2022 and was re-elected in July of this year. Merrick became the first woman to lead the advocacy group in its nearly 35-year history.
