Statement from Chief Angela Levasseur on behalf of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
On Red Dress Day – Honouring Our MMIWG2S+ Loved Ones
Today, we wrap ourselves in red not just to remember, but-
To demand truth.
To demand justice.
To demand action.
As Chief of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, I speak not only as a leader, but as a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, an affected family member, and a survivor of the colonial violence that has tried to silence our families for far too long.
The crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people is not history- it is the ongoing reality for too many of our Nations.
Each red dress hanging in the wind is not just a symbol. It is a sister. A cousin. A mother. A child. It is a life that mattered and a spirit that still cries out to be honoured.
We must never grow numb to this crisis. The grief our families carry is generational and heavy—but our love is stronger. We will not let the names of our loved ones be forgotten. We will not allow their stories to be reduced to headlines or policy files that collect dust on government shelves.
Not one more stolen sister.
Not one more empty promise. The time for performative sympathy is over. We demand that the 231 Calls for Justice be implemented with urgency and accountability.
To the survivors and families: You are not alone. We see you. We hear you. And we walk beside you.
To our loved ones lost: We speak your names. We honour your memory. And we will never stop seeking justice in your name.
On this Red Dress Day and every day, let us honour our loved ones not only with remembrance, but with bold and relentless action.
Ekosani.
Chief Angela Levasseur
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
