By Chelsea Laskowski

Tears shed at Monica Burns memorial walk

Jan 29, 2015 | 4:32 PM

As the RCMP’s journey to arrest someone in connection with Monica Burns’ death ended, so did the journey her brother took from Saskatoon to Prince Albert.

Todd Daniel McKeaveney was arrested for the second degree murder of Burns, 28, just a week after her body was found on a snowmobile trail five kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, in the RM of Buckland. 

Pernell Ballantyne and other members of Burns’ family decided to walk from Saskatoon to Prince Albert to honour her.

When they arrived in Prince Albert on Thursday morning they were greeted by Police Chief Troy Cooper, who shook their hands.

Cooper said the event is positive because it brings the issue of violence against women “to the table again.”

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“It’s the first step to healing but it’s also an opportunity for us to meet as community groups and community leaders and talk about what we’re doing to make this situation better.”

People joined their walk to City Hall at noon, with about 60 people standing for a prayer before heading back up the Central Avenue viaduct. A group of drummers played and sang as they led the group.

Many people, both men and women, carried signs addressing missing and murder aboriginal women.

One of Burns’ cousins carried a sign saying “Am I Next?”

Freda Sakebow, a student at the First Nations University, didn’t know Burns but came out for the walk to show her support for the family.

When asked how she felt about how many people came out for the walk, she held back tears.

“It breaks my heart that we’re not valued in our own land. Our people are murdered, brutalized, and it goes unaddressed by leadership,” Sakebow said.

She said it’s not First Nations leadership, but municipal and Canadian leaders staying away from walks like Thursday’s.

“You don’t see anyone here from any part of the Saskatchewan government.”

While the walk was happening, city leaders and MLAs were attending the State of the City Address.

Mayor Greg Dionne did not address Burns’ death in his speech.

“It all has to do with being proactive, being active, and coming out and supporting these types of events,” Sakebow said.

Sakebow said when she found out about Burns’ death, she was struck that Burns was described “as a sex worker rather than a mother, or a sister, or a daughter, or just a community member of ours.”

She explained when it’s mentioned that crime was perpetrated against lower income or inner city people “it undermines the issue” because “your issues tend to go unheard, go unnoticed, go unaddressed.”

Click here to view our photo gallery from the walk. 

claskowski@rawlco.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk