Families gather in Regina as Saskatchewan declares 'Missing Persons Week'

Families and friends of missing loved ones gathered at the TC Douglas building in Regina on Monday as the Saskatchewan government declared the week of April 27-May 3 Missing Persons Week.

Tim McLeod, the province's justice minister and attorney general, said the declaration, made in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Missing Persons Partnership (SMPP) — a collaborative effort among government, police agencies, Indigenous and community-based organizations — is just one way of demonstrating the voices of families of missing loved ones are being heard. 

"Missing Persons Week is an important initiative that allows us to join together as a province to honour each individual who is missing, and provide support to their loved ones," he said. 

"We fully recognize that the families of these missing loved ones are dealing with this pain and this anguish every day, and every day they are still waiting for their loved ones to come home," he said. "It's important that we as a community don't ever forget that." 

The announcement was followed by the third annual Walk to Honour the Missing from Wascana Centre to the missing persons tree and bench in Arboretum Park. Families were given flowers to place in front of the tree to honour their loved ones, as well as a sign that read: "They will never be forgotten." 

Events will be held across Saskatchewan throughout the week by SMPP member organizations. 

Saskatchewan has more than 140 long-term missing persons, according to the government.  

Michele Bear of Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation said the remains of her daughter, Richele, have been missing for more than a decade.

She was murdered by Clayton Bo Eichler, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in September 2016, and was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility of parole for 20 years.

"My daughter's remains have never been located," Bear told reporters. 

"I was told three years ago by the investigators working on her case that there's a high possibility that she ended up at the Regina city landfill."   

She says she was told by the same investigators it would cost $400 million to hunt for her daughter's remains. 

"They also explained to me what I would find if I were to dig her up," she said. "They said, 'I'm going to find nothing but dust and bones, and I might not even find her at all.'" 

Bear says she simply wants to know why they didn't search for her daughter's body in 2013, and why it isn't happening now that other provinces and cities have been searching landfills. 

She also said she wants to bring awareness of her daughter's story, while offering hope to others with missing love ones. 

"To all the other mothers out there with missing and murdered family members: Be strong, keep looking," she said. "You may get discouraged, but don't give up."