‘Very early days’: Premier Kinew on discovery of potential human remains at Manitoba landfill

Rachel talks with Premier Wab Kinew about the potential human remains found in the landfill search and the threat of U.S. tariffs.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew hopes the discovery of potential human remains at the Prairie Green Landfill will be an opportunity for healing.

“I do think that this is a really meaningful moment because it’s been such a big issue,” Kinew said on CTV Morning Live Winnipeg on Thursday.

“These families, they deserve closure, just like any of us would want closure when we lose a loved one, but also I know it’s been tough for a lot of Manitobans.”

Police have said they believe the remains of Harris and Myran -- victims of convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki -- ended up at the landfill in May 2022.

Police refused to search the area citing safety concerns, but the provincial government began its own search in December.

The discovery was announced in a provincial bulletin Wednesday.

Kinew said one search team discovered the potential remains. A second team then double-checked the area and found what could be more. Forensic anthropologists also signed off on the findings.

The families were notified and visited the site Wednesday. RCMP transported the remains to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Contois Harris Myran Rebecca Contois (left) Morgan Beatrice Harris (centre) and Marcedes Myran (right), along with a fourth unidentified woman referred to as Buffalo Woman (Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe), have been identified as the four victims of Jeremy Skibicki. (CTV Winnipeg photo)

According to Kinew, identification using DNA from the police investigation could take weeks, and the search will continue Thursday.

He hopes the discovery will serve as vindication for the families, who long advocated for the search.

“If this is going to take us in another direction, we need to be open to that possibility too because this is very early days in terms of what this means.”

Skibicki was convicted last year of four counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the deaths of Harris, Myran, Rebecca Contois and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman.

In Skibicki’s trial, court heard he targeted the women at homeless shelters in Winnipeg and disposed of their bodies in garbage bins in his neighbourhood.

Contois’ remains were found in a garbage bin and at a different landfill.

Remains of Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, have not been located.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will speak about the discovery during a press conference at 11 a.m. CTV News Winnipeg will live-stream the event.

- With files from the Canadian Press