Dozens of Indigenous community members braved freezing temperatures and snow in Montreal on Friday to honor loved ones lost to the streets, during a poignant vigil organized by the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal and Resilience Montreal.
Community Mourns More Than Two Dozen Losses
The memorial service remembered more than 24 people who had been served by both organizations and died over the past 18 months. Shockingly, 70 percent of those commemorated were Indigenous individuals, highlighting the disproportionate impact of homelessness and inadequate social services on First Nations communities.
Three poster boards displayed rows of faces and names of people who died within the last two years, some of them still in their youth. The visual representation served as a stark reminder of the human cost behind the statistics.
Personal Stories of Grief and Remembrance
Among the mourners was Annisee Papyarluk, who shared her emotional story of losing her sister Lucy in March to a brain tumour and heart issues. "I thought I was never going to lose her," Papyarluk told the crowd through tears. "She was my best friend."
David Chapman, executive director for Resilience Montreal, spoke passionately about the crisis. "There are scores of Indigenous people dying on the streets," he said. "Sadly, I know most of the people on the boards here."
Chapman highlighted the tragic story of three brothers—Daniel, Jeff and Jamie Kasudluak—who all died within one year of each other. The brothers frequently spent time around the McDonald's near the Atwater métro station.
"Both brothers had quite a journey to get on the right path. Both brothers experienced things like waiting lists to get into things like addiction services," Chapman explained, adding pointedly, "It's interesting, the priority structure in Quebec."
Systemic Failures and Calls for Change
Dr. Stephanie Marsan, head of addiction medicine services at the CHUM, addressed the gathering and emphasized that these deaths are "not inevitable." She stated they result from societal choices about housing, access to care, and whose suffering gets noticed versus ignored.
In an interview, Dr. Marsan advocated for more proactive healthcare approaches for people experiencing homelessness. "Staying in our little office and waiting for people to come, that doesn't work. It works for certain people," she noted, adding that this method is "not possible" for those living on the streets. "We have to get out of that silver tower and we need to go to the people."
The memorial also heard from Marilou Maisonneuve, Indigenous initiatives co-ordinator for L'Itinéraire's Roundhouse Café, who remembered two former baristas—Mae "Pinky" Etok and Leila "Pimadzewin" Twenish—who died young. The café runs a pre-employment program emphasizing Indigenous hiring.
Describing Leila, Maisonneuve shared: "She was rather reserved, but behind that shyness lay a strength of character, despite her trials and great intelligence. To get to know her, you had to take the time, but then you discovered the richness of her personality and the things that animated her, such as her deep attachment to her Anishinaabe culture."
Despite the harsh weather conditions, the community showed strong solidarity. Participants read names of the deceased, shared memories, sang songs, and drank hot chocolate around a sacred fire, creating a space of collective healing and remembrance.
