WALKING TO REMEMBER
Prince Albert Police Chief Troy Cooper walks in red high heels with Mason Isbister, centre, and other men Tuesday during the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event that raises awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women at Ahtahkakoop First Nation.
AHTAHKAKOOP CREE NATION As Prince Albert’s police Chief Troy Cooper walked two kilometres in red high heels, he reflected on the disadvantages some people face because of who they are.
“Among aboriginal cases, there’s a far greater number of women who are killed by strangers. That’s a fact. We know that if you’re an aboriginal woman, you’re more likely to be a victim of violence, more likely to be a victim of homicide, regardless of who the perpetrator is. We can’t lose sight of that,” Cooper said as he participated in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to raise awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women.
“Colour, race or gender shouldn’t be a risk factor. That’s a very basic assumption that everyone should have and yet that’s not the case,” he said.
Cooper was one of about 35 men who squeezed their feet into the uncomfortable footwear and hobbled along a road on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, about 140 kilometres north of Saskatoon.
About 100 people made the trek to the Cree Nation Treatment Haven, whose staff organized the second annual awareness event and fundraiser.
RCMP officers from Prince Albert and the Blaine Lake area also participated, along with local residents, such as band councillor and treatment centre board member Raymond Williams, who said he walked to remember all the missing and murdered women and to honour his late wife, Annette Williams.
As Barry Sasakamoose waited for the event to begin, he admitted his feet were a bit uncomfortable but he was willing to endure a little discomfort for a good cause.
“I’m scared to take a step, but I feel tall,” he said with a laugh.
His son, 10-year-old Jaden Sasakamoose, was beside him to offer moral and, if necessary, physical support.
Other participants included staff from agencies on the First Nation and even Derek McInnes, who delivers janitorial supplies to the centre.
Among aboriginal cases, there’s a far greater number of women who are killed by strangers. That’s a fact. TROY COOPER, Police Chief, Prince Albert
The walkers stood in a big circle, blocking traffic on the reserve road, as five women in traditional regalia danced and a prayer was offered for the victims of violence.
The slow march under a cloudy sky was both cheerful and sombre.
Cooper acknowledged that the macho, militaristic culture within police forces has often put female members at a disadvantage, but he said that is changing as society demands it and as the benefits of diversity are recognized.
“In recruiting we know that gender diversity has value and cultural diversity has value ... If you have a diverse group of people you’re more likely to come up with a solution to a complex problem,” he said.
The walkers raised $3,763 for the Prince Albert Safe Shelter for Women, which houses up to 26 women and children and which has a waiting list of 50 to 100 people at any given time, said executive director Carol Soles.
The walk was one element of the Treatment Haven’s family day, which is an open house for the community, including the families of clients who come for in-patient addictions treatment and day programs.