Taking care: This product may contain information that could be upsetting or triggering for some. The Hope for Wellness Help Line provides immediate, toll-free telephone and online-chat based emotional support and crisis intervention to all Indigenous People in Canada. This service is available 24/7 in English and French, and upon request in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut. Trained counsellors are available by phone at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
Ottawa, Ontario (March 26, 2025) - Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Gary Anandasangaree, issued the following statement:
"Today, the Winnipeg Police Service confirmed the identity of the missing woman who had been named Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe - Buffalo Woman as Ashlee Shingoose of St. Theresa Point First Nation.
I offer my deepest condolences to Ashlee's family, loved ones, and community. As the family takes this time to grieve, we must respect their privacy. This is a heartbreaking loss, and I extend my deepest condolences as you grieve and honour her memory.
We must all act to end the national crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people."