Red Dress Day highlights the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S) across communities. Recent marches in Saskatoon drew families enduring profound loss, including the Gallaghers, who pass daily by sites where their loved one vanished.
Debbie Gallagher, stepmother of Megan Gallagher—murdered in Saskatoon in 2020—stated, “It’s not just an Indigenous issue, it’s not just a woman’s issue, it’s a community issue.” The Gallaghers joined the event and announced plans for a foundation in Megan’s name to guide other MMIWG2S families forward.
“That is what she would have done—anything to help anyone,” Debbie added. Despite ongoing healing from publicizing their story, they channel grief into support for others. Brian Gallagher, Megan’s father, noted, “There’s an interesting thing when families of missing and murdered people get together: we don’t have to talk. We just look at each other and we know.”
Megan’s Disappearance and Search Efforts
Megan vanished on September 20, 2020. Authorities later determined she endured confinement and assault in a garage before her death, with her body placed in the South Saskatchewan River from the St. Louis Bridge the following day. Her remains surfaced two years later on the riverbank, roughly 105 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon near St. Louis.
The family spearheaded the search amid limited official response. “There is no army coming out to look for anybody. There’s no police coming out for anybody; it was only us, right, so expectations versus delivery was truly a shocker,” Debbie explained. “And I think we quickly realized that the only way we would ever find Megan is to start shaking the grounds ourselves.”
They balanced awareness campaigns with discretion on details. About 18 months in, Debbie urged, “You know what? I changed my mind. I do want you to imagine for 24 hours, your loved one is missing, what would you do? Would you eat that day? Would you sleep that day, would you drink water? Would you be able to create a poster? Would you know how to conduct a search?”
Navigating Trials and Justice
The trials for those charged in Megan’s murder presented further hurdles, including grasping legal proceedings. Brian highlighted value in attendance: “We did find a huge value in being there, just having them seeing us in the place to know that somebody cared about Megan. So having to go to 400 court appearances, the expenses to us personally were quite high.”
This year marked final sentencing for the seven convicted individuals. Saskatoon auntie advocate Dorthea Swiftwolfe shared, “We have family members that have had family members missing for over 30 years. I dedicated my own life for 20 years and I’m still dedicating my life to try to bring support or a level of understanding when it comes to the needs of the families.” Families’ unique requirements remain largely overlooked, advocates note.
Brian reflected, “If you don’t start walking, you’ll die too. You give up. So you have to. The choices that you have are so limited. If we had in any way given up on this, I’m not sure where we would be today. I think Megan still might be missing.”
Foundation Aims to Aid Families
Six years after initial challenges and courtroom relived trauma, the Gallaghers persist. Their foundation will partner with Saskatoon’s missing persons unit, assist families in court, deliver MMIWG2S speeches in Saskatchewan, and expand into victim advocacy, youth education on violence, and financial aid funds.
Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. president Shirley Isbister observed, “It’s been a need for absolute years. It should have been there to support the Gallagher family. And if it wasn’t for organizations stepping up and supporting them, they would not have had that support.” The initiative seeks to extend Megan’s legacy, fostering community protection for Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people.
