A Winnipeg teenager met with Mayor Brian Bowman Monday morning after writing a letter to the Winnipeg Police Service about how missing persons cases are handled.
Brianna Jonnie, 14, said she has concerns that not all cases are handled the same way.
Jonnie told reporters at City Hall Monday afternoon in some cases, it has taken police and media longer to notify the public.
“I noticed that when a couple of the indigenous people went missing, they weren’t noticed as quick,” said Jonnie. “They weren’t, in the media, as quick or they weren’t asked for help from other people.”
"I noticed some things happening with some people and not with others, and I wanted it to be equal for everybody."
Jonnie said she asked Mayor Bowman if he’d be willing to work to help make change.
CTV News has requested an interview with Bowman, however his director of communications Jonathan Hildebrand said the Mayor will not be commenting at this time.
“After reading the very well-articulated letter, the Mayor wanted to meet with Brianna to listen to the concerns and thoughts she raises in the letter,” Hildebrand wrote in an email to CTV. “As such, the Mayor was wanting the time this morning to be a time to listen, first and foremost.”
Jonnie is scheduled to meet with members of the Winnipeg Police Service’s Missing Persons Unit Monday afternoon.
Cooper Nemeth's dad responds to "heartbreaking" letter
The father of slain Winnipeg teenager Cooper Nemeth issued a written response to Jonnie’s letter.
Brent Nemeth said, “I feel she was writing her letter to the wrong recipients. I believe the letter should be addressed to her parents.”
Nemeth said Jonnie’s letter was sad and heartbreaking to read, but disagrees racism plays a role in how the police handle these kinds of cases.
“I believe in my heart of hearts searches are fueled by families and communities, and police can only do the job they are enlisted to do,” Nemeth wrote.
“They found the leads, the tips and the feet on the street to rattle the earth and bring their baby home,” he wrote. “As kind as the police may have been, there were no extras, no special stigmatism because they are a white family with a son who played hockey.”
“It makes me most sad because it made me realize that it's letters like that which take us back five steps after we move ahead two when it comes to bridging gaps.”
Jonnie’s mother, Amanda McCormick said she felt upset when she first saw Brent Nemeth’s response to her daughter’s letter, but said Brianna wasn’t trying to blame anyone.
“She’s just looking for a solution,” McCormick said. “It’s not just the police, she acknowledges it’s not just the politicians – it’s everybody, it’s the community of Winnipeg.”
“That includes the indigenous families, that includes the hockey community, that includes her dance community. It’s the community of Winnipeg.”
