Sovereign Indian League of Nations issues alert for missing woman, son Globalnews.ca

Although Pope Francis made a monumental apology for the role of the Catholic Church in residential schools, a different cloud fell on the indigenous community in Saskatoon.

Don Walker, 48, and his 7-year-old son Vincent Jensen were reported missing on Sunday night after their friends could not reach them.

“It was a daily thing to hear from him, or to call him.” says FSIN chief Bobby Cameron. “So everyone knew something was wrong.”

Walker has been with the Federation of Sovereign Indian Nations (FSIN) for nearly a decade, and people close to him say it was out of character.

“You feel it in your stomach. When you feel it in your heart when someone is missing, when they didn’t respond, when they didn’t communicate when they usually do.” says Cameron.

The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) did not issue an official Amber Alert, saying the situation did not meet the criteria.

“The missing person must be under 18 years of age, or must be a person with a proven mental or physical disability.” Says Randy Huisman, deputy chief of the Saskatoon Police. “And then the investigation has confirmed either a kidnapping by a stranger, or a kidnapping where the circumstances believe that the kidnapped person is at risk of bodily harm or death.

FSIN Treaty Commissioner Mary Culbertson says this is not enough to find missing people, especially in the indigenous community.

“We have to do it ourselves. My dad used to tell me, ‘No one is going to come except my girl, you have to do it yourself.’ So that’s what FSIN did, they did it on their own.”

“Provincial system, government system, it doesn’t work for us (indigenous people). It never did. It wasn’t for us, and that’s what Don has worked on.”

Police said Walker’s red F-150 was intercepted by the RCMP early Monday morning at Main Whitecap Park, south of the city. Some personal belongings were also kept on the spot. They say they are coordinating efforts to search the area.

“We’ve got a drone that just arrived, we’ve got a police dog service coming in, we’ve got air resources that we’re mobilizing, as well as searching for water.” RCMP Staff Sergeant Greg Abbott says.

Walker is described as being five feet five inches tall with medium build, blond hair and brown eyes. Jansen is described as four feet two inches tall, with thin, brown hair and brown eyes.

Both sides are asking the public to come forward with any information that could help locate Walker and his son.

“I’m just begging for someone please, if you look at Don and his little boy, he’s just a kid.” Says Culbertson, fighting back tears. “They may have gone into the river, but please if you see anything, if you have seen them, please tell the police.”