Utoo Radio with Other News Sources - September 7 2024 - Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, the first female chief in the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs' history, has died after collapsing outside the Manitoba courthouse.

Merrick was speaking to reporters after Robert Jeffrey Morden's not-guilty verdict in the death of William Ahmo.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) confirmed her death, offering condolences to her family, friends, and community.

Merrick was first elected in a 2022 byelection and was re-elected to a second term in July.

Representatives from multiple levels of government have paid tribute to her, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling her death heartbreaking and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree describing her as a "fierce advocate."