Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick remembered as 'a force of strength' as tributes pour in

Cathy Merrick, the first woman to become grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, is being remembered as a "remarkable leader" and a "true matriarch," as tributes poured in from leaders across Canada after her sudden death on Friday. 

Merrick was speaking to media about a court case outside the law courts building in Winnipeg early Friday afternoon when she collapsed. She was given CPR before being rushed away in an ambulance. 

Merrick, 62, is survived by her husband, Todd, three children and eight grandchildren, a friend confirmed to CBC.

Several officials, including Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, expressed condolences and paid tribute to Merrick on Friday.

Merrick approached her work with joy, compassion, thoughtfulness and a spirituality "that was grounded in the belief that we are all equal in the eyes of the Creator and that we all deserve to live a good life," said Kinew, who became the first First Nations premier of Manitoba last year.

"I will miss her wise counsel, her drive to get things done and most of all — her hugs," Kinew said in a written statement Friday, which was also posted to social media.

"No matter how challenging or difficult any political conversation was, Cathy Merrick always greeted you and said farewell by hugging you."

The flags outside the Manitoba Legislative Building have been lowered to half-mast in recognition of Merrick, the statement said.

Merrick, the former chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation (also known as Cross Lake) in northern Manitoba, was elected as Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs grand chief in October 2022, becoming the first woman to lead the advocacy group in its nearly 35-year history. She was re-elected to the post in July 2024.

On Friday, an emotional Merrick collapsed shortly after speaking to media about what she called "a gross miscarriage of justice" following the acquittal of a Manitoba corrections officer charged in the 2021 death of William Ahmo, a First Nations man who was an inmate at the Headingley Correctional Centre.

Merrick was speaking to reporters about a different case when she collapsed. 

CBC reporters saw people performing first aid on Merrick. 

Earlier this week, Merrick was scheduled to speak at a news conference regarding a class-action lawsuit over a six-year-long boil water advisory in Shamattawa First Nation. Instead, another representative from the AMC spoke on her behalf. 

Merrick had been front and centre in media coverage recently on several other significant stories, including the trial and sentencing of serial killer Jeremy Skibicki.