Family of missing Prince Albert man raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous men

More than a year after he disappeared, the family of a missing Prince Albert man is trying to step up awareness about missing and murdered indigenous men.

Colleen Whitedeer, sister of Timothy Charlette, who’s been missing since late 2014, wrapped red ties around Diefenbaker Bridge and the Canadian Northern Railway Bridge with her family on Saturday afternoon.

“We’re building awareness for the indigenous men that are currently missing in Canada,” she said, bundled up against the fierce cold running down River Street.

She said more than 1,800 indigenous men are missing, and it’s time for them to be recognized as well. “Hopefully someone will pick [the tie] up and say ‘hey, this is someone’s brother, this is someone’s son, this is someone’s father.’ It’s serious.”

While she wrapped ties, her two siblings Robert and Roberta Charlette carefully walked across the Canadian Northern Railway Bridge to place the ribbons.

“People don’t really think there’s that high of a number for men,” Roberta said. “There’s more awareness on women, but I think they should be put together.”

After Charlette’s disappearance, his family conducted their own search along the riverbanks of the north Saskatchewan River.

Colleen doesn’t believe the Prince Albert Police Service did enough to search for her brother. “They have dogs who can smell other people when they’re looking for suspects. They could have done something like that … and possibly find his last location.

“I personally feel that there’s something very suspicious about this.”

Charlette was last seen at the bridge with his girlfriend Beatrice Adam. They were both reported missing.

Adams’ body was found Oct. 12, 2014 by kayakers in the north Saskatchewan River, just a few days later.

Everyone in the family took the news about Charlette hard, but no more so than his mother. This is the second son she will have lost. Her son Russell Whitedeer was murdered in Alberta 1998.

Roberta has tried to come to terms with her brother’s disappearance over the last year.

“I try not to think about it too much because I have to go on and live life. It’s hard during his birthday, Christmas and family times, because it’s nice to have family around. It would just be nice to find him and stuff.”