WHYCOCOMAGH, N.S. — Cars, trucks and service vehicles honked their horns at the people standing along the Trans-Canada Highway in We'koqma'q, showing their support for Cassidy Bernard, her family and all missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Many wore red dresses or had the symbol on their signs. Others, like Donald Morrison (whose daughter Tarrilynn Poulette, went missing when she was 17 and was later found dead) wore his regalia, with the red dress symbol sewn into it. His eight-year-old daughter, Leannah Joe, was one of two girls in jingle dresses and there seemed to be as many non-Indigenous people at the vigil as there were First Nations people.
"We're here because of the loss of the little one who died (Cassidy Bernard) and for all the others who have gone missing or died. It's just terrible," said Cassie Brochu, who came from Millville wearing a red dress.
Brochu doesn't know Cassidy or her family, like her friend Freda Swann from Bras d'Or who also participated in the vigil.
"We're all Cape Bretoners and we stick together," Swann said.
During the vigil, organizers decided to stand along the side of the highway for 4,365 seconds (one hour and 13 minutes) — a number picked for symbolic reasons.
"The 4,000 is for the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in our country," said Annie Bernard-Daisley, one of Cassidy's cousins and an event organizer.
"The 365 seconds is for all the days we have been without Cassidy."
The vigil was held on the one-year anniversary of Cassidy's being found dead in her home in We'koqma'q. Her twin daughters, only six months old at the time, were with her when they were found and the family said the babies were severely dehydrated at the time but are healthy and happy now, living with their grandmother, Mona Bernard.
Cassidy's death has been deemed suspicious by RCMP investigators but no other details are available. The lack of progress in the investigation and the young mother's death have left an impression on the community and added an element of fear that wasn't there before.
Marilyn MacDonald, owner of We'koqma'q Bayside, shut her gift shop early so she could attend the vigil.
"I wanted to support the family and to show authorities we want them to look for justice," said MacDonald, who lives in Lake Ainsley.
"This is ridiculous, a year later and still no arrests or information. It's ridiculous but sadly not that uncommon. It's happening all across our country We're hearing the same stories and like there's been no justice for Cassidy, there's no justice for them either."
Cassidy's daughters, Maya and Paisley, who are now a year-and-a-half, were there with their grandmother, Mona, and many aunts, sisters and cousins. Surrounded by loving family, the twins were hugged and kissed continuously through the vigil.
Daisley-Bernard said their goal was to have a positive event, showing they will not sit still and let these tragedies continue to go unsolved. And as many smiled and laughed as they spoke with people they hadn't seen in a while, the pain of the past year was still evident.
"It's been the worst year of my life," said Darian Cremo, one of Cassidy's cousins. "It was the worst day of my life. It's been hectic. We just want answers. If I could go back in time I would, but I can't.
"I just hope we're able to build awareness and we can get answers. We've been patient for this long and we just want answers. "
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