Tina Fontaine, Faron Hall deaths: Candles still burning after Winnipeg vigil

Candles were still burning at a makeshift memorial at the Alexander Docks this morning in Winnipeg aftera Tuesday night vigil honouring TinaFontaineandFaronHall, whose bodies were pulled out of the Red River on the weekend.

GrandmaShingoose, an elder in the community, was at the vigilTuesday, where more than 1,000 gathered, and held TinaFontainescrying mother, Tina, at the ceremony.

• Winnipeg's 'homeless hero' Faron Hall found dead in Red River
• Tina Fontaine death renews calls for inquiry into missing women

"IMeegwetch[thank you] for bringing all these beautiful people together, saidShingoose. I pray and I offer a message from Tina, Tina's mother.She said that she misses Tina and she loves Tina.

"Tina knows as a mother that we love our children, we take care of them, we do everything that we can for them,we do everything for our grandchildren, we love them no matter what they do."

Winnipegger Sharon Simon didn't know either Fontaine or Hall, but felt compelled by their stories to join the vigil.

"I've lived in my South End bubble long enough, so it's time to join the city and it's time to tell our government leaders that these are people and we the people won't accept this anymore in our city," said Simon.

Simon has children of her own and suggested every mother should be outraged at what happened to Fontaine.

"I'm watching Missouri light up with the death of a teenaged boy, and I'm watching the media light up with the death of a favourite comedian, and I would like to see Winnipeg light up with the death of these two people."

Police said Fontaine'sbodywas wrapped in a bag. Theycanvassed Winnipegs inner city Wednesday morning, goingdoor to door asking residents about Fontaine.

Police said they are getting lots of tipsand are asking anyone who knows anything to come forward.They are treating Fontaine's death as a homicide.

Hall's body was recovered Sunday evening nearKildonanPark, and police are not treating his death as suspicious.

The sound of drumming and people weeping filled the air near the dock. Leaders from Manitoba's aboriginal community attended, drum circles were held and visitors renewed calls for an inquiry into missing and murdered women in Canada.

Many who had lost loved ones held signs pleading for answers. Wilfred Catchewayheld a sign with a photo of his daughter Jennifer Catcheway, who went missing six years ago in Manitoba.

The group walked from the Alexander Docks to Portage Avenue and Main Street, filling the intersection with people and blocking it to traffic.

From there, the groupheaded to The Forks to gather in Oodena Circle, where candles were lit for the vigil. More people joined them there, bringing the total in attendance to about 2,000.

Fontaine had 'good plans,' family says

"There's no word that described what I felt when I heard they that had found her and that she wasn't alive anymore," Thelma Favel, Fontaine's great-aunt, told CBC News on Tuesday.

"Everything was just ripped right out of me. I just didn't want to live anymore."

Fontaine, who was from theSagkeengFirst Nation, was in the care of a Child and Family Services agency when she went missing, according to police. She had run away from her foster home before, including once in July of this year.

• SagkeengFirst Nationacting chief talks to CBC'sAs It Happensabout TinaFontaine'sdeath

LanaFontaine, Tina's aunt, said her niece would go to her home whenever she ran away. But on Sunday, police officers appeared on her doorstep.

"They told me that they found her and it wasn't good," shesaid, sobbing. "I just knew in my heart she was gone."

Since the teen was under the care of Child and Family Services, her death is automatically beingreviewed by Manitoba's Office of the Children's Advocate.

LanaFontaine, who had last seen her niece a week before she disappeared, said Tinawanted to find a job and finish school.

"She had such good plans," she said.

"She was a beautiful, sweet girl, all she wanted was to live. Whoever did this to her, please come forward and let her rest."

Police saidFontaine'sbody was discovered whilediverswere searching for a man who had been seen struggling in the water near The Forks on Friday.

Hall remembered by family, friends andmayor

Hallearned the nickname of Winnipeg's "homeless hero" after saving people from drowning in the Red River on two occasions in 2009.

Police are not treating Hall'sdeath as suspicious, and did not release details about how he ended up in the water.

Patrick Hallsaid his nephew would take any chance to help someone in need.

"He didn't have [anything] to give anyone but he would offer his friendship, guidance, talk he even risked his life to help someone in distress," he said.

"He was very quiet, soft spoken. In my lifetime, I've never seen him to be mad at anyone."

AlthoughFaron was known as Winnipeg's "homeless hero," he didn't consider himself that way, his uncle said.

Mayor SamKatzcalled Hall a selfless hero who deserved honourand a good life Tuesday.Hetaught people appearances can be deceiving and those with the least to give often give the most,Katzsaid.

The entire citymourns his loss, said the mayor.

Hall's friend,Marion Willis,recalled him as a troubled man who battled alcohol addiction.

"The sad piece for me about Faron is that he had so much potential," said Willis. "He really could have done so much good he did do a lot of good. He could have done so much better."

'We can begin to change,' says professor

Niigaan Sinclair, an aboriginal studies professor at the University of Manitoba, saidcommunity leaders quickly got together Monday night and decided something had to be done.

"It's very easy, but it's so endemic of a 150-year violent and abusive relationship that forms much of the basis of this country," said Sinclair.

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Sinclair said the way to help solve the issues that lead to the deaths ofFontaineand Hall is as simple as viewing people as people.

"If we begin to see Faron and Tina as human beings asdaughters for all of us, as brothers for all of us we can begin to change. We can begin to see that the North End is as much our community as the South End," he said.

"It's as simple as forming relationships with your neighbour, it's so simple," he added. "It's forming relationships withplaces that you might be taught to be scared of. It's forming relationships with ideas and values and cultures."