Five years after her daughter's death, Fort Good Hope mother wants community to heal

Louisa Lafferty says the last five years have been difficult.

The Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., woman first had to deal with the intense pain of losing her daughter Charlotte. The 23-year-old woman was murdered on March 22, 2014.

That led to the arrest and trial of Keenan McNeely; an ordeal that finally ended with his conviction in 2017, and the denial of his appeal last week.

However, Lafferty's pain runs deeper than that. During the five-year ordeal, she says that many people in hercommunity have not been allowed to talk to each other, due to legal obligations as a part of the court proceedings.

"For the community I feel like we are all split up," she said. "Strangers. Even though we are in the same community."

Speaking to CBC North at Yellowknife's on-the-land Indigenous healing camp Thursday two daysafter McNeely lost his appeal Lafferty says that her focus is now on healing: both herself, and the community.

When she gets back to Fort Good Hope, she says sheplans to hold a traditional fire ceremony where she'll burn some of her daughter's possessions the court was holding as evidence.

And she wants families who were part of the trial to come together for a healing camp.

"Because I don't know the next guy's story," Lafferty said."I just know only my story. I don't know what whoever [else] went through."

Lafferty says that court on Tuesday carried special significance and not just because it marked the end of the five-year process.She says that she felt her late daughter sitting beside her, touching her arm.

"Never once did I feel my daughter's presence, until yesterday," she said.

"I feel so grateful."

Lafferty says she plans to continue on her healing journey, and that, although she hasn't wanted to be in church since attending her daughter's funeral, she gains strength through visits to her therapist and her vegetable garden.

"Nature, the land, seeing your plants grow, and sharing it in the end. It's the best."