Dawn Walker disappeared in late July with her seven-year-old son, whom CBC News is not naming now that he has been found. Her truck and other personal belongings were found in Chief Whitecap Park, near the South Saskatchewan River near Saskatoon, on July 25. Walker and her son were found safe in Oregon City, Oregon on August 5, and she was arrested while her son was returned to Saskatoon by a legal guardian a short time later. Before the appearance, supporters rallied in front of the courthouse, holding signs of support and speaking out for Walker. Walker has previously made allegations of domestic violence against her ex, who is the father of her son. Police said the allegations were investigated but no evidence was found to support them. “The NWAC is truly relieved to hear that Dawn is back in Canada and happy to have a speedy bail hearing,” Judy Hughes, special counsel for the Native Women’s Association of Canada, said outside court. “We hope he will be released and we are also here with everyone demanding justice and fair treatment.” The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), a group representing First Nations in Saskatchewan, is calling for Walker’s release and an investigation into police handling of Walker’s domestic violence allegations. At about 4 p.m. CST on Friday, Walker was transferred to Saskatoon police after spending two weeks in US federal custody and then in RCMP custody in B.C. She also faces charges in the US related to allegedly using false documents to cross the border, and US prosecutors previously said in a request to hold her pending trial that Walker planned to fake her own death before her disappearance. Additional charges could be laid in her case as the investigation into the events surrounding her disappearance continues, Saskatoon police say. Dawn Walker is facing charges of parental kidnapping and public battery, but the Saskatoon Police Service has not ruled out additional charges. (Submitted by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations) Walker is an accomplished author and was also the Executive Officer of the FSIN. One of Canada’s best-known defense lawyers, Marie Henein, said last week that she would defend Walker on her Canadian charges. Henein is known for many high-profile cases, defending the likes of Michael Bryant, Vice Admiral Mark Norman and Jian Ghomeshi. When asked if the Federation would pay for Walker’s legal fees, vice president Heather Bear said it would if it had the money, but referred to a GoFundMe campaign set up to help with legal fees. That GoFundMe has raised nearly $30,000 in donations as of Sunday afternoon.
