Caribou Legs running through N.B. to talk domestic violence

Caribou Legs, an ultra marathon runner who is racing across the country to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women, is slowing down to bring his message to New Brunswick students and to attend a vigil in honour of murdered and missing Indigenous women.

"It's important to me because the systemic racism out there needs to stop … I need to do this for my own personal development, but also to raise the conscience level of respecting women," said the Gwich'in runner, also known as Brad Firth.

Firth's journey started in May in Vancouver. Since then, he's trekked across Canada speaking out against domestic violence and murdered and missing Indigenous women (MMIW), with a goal of ending his run in St. John's. Firth had run roughly 5,400 kilometres before stopping in Perth-Andover Tuesday to talk to students at Southern Victoria High School.

His journey hasn't been without controversy. Firth runs in traditional warrior's face paint, and carries a hand drum. He said he was stopped three times by police while in Alberta, which left him discouraged at first, but soon led to more awareness about his cause. 

• Long distance runner 'Caribou Legs' stopped by Alberta RCMP

​"It grew in Alberta when I was stopped by police," Firth said. "The police were coming at me because a lot of motorists were calling them about my war paint and my drum. And that's where it [hit] the national stage. So I actually really thank the RCMP for stopping me because it carried a broader level of audience."

Caribou Legs' original Facebook video of the police encounter has been viewed over 53,000 times.

Challenge to men

Firth said he sees domestic violence as a systemic problem and wants to end it at its roots. He tells students to be wary of the media they consume, citing the way some video games portray women.

"The language is violent, very disrespectful language with these games. These kids are picking that up, and taking it in the schools and dissing their peers," said Firth.

"I challenge other men to surround themselves with women, to step out of that Old Boys club mentality and surround themselves with strong women in their community and be taught by women."

Firth is skeptical about the inquiry into MMIW. He hopes it will provide families with answers about their loved ones but he wonders if it will bring real substantive change. Firth said the the criminal justice system overlooks these cases because they involve Indigenous women and he's unsure if that will change.

"[The system needs to] overhaul their belief system around missing and murdered Indigenous women."

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Firth said he's honoured to be able to carry the message across Canada, but it shouldn't have taken so long to deal with these issues.

"I think it's 30 years late, it should have been done a long time ago."