'So much work left to do': Hundreds attend Canada's largest Moose Hide event in Victoria

As drumming echoed throughout Victoria’s downtown core on Thursday afternoon, it was the sound of a movement that began more than 10 years ago.

It's a movement to end violence against women called the Moose Hide Campaign.

A Moose Hide pin is shown. (CTV News)Raven Lacerte is from the Burns Lake area and co-founded the campaign with her father.

"It’s right where the Highway of Tears is, where dozens of women have either gone missing or been found murdered from along that stretch of highway," said Lacerte.

People are encouraged to wear small squares of moose hide on their clothing as a way to support the campaign against the violence.

"The message is being heard," said Dominic Paul, the Moose Hide Campaign’s national ambassador. "We can prove that there are five conversations that are started per pin that is out there."

To date more than four million squares have been handed out across the country.

What began as a gathering at Thunderbird Park in Victoria turned into a walk towards the Knowledge Totem on the grounds of the B.C. legislature building.

Tallon Fire Bird travelled to Victoria for the ceremony from Thunder Bay, Ont.

"Today is about creating safer environments for families all across Canada within the First Nation communities," said Fire Bird.

Drummers are shown at Thunderbird Park in downtown Victoria. May 11, 2023. (CTV News)Hundreds of people attended the event. Madi Homewood and Pearl Hare travelled to Victoria from Chilliwack with their Indigenous leadership class.

"We are a part of something that might change stuff," said Homewood.

"It just spreads the overall awareness," said Hare.

Victoria’s Moose Hide event was the largest in Canada. It was livestreamed across the country with more than 400,000 people pledging to either take part virtually or in smaller ceremonies across the country.

"Yes, there are a lot of people here but there is still so much work left to do," said Lacerte. "We need to keep pushing, this needs to keep going if we’re going to make any real change in this country."