Dawn Marie Walker, better known by her

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

Dawn Dumont, is a Plains Cree writer, former lawyer, comedian, former CEO and journalist from the

Okanese First Nation The Okanese First Nation (, ''okinîs'', literal meaning: ''Little Rose-hip'')Wolvengrey, Arok, editor. Cree: Words. Regina, University of Regina Press, 2001https://itwewina.altlab.app/word/okin%C3%AEs@3//ref> is a Cree-Saulteaux First Nation ba ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. In 2022, she became the subject of nationwide attention when she was the subject of multiple criminal investigations across the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and Canada after kidnapping her seven-year-old son and faking their death and disappearances. Walker became further mired in controversy as her heavy involvement in the FSIN's election fraud scandal came to light.

Career

Writing

Her first book, ''Nobody Cries at Bingo'' (2011), is a fictionalized, humorous account of her own life growing up on a

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...

. Dumont says that the book was inspired by the writing of

David Sedaris David Raymond Sedaris ( ; born December 26, 1956) is an American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He was publicly recognized in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay " Santaland Diaries". He published his first col ...

. In 2012 it was shortlisted for an Alberta Readers' Choice Award and a

Robert Kroetsch Robert Paul Kroetsch (June 26, 1927 – June 21, 2011)

City of

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

Award, and selected for the

Canadian Children's Book Centre Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) is a national non-profit organization that dedicates its resources to promoting quality Canadian children's literature to parents, librarians, teachers, and youth across Canada. Founded in 1976, the CCBC has l ...

's Best Books for Kids and Teens. In 2021, the French translation of the book (', translated by Daniel Grenier) was nominated for the

Governor General's Award for English to French translation This is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for English-to-French translation awarded by the Governor-General of Canada. Winners and nominees 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s References {{Governor General's Literar ...

at the

2020 Governor General's Awards The shortlisted nominees for the 2020 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were announced on May 4, 2021, and the winners were announced on June 1. Writing in ''Pacific Rim Review of Books'', Chuck Barker described the novel as "integral Canadian literature" and praised Dumont's "self-depreciating, honest, comprehensive, and confidential" sense of humour. This book won the 2015 Saskatchewan Book Award for Fiction. In 2017 she changed formats, publishing a collection of short stories titled ''Glass Beads''. In more than twenty stories, Dumont explores the relationships between four

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

characters over a period of two decades.

Shannon Webb-Campbell Shannon Webb-Campbell is Canadian writer, poet and editor. She is descended from Miꞌkmaq people from the Qalipu First Nation in Newfoundland. Writing career In December 2013 Webb-Campbell was chosen to be the 2014 Canadian Women in Literary ...

, reviewing the book in ''

The Malahat Review ''The Malahat Review'' is a Canadian quarterly literary magazine established in 1967. It features contemporary Canadian and international works of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction as well as reviews of recently published Canadian litera ...

'', notes that "much like beadwork, each strand or story stands on its own, but can only be fully formed in relation to others." ''Glass Beads'' was shortlisted for four Saskatchewan Book Awards, including the Book of the Year Award and the Indigenous Peoples' Writing Award. It won the Fiction Award. In 2022, her book, ''The Prairie Chicken Dance Tour,'' was shortlisted for the

Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, also known as the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour or just the Leacock Medal, is an annual Canadian literary award presented for the best book of humour written in English by a Canadian writer, publis ...

. The announcement of the shortlist was made while Dumont was still considered a missing person. The award ultimately went to Rick Mercer. Dumont teased a new book, ''Love Stories for the End of the World'', during a

livestream Livestreaming, live-streaming, or live streaming is the streaming media, streaming of video or Digital audio, audio in real-time communication, real time or near real time. While often referred to simply as ''streaming'', the real-time nature ...

in February 2023. She finished writing the book while awaiting the outcome of her criminal charges. In addition to her books, Dumont has performed as a

stand-up comic Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehears ...

and performed at the

Comic Strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics terminology#Captio ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. She was a

story editor Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called supervising producer. The responsibilities of the story editor vary depending on the production; this article describes the duties the role most commo ...

for the animated APTN program, '' By the Rapids'', and she wrote regular columns in ''Eagle Feather News'' and the

Saskatoon StarPhoenix ''The StarPhoenix'' is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a part of Postmedia Network. It has been referred to as a "sister newspaper" to the '' Leader-Post''. The ''StarPhoenix'' puts out six editions each wee ...

hired Dumont as a twice monthly columnist in 2015.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations

Dumont served as the Executive Operating Officer of the

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), formerly known as the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, is a Saskatchewan-based First Nations organization. It represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan and is committed to honourin ...

, beginning in 2016 and was the longest-serving CEO in the organization’s history.

Election Fraud

An election official hired by FSIN to run their 2021 elections, Myrna O’Soup, reported

election fraud Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election manipulation, voter fraud, or vote rigging, involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share o ...

to authorities. She claims voting credentials were not protected and multiple votes were submitted through the same

IP address An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: network interface i ...

. O'Soup also discovered that Walker could see every voter’s ballot choices, contrary to the confidentiality FSIN's members expected. When O'Soup raised these concerns she states that Dawn Walker threatened her. As of 2025, the court case is still ongoing after O'Soup has since been sued for defamation by the FSIN.

Personal life

Dumont was born and raised on the

. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the

University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan (U of S, or USask) is a Universities in Canada, Canadian public university, public research university, founded on March 19, 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatch ...

in 1995. She holds a law degree from Queen's University. From 2014 until 2018, she was in a relationship with Andrew Jansen with whom she has one son.

Political Candidate

In 2021, Dumont, as Dawn Dumont Walker, ran as a candidate for the federal

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

in Saskatoon's Saskatoon-University riding. She lost but received ten percent of the vote.

Disappearance and criminal charges

On July 24, 2022, Dumont and her seven-year-old son were reported missing after Dumont's vehicle and personal items were found empty near Saskatoon's Chief Whitecap Park. Dumont's friends were especially concerned as she had two pets that had been locked inside for days. Several investigations were launched, including by the

RCMP The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...

. The

issued an amber alert for the child on social media. During the investigation, Dumont's friends and family heavily implied foul play. FSIN Vice Chief Heather Bear alleged that Dumont had previously been a victim of

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

. However, Bear did not make any formal allegations. Dumont's friend, Eleanore Sunchild, also noted that Dumont had reported allegations of violence in her previous relationship to the police, who she claims did nothing. Sunchild is quoted saying “It’s totally out of character, She’s one of the most responsible people I know. She would not disappear.” While she was considered missing, a rally and a candlelight vigil were held in Saskatchewan to grieve and support the community. Dumont had been an advocate for

missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women are instances of violence against Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous women in Canada and the United States, notably those in the First Nations in Canada and Native Americans in the United States, ...

and her disappearance was linked with that particular human rights crisis. The Jansen family set up a

GoFundMe GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the ...

campaign to help with search costs. After Dumont and her son were found, donations were capped; all unused funds were donated to help support other families of missing children. On August 5, 2022, following a joint investigation by

Saskatoon Police Service Saskatoon Police Service (SPS; ) is the municipal police service in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It holds both municipal and provincial jurisdiction. Police Chief Cam McBride is the head of the service. The deputy chief is Deputy Chief Dave ...

and

Homeland Security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" to ...

, Dumont and her son were found at a rental in

Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, located on the Willamette River near the southern limits of the Portland metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 37,572. Established in 1829 ...

. Court documents filed in Oregon alleged that Dumont faked her death and that of her son in what they describe as an elaborate scheme to illegally enter the country. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has charged her with the felony offence of knowingly producing a passport of another person and a misdemeanour charge of possessing identification that was stolen or produced illegally. She was also charged with aggravated

identity theft Identity theft, identity piracy or identity infringement occurs when someone uses another's personal identifying information, like their name, identifying number, or credit card number, without their permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. ...

. In Canada, she is charged with parental abduction and public mischief. If the American authorities were to drop identity theft charges, Dumont could then face that charge in Canada, where the alleged identity theft occurred. Dumont's friends and family have urged compassion, stating that the situation is complex and requires patience.

Idle No More Idle No More is an ongoing protest movement, founded in December 2012 by four women: three First Nations women and one non-Native ally. It is a grassroots movement among the Indigenous peoples in Canada comprising the First Nations, Métis a ...

launched a GoFundMe campaign to help fund Dumont's legal expenses. While detained in the US, Dumont made a statement claiming that she left because she feared for her and her son's safety. She also cited previous domestic abuse allegations against her ex, alleging that they were not taken seriously by Saskatchewan police. Saskatchewan police said they had investigated the claims but found no evidence. Critics of Dumont state that Jansen and her have been separated for four years and that she made domestic abuse allegations only after entering a losing custody battle. Jansen later told the court that he feared for his safety and had to move during the ordeal. Dumont appeared in court in Oregon on September 7, 2022. Following hearings in the United States, an informal agreement was reached that would have American authorities transfer Dumont to Canadian authorities without a formal extradition process. Her son is with his father in Canada. On August 29, 2022, Dumont made her first appearance in court in Saskatchewan where she was represented by prominent criminal defence lawyer,

Marie Henein Marie Therese Henein (born 1966) is a Canadian civil litigator and criminal defence lawyer. She is a partner of Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, a law firm in Toronto. Early life Henein was born in Cairo, Egypt, to a Lebanese Maronite father an ...

. At an FSIN news conference that day, several women spoke in favor of Dumont and critiqued the legal system, restating claims that Dumont is a survivor of domestic violence. The women who spoke asserted that Dumont should be released from custody. A support rally was held prior to that hearing outside of the courthouse. Supporters reiterated their wishes that Dumont be released from custody, though the Crown maintains their opposition to her release. She was granted bail in September 2022. Her US court appearance has been postponed in light of her charges in Canada. Dumont was released into house arrest on September 2, 2022, following her bail hearing. On November 15 she was arrested on new charges in relation to identity theft, fraud and forgery. Dumont elected to proceed with a trial by judge and waived her right to a preliminary hearing. She pleaded not guilty to all charges (public mischief, parental abduction and identity fraud) in January 2023. In March 2023, Dumont’s defense counsel filed an application to seek third-party records that they claim would help show Walker’s rights were violated, under the

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms The ''Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms'' (), often simply referred to as the ''Charter'' in Canada, is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada, forming the first part of the '' Constitution Act, 1982''. The ''Char ...

, enough to warrant a stay of proceedings. Her legal team claimed Walker was subject to human rights violations both as an individual and systemically as an Indigenous woman. In hearings in August, Judge Bruce Bauer ruled that some, but not all, of the records were relevant to the defense and should be released. The court also heard that the resources to search for Dumont and her son cost upwards of $100,000. On November 2, 2023, Dumont pleaded guilty to three of the charges against her. She was sentenced to a one-year conditional sentence in the community and 18 months’ probation. She will not have unsupervised visits with her son.

Works

* ** * ** * ** * **

References

External links

Dawn Dumont at Thistledown Press
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dumont, Dawn 1970s births 2020s missing person cases 21st-century Canadian novelists 21st-century Canadian short story writers 21st-century Canadian women writers 21st-century First Nations writers 21st-century pseudonymous writers Canadian women novelists Canadian women short story writers Cree writers Date of birth missing (living people) First Nations novelists First Nations women writers Formerly missing Canadian people Living people Missing person cases in Canada Okanese First Nation Place of birth missing (living people) Pseudonymous women writers Queen's University at Kingston alumni University of Saskatchewan alumni Novelists from Saskatchewan