APTN honours the true stories of missing and murdered Indigenous people with Season 5 of “Taken”
APTN honours the true stories of missing and murdered Indigenous people with Season 5 of “Taken”
January 6, 2026
Thirteen groundbreaking new episodes of Taken give voice to a national crisis through the families’ perspectives — premiering January 7, exclusively on APTN (in English), APTN Languages (in Anishinaabemowin) and APTN+ in both languages.
TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, Man. — APTN is set to premiere the highly anticipated fifth season of Taken on January 7. This powerful series encourages viewers to share information about unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, men, boys, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse individuals in Canada. Episodes air Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on APTN and 9 p.m. ET on APTN Languages, and are available for same-day streaming on APTN+.
Taken returns after going on hiatus in 2019 — the same year the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Girls concluded — to highlight the ongoing crisis affecting Indigenous communities. The first episode of Season 5, “The Search Continues,” explores the challenges that persist to this day. Co-creator Lisa Meeches hosts the series in English, alongside a talented production team from Eagle Vision, including executive producer Dinae Robinson.
“When Taken ended after its first four seasons, we had no idea we would be back five years later, continuing to tell the ongoing story of missing and murdered Indigenous people in Canada,” said Meeches. The series has re-engaged with Crime Stoppers to facilitate anonymous tips, emphasizing collaboration with families and community organizations.
Hon. Bernadette Smith, Minister of Housing, Addictions, and Homelessness for Manitoba, has been a strong advocate, sharing her sister Claudette Osborne-Tyo’s story on the show. “The way my sister’s case was portrayed in the media was dehumanizing,” Smith reflected. “Taken allowed us, as a family, to tell her story from our perspective.”
This season will tell stories such as that of Deborah Anne Sloss, whose family recounts her tragic death in 1997, and 18-year-old Kendara Ballantyne, murdered in her community. Eleven additional stories illuminate the resilience and grief of families impacted by this crisis.
Notable advocate Sandra DeLaronde returns as a guest this season. As chair of Giganawenimaanaanig, the group that led engagement sessions to develop Manitoba’s Red Dress Alert Program, she emphasizes the need for urgent action when Indigenous people go missing. “If mainstream Canada works with us, we can create measurable change,” DeLaronde stated. “The goals of this show are to honour those who are missing or have been murdered and to help solve these cases,” said Dinae Robinson.
Season 5 of Taken is produced for APTN by Eagle Vision and features hosts Lisa Meeches (English) and Vera Houle (Anishinaabemowin). For more information, visit the APTN Media Centre.
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Taken on Instagram: instagram.com/takentheseries
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About APTN
APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. Since then, the network has become a global leader in programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples at home and abroad. A respected non-profit media company, APTN inspires audiences by sharing bold and authentic stories. APTN’s programming is available across multiple platforms: APTN (English and French channel), APTN Languages (Indigenous language channel), APTN+ (streaming service) and APTN Beyond (FAST channel).
About Eagle Vision
Eagle Vision is the most prolific production company in Canadian history with Indigenous ownership. In addition to film and television, projects include work for the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada, Legacy of Hope, and the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. With an industry-leading devotion to mentorship and best practices, Eagle Vision creates content that creates change.
Selected previous works include the feature films Capote, We Were Children, Deaner ’89, Orphan: First Kill, Finality of Dusk, Diaspora, True Story, Night Raiders, Lovesick, Jack, Elijah, and Blue State. Series include Ice Road Truckers, SkyMed, Burden of Truth, Tipi Tales, 7TH GEN, DJ Burnt Bannock, and The Sharing Circle. They and their projects have been the recipients of 5 Oscar Nominations (1 win), a Golden Globe win, 5 BAFTA nominations (1 win), 51 Gemini/CSA nominations (11 wins), 5 Shorty Award nominations (2 Wins), a Banff Rockie Award (and 2 additional nominations), amongst several other prestigious awards. Visit eaglevision.ca.
Media Contacts:
Joëlle Saltel
Manager of Communications, APTN
(431) 557-9909
jsaltel@aptn.ca
Dinae Robinson
Head of Content, Eagle Vision
(204) 799-6888
dinae@eaglevision.ca
APTN MINAADENDAANON NEWEN DEBWEMIGAG DIBAAJIMOWINAN GEWE NYAA
IZIJIG MIINWAA AGAA NISIGAAZIJIG GIIZHAA AGAA YAAJIG BEMAADIZIJIG ZHIWE
AANDAKI 5 OWI “TAKEN”
Midaaswi shi niswi oshkiwiin mazinaatisijignon owi Taken miigwemigad giigidowin owi maziwe kiingh newen inoodewisinag’ ezhi waabmdamiwaad – oshki mazinaatesingh Manidoo-Giizis 7, zhiwe goweta APTN (Zhaagnaashiimiwein), APTN Iniwewinan (owi Anishinaabemowin) miinwaa APTN+ newen niish iniwewinan.
TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, Man., Manidoo-Giizis 6, 2026 — APTN zhiitaa awii ntam mazinaatesidood owi ishpi baabiichigaadeg ekwa naanon aandaki owi Taken apii Manidoo Giizis 7. Maanda mashkawi mazinaatesijiganan gagaandinigaaziwog genwaabmjigejig awii maadokiiwaad gikendamowin onji gikenjigaadesinag agaa zhiwebak gewe nyaadizijig miinwaa agaa nisigaazijig Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig kwewog, kwezensag, ninwog, wiizensag, Niish Jichaag miinwaa gikinwaajinaagozijig-nowonj bemaadizijig maampii Gaanada. Mazinaatesijiginon mazinaatesinon Niso-giizhigad owi apii 9:30 p.m.ET zhiwe APTN miinwaa 9 p.m. ET zhiwe APTN Iniwewinan, miinwaa temigadoon owi naasaab giizhigad gikinwaadaatesingh zhiwe APTN+.
Taken biskaabiimigad shkwaa anwebiwin apii 2019 – owi naasaab biboon owi Gichi Kiingh Nda Gikenjigewin owi Nyaadizijig miinwaa Agaa Nisigaazijig Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig kwezensag agii ekwaasemigag – awii ombinigaadeg owi ayaabaji maazhisewin madookidaagaademigad Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig Odenwinan. Owi ntam mazinaatesingh owi Andaki 5, “Owi Ndowaabmjigewin Aabajisemigad,” “The Search Continues,” nda gikendaanan newen maanendaagwog aabajasemigadoon apiinish nongo giizhigad. Digo-zhitood Lisa Meeches, biminzhaadaan owi mazinaatesijiginan owi Zhaagnaashiimiwin, digoyaad owi negijitojig zhitojig waaji nakiindijig onji Eagle Vision, e’digoyaad naagaanzid ezhitood Dinae Robinson.
“Apii Taken agii ekwaaseg owi ntam niiwin aandakiin, gaawii ngii gikendiziinaan awii abi biskaabii’aangh naanon biboon baamaapii, aanike dibaajima-aangh owi ayaabajisemigag dibaajimowin owi nyaadizijig miinwaa agaa nisigaazijig Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig bemaadizijig maampii Gaanada,” kida Meeches. Owi aanke mazinaatesijigan agii aanji wiikijinaan Crime Stoppers awii biminizhimowaad giimodag wiindamaagewinan, gagetinaamtaagoziwaad wiiji nakiimaawaad gewe inoodewizinan miinwaa odenaangh wiijiindiwinan.
Gichitwaa Bernadette Smith, Ogimaa owi Endaawin, Mamaanjigowin, miinwaa Gwiinwidaawin onji Manitoba, aawi mashkowi giigidomaaged, maadookiid ado diwemaan Claudette Osborne-Tyo ado dibaajimowin zhiwe mazinaatesijigan. “Owi nikiiyaa ndo diwemaa agaa zhiwebizid agaa dibaachigaadeg zhiwe wiindamaagewin agii zhinaagwod agii bimaadizisig,” Smith agii makwendaan. “Taken ngii bagidinignaa, aawiyaangh inoodewiziwin, awii dibaajima’aangh ado dibaajimowin onji ndo ezhi waabmdamaangh.”
Nongo aandaki ada wiindamaagewog dibaajimowinan dibishko owi owa Deborah Anne Sloss, ado inoodewiziwin aanji dibaataanaa-aa ado gichi sidaawendaagwog nibod apii 1997, miinwaa midaaswi shi nishwaaswi epiitizid Kendra Ballaantyne, agaa nisigaazad endinakiid. Midaaswi shi bezhig aanke dibaajimowinan waasesdoon owi mashkowaadiziwin miinwaa gichi maanaadendamowin gewe inoodewiziwinag maadokidaagaazijig maanda gichi zinagag.
Akinwaadenimind genodimaaged Sandra DeLaronde biskaabii aawid waakimigaazad nongo aandaki. Aawid ogimaa owi Giganawenimaanaanig, owi wiijii-ewin agaa niigaanwidojig wiikijinakiiwin dinaangidoniwinan awii zhichigaadeg Manitoba Red Dress Alert Nankiiwin, mashkotaagozi owi dowendaagwog gichi wewiib nakiiwin apii Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig bemaadizijig naadiziwaad. “Giishpin kina bemaadizijig Gaanada wiiji nakiimigo-aangh, gdaa zhitoonaa mayaa waabmjigaadeg aanjisewin”, DeLaronde agii kidaa. “Newen nenda gashkichigaadeg maanda mazinaatesijigan aawon awii minaadenjigaaziwaad gewe nyaadizijig maage agaa nisigaazijig miinwaa awii naadmaagengh giizhenjigaadeg ninda agaa zhiwebikin,” kida Dinae Robinson.
Aandaki 5 owi Taken zhichigaademigad onji APTN owi Eagle Vision miinwaa mazinaateshinoog Lisa Meeches (Zhaagnaashiimiwin) miinwaa Vera Houle (Anishinaabemowin). Owi woshme gikendamowin, azhaan owi APTN Media Centre.
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Wiijiindiwin Mazina Iganan Dikobizowinan:
APTN zhiwe Instagram: instagram.com/aptn_ca
APTN zhiwe Facebook: facebook.com/aptntv
APTN zhiwe YouTube: youtube.com/@aptntv
Eagle Vision zhiwe Instagram: instagram.com/eaglevisioncanada
Eagle Vision zhiwe Facebook: facebook.com/EagleVisionCanada
Eagle Vision zhiwe YouTube: youtube.com/@eaglevisioncanada
Taken zhiwe Instagram: instagram.com/takentheseries
Taken zhiwe Facebook: facebook.com/takentheseries
Owi APTN
APTN agii maajitaamigad apii 1999 owi aawongh ntam maziwe aki Giishaa Agaa Yaajig dibaajimowin mazinaatesingh maziwe kamig. Apiidash, owi waasamo biiwaabik dibaajimowin agii ani aawon maziwe kamig naagaaniid owi dibaajiwomowinan owi minaajitood owi gichitwaa nowoonj gewe Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig Bemaadizijig endinakiiwaad miinwaa gichi gaamingh. Owi menaadenjigaadeg gaawii zhoonyaakesiimigag inaajimowin nankiiwin, APTN ombinendamowaan genwaabmjigejig owi maadookiiwaad aakodewe miinwaa debwemigag dibaajimowinan. APTN ado inaajimowin temigad nowonj dnowaa waasamo mazinaa’igan biiwaabikoon: APTN (Zhaagnaashiimiwin miinwaa Wemitogozhiimiwin mazinaatesijigan), APTN Iniwewinan (Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig iniwewin mazinaatesijigan), APTN+ (gikinwaadaatesingh zhichigewin) miinwaa APTN Beyond (FAST mazinaatesijigan).
Owi Eagle Vision
Eagle Vision aawon owi memaanji michaag mazinaatesijiged aanikoominode owi Canadian ezhiwebak owi Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig dibendamowin. Miinwaa aanke owi mazinaatesijiged miinwaa mazinaatesijigan, nankiiwn digosinon nakiingh owi Debwewin miinwaa Mina Ginondiwin maampii Gaanada, Miigwewin owi Bagosendamowin, miinwaa owi Gichi Kiingh Nda Gikenjigewin owi Nyaadizijig miinwaa Nisigaazijig Giizhaa Agaa Yaaji Kwewog miinwaa Kwezensag. Owi e’zhitojig-niigaaniingh aangwaamiikamowin owi zhinomaagewin miinwaa memaanji nishingh zhichigewinan, Eagle Vision zhitoon digwaatesingh owi e’zhitoomigag aanjisijigan.
Wenaamjigaadeg aazhigwa nankiiwin digosinon newen mazinaatesingh Capote, We Were Children, Deaner ’89, Orphan: First Kill, Finality of Dusk, Diaspora, True Story, Night Raiders, Lovesick, Jack, Elijah, miinwaa Blue State. Aanke mazinaatesijiginan digosinon Ice Road Truckers, SkyMed, Burden of Truth, Tipi Tales, 7TH GEN, DJ Burnt Bannock, miinwaa The Sharing Circle. Wiinwaa miinwaa ado nankiiwiniwaa agii aawiwog agaa debinamjig naanon Oscar Onagimigewinan (Bezhig bakinaagewaad), owi Golden Globe bakinaagewin, Naanon BAFTA onagimigewinan (Bezhig bakinaagewaad), Naanmidina shi bezhig Gemini/CSA onagimigewinan (Midaaswi shi bezhig Bakinaagewinan), Naanon Shorty Award onagimigewinan (Niish Bakinaagewaad). Owi Banff Rockie Award (miinwaa niish aanke onagimigewinan), megwe gmaaminig bkaan ishpendaagwog bakinaagewinan. Azhaan eaglevision.ca.
Media Contacts (English only):
Joëlle Saltel
Manager of Communications, APTN
(431) 557-9909
jsaltel@aptn.ca
Dinae Robinson
Head of Content, Eagle Vision
(204) 799-6888
dinae@eaglevision.ca
