Thunder Bay Policing Crisis “Diminishes the Strength of the Country” Proclaims Federal Minister of Policing, Goodale

Concerns about the River Deaths continue to be raised across Canada as efforts by the Thunder Bay Police Service to carry on with “business as usual” in the face of a local policing crisis are failing.

Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, Ralph Goodale, says he’s concerned Indigenous people in Thunder Bay appear to have lost faith in the city’s police service. Goodale stated, “we all have to work together and when there are concerns of that nature and magnitude that are expressed, I think we all, within our respective authorities need to treat that seriously because this kind of angst diminishes the strength of the country.” The Minister went on to say that the federal government is willing to respond to a request for help with policing the city, but the request must come from the municipality and the province to abide by jurisdictional protocols.

Last month, Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s Grand Chief Fiddler, Grand Council Treaty #3’s Ogichidaa Kavanaugh, and Rainy River First Nations’ Chief Leonard, who represent more than 70 First Nations in Northern Ontario called on the RCMP to take over investigations into the deaths of Indigenous people in Thunder Bay. The call came after a seventh Indigenous teen was found dead in a river in the city — Josiah Begg and Tammy Keeash were found dead last month in the McIntyre River in Thunder Bay, close to where the body of Stacy DeBungee was found in 2015.

Goodale’s comments also come on the same day a Statistics Canada report revealed Thunder Bay had almost one-third of Canada’s reported anti-Indigenous hate crimes.

In the News

Death and questions along Thunder Bay’s ‘river of tears’    APTN National News, June 19, 2017

RCMP should investigate deaths of Indigenous teens in Thunder Bay, Ontario Mp Charlie Angus     Globe and Mail, June 15, 2017
RCMP should investigate deaths of Indigenous teens in Thunder Bay    Toronto Star, June 15, 2017
State of Denial Still Part of Problem in Thunder Bay   Netnewsledger, June 15, 2017
‘Angst’ over police in Thunder Bay, Ont., ‘diminishes’ Canada Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale   CBC, June 14, 2017
Ottawa concerned with situation in Thunder Bay, but not willing to step in without an invitation   APTN National News, June 13, 2017
City has by far the most per capita hate crimes reported in country   tbnewswatch, June 13, 2017
Thunder Bay had almost one-third of Canada’s reported anti-Indigenous hate crimes in 2015   CBC, June 13, 2017

Related Posts

NEW VICTIMS EMERGE AS RIVER DEATHS RAISE MORE QUESTIONS
River Deaths Attracting National Attention
Policing Crisis in Thunder Bay: Police Board Under Investigation – Call for RCMP to Investigation River Deaths
DEBUNGEE / RAINY RIVER FIRST NATIONS COMPLAINTS LEAD TO SYSTEMIC RACISM INVESTIGATION OF THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE

 

Related Posts