Dorothy Sakanee holds a photo of her granddaughter Mackenzie Moonias, a 14-year-old found dead in Thunder Bay in December, 2023, during a press conference calling for the disbandment of the Thunder Bay Police Services at Queens Park in Toronto, on April 22.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
Indigenous leaders in Northern Ontario are calling on the province’s policing watchdog to use his new powers and disband the Thunder Bay Police Service, saying the troubled force is beyond repair.
The leaders held a news conference at Queen’s Park to say the Thunder Bay service continues to fail families who have lost loved ones who are the subject of sudden-death investigations. A lawyer representing the families of Indigenous people who died has filed complaints to Inspector-General of Policing Ryan Teschner. Earlier this month, Mr. Teschner was given new legislative powers that include the ability to dissolve police services and boards.
Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said that after years of turmoil, the Thunder Bay force has not earned the trust of the Indigenous people it serves.
“Nothing has been done … and it can’t be fixed,” said Mr. Fiddler, who attended the news conference with NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa.
“When it comes to investigations into the deaths of Indigenous peoples, there is a complete lack of trust. Everything has broken down.”
Other leaders in attendance included NAN Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe, Chief Chris Moonias of Neskantaga, and Chief Lefty Kamenawatamin of Bearskin Lake First Nation.
The families of Mackenzie Moonias, Jenna Ostberg and Corey Belesky were also in attendance with their lawyer Julian Falconer, who filed the complaints to Mr. Teschner’s office on behalf of the Ostberg and Belesky families.
Ms. Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation was found dead at Thunder Bay’s marina on Dec. 18, five days after the 14-year-old student was last seen in the same area. Her family said police failed to respond appropriately to their missing-person reports, and that they had begun their own search before police became involved.
The family of Corey Belesky, from Marten Falls First Nation, said they’ve been kept in the dark by police since the 31-year-old father was found killed in November, 2022. In their complaint to the Inspector-General, the Belesky family said they are still waiting for charges despite suspects being identified from video surveillance.
“We don’t even know his exact cause of death. We have so many questions and no answers,” said his sister Dawn Belesky.
Ms. Ostberg’s death has been under investigation by the Special Investigations Unit since she was found on Dec. 30 at a Thunder Bay residence. Police failed to respond to two 911 calls while a third one was made when the 21-year-old’s body was found inside hours later.
A statement from Mr. Teschner to The Globe and Mail confirmed his office received two complaints on Monday and that his role is to monitor the force and its board.
“I also have the available enforcement tools, should they be required, to ensure compliance with policing legislation and standards. I am committed to ensuring that adequate and effective policing is delivered to Thunder Bay and its diverse communities – including Indigenous communities in and around the city.”
The latest call to disband comes after former police chief Sylvie Hauth and the force’s in-house lawyer Holly Walbourne were arrested earlier this month and charged with breach of trust and obstructing justice in a continuing OPP criminal investigation. Staff Sergeant Mike Dimini was the first member of the service to be charged in December.
It’s the second time First Nations leaders in Northern Ontario have called for the service’s disbandment.
In April, 2022, the provincial government appointed lawyer Malcolm Mercer to take over the board’s functions, the second time an administrator was sent into Thunder Bay since Murray Sinclair’s report in 2018 that highlighted the systemic deficiencies of the board and its oversight.
Another report from the province in 2018 found systemic racism was tainting investigations and flagged nine cases for reinvestigation. In 2022, dozens more cases were flagged by outside police investigators, including 25 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
The same year, the OPP began independent investigations into the deaths of 13 Indigenous people who died between 2006 and 2019 in Thunder Bay.
Thunder Bay Police Chief Darcy Fleury, who is Métis and was formerly with the RCMP, was appointed last year. He said the current administration is co-operating with the OPP “at a level not before seen” and that under his tenure, progress has been made.
“I empathize with the pain and frustrations we heard from families and leaders. More can and will be done to communicate with the families about their loved ones’ investigations,” he said in a statement.
Willow Fiddler