First Nations leaders said an independent review describing the 鈥渟ystemic racism鈥� within Ontario鈥檚 Thunder Bay Police Service and its failure to adequately investigate the deaths of nine Indigenous people was troubling, but not surprising.
鈥淚 was very concerned, but we already knew what was happening,鈥� Robin McGinnis, the chief of Rainy River First Nations, located west of Thunder Bay, told CTV News Channel. 鈥淭he thing that surprised me the most was how honest the report was.鈥�
The 206-page report, issued by Ontario鈥檚 police watchdog, made 44 recommendations, including that the nine deaths should be reinvestigated.
鈥淭he failure to conduct adequate investigations and the premature conclusions drawn in these cases is, at least in part, attributable to racist attitudes and racial stereotyping,鈥� the report concluded.
McGinnis said that he welcomed the recommendations and that they were greeted by 鈥渃heering and people standing up and clapping鈥� as they were read.
One of the cases referenced in the report is that of Stacy DeBungee, a member of McGinnis鈥檚 community whose body was found in the McIntyre River in 2015. Thunder Bay Police declared after three hours that DeBungee鈥檚 death was not suspicious.
鈥淭he predetermination by TBPS that the death was not suspicious before the autopsy examination had been conducted contributed to existing beliefs that Indigenous deaths were not investigated in an adequate, bias-free way,鈥� the report said.
It added that DeBungee鈥檚 death should have been treated as a potential homicide and that 鈥渟upervision and oversight of the investigation was wholly inadequate.鈥�
McGinnis told CTV News Channel that such an insufficient investigation has helped to foment 鈥渕istrust鈥� between Indigenous people and the police in Thunder Bay.
鈥淭here are children that are scared of police officers,鈥� he said.
Peter Collins, the chief of the Fort Williams First Nation, which is adjacent to Thunder Bay, told CTV News Channel that there is 鈥渟till a lot of work and a lot of issues that need to be dealt with.鈥�
He said that he believes the police need more resources to do their jobs properly and that there should be an enforcement mechanism for ensuring the recommendations are implemented.
鈥淭here is no real timeframe to get these issues rectified and there are no repercussions for not implementing the recommendations,鈥� Collins said.
McGinnis said change is not possible without a collaborative effort between the Thunder Bay Police Services, the police board and Indigenous communities.
鈥淭here has to be participation on all sides,鈥� he said.
With files from the Canadian Press
