Families, First Nation leaders to discuss Thunder Bay police misconduct at Queen’s Park
First Nations leadership and families will gather at Queen's Park on Monday to discuss what they say has been decades-long misconduct on the part of the Thunder Bay police.
The families will be meeting with Sol Mamakwa, the MPP for Kiiwetinoong and deputy NDP leader.
A news conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 22.
The meetings come after three people with ties to the Thunder Bay Police Service have been charged since December – including its former chief of police Sylvie Hauth, former in-house lawyer Holly Walbourne and staff Sgt. Michael Dimini.
Three members of Thunder Bay Police Service -- former chief Sylvie Hauth, former lawyer Holly Walbourne and staff Sgt. Michael Dimini -- charged in misconduct investigation. April 15, 2024 (CTV News)
Can trust be rebuilt?
The Thunder Bay Police Service said it wants to rebuild trust within the community, but some have argued it's not enough.
"The allegations of the past is not a reflection of the work being done today," said police service board chair Karen Machado, in a press conference last week.
Mamakwa said people need to see a change in the way the police service operates.
“There's a lot of good words being said, but I think it's important that we need to be able to see the action,” he said speaking with CTV News on Friday.
“You know2, I think we are past the time for dialogue."
Misconduct allegations
In late 2021, the Ministry of the Attorney General asked Ontario Provincial Police to investigate allegations of misconduct involving members of the Thunder Bay Police Service.
A Thunder Bay Police Service sign. (File photo/CTV News)
As a result of that investigation, three people from Thunder Bay Police Service have been charged.
Sgt. Mike Dimini was arrested in December 2023 and charged with two counts of assault and one count each of breach of trust by a police officer and obstructing justice.
Then earlier this month, both Hauth and Walbourne were charged with obstruction, obstructing justice and breach of trust.
Walbourne resigned as the Thunder Bay Police Service’s counsel last year, around the time Darcy Fleury took over as chief of police.
Hauth was suspended in June 2022 after "serious allegations" were made by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission.
An undated photo of former Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Hauth. Ontario Provincial Police have arrested and charged the former Thunder Bay police chief as part of an ongoing misconduct probe. (File photo/CTV News)
Hauth became the chief of police in 2018 following a scathing report that found 'systemic racism' within the Thunder Bay police force that affected the death investigations involving Indigenous Peoples. Nine of those deaths were reinvestigated because of how poorly they were initially handed.
She resigned in January 2023 after 30 years of service avoiding a police misconduct hearing.
None of the criminal charges have been proven in court.
With files from CTV News’ Kamil Karamali and CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalist Chelsea Papineau
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.