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.
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.
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.
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
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
BREAKING 15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members today during a ceremony at British Columbia's legislature cenotaph commemorating the Second World War's Battle of the Atlantic.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.