A number of important issues were discussed by police leaders including the issue of murdered and missing aboriginal women.
Chief Levesque has stated in the past that he supports the call for a national inquiry into this matter. Today the Chief of Police remains confident that an inquiry that would bring all levels of government, aboriginal leadership and police agencies together would be a step in the right direction.
“The R.C.M.P. issued a report in May which states that there are 225 unresolved cases involving murdered and missing aboriginal woman out of 1,181 reported cases dating back 30 years,” stated Chief Lesveque. “The concerns of aboriginal people in this regard should be the concern of all citizens. The need to dialogue is important. The need for action in regards to resolving this issue is even greater”.
In a statement issued by the Thunder Bay Police Service, “Chief Levesque believes that this call for action should be broadened to include a multi-level governmental effort to deal with the underlying causes of violence and despair within communities like Thunder Bay where mental health, poverty and addiction issues fuel crime and disorder”.
“Unless we can address these social issues and dialogue in an open and transparent manner, these matters of public safety will continue to undermine our collective future. Policing is only one part of the equation which will bring about change. We need to be open to examining the facts.”
