First Nation families seek answers in Ont. review of how Thunder Bay police handle death, missing-person cases

Two families whose loved ones' deaths are under investigation in Thunder Bay say they're glad the province is now inspecting the force and its oversight board — but they remain cautiously optimistic.

The inspector general of policing, Ryan Teschner, announced last week that he would evaluate how the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) conducts death and missing-person investigations, and its compliance with the province's policing legislation.

The review was spurred by "several complaints" about the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) that were filed with the provincial Inspectorate of Policing, Teschner told CBC's Up North.

At a news conference in April, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) — a political territorial organization that represents 49 communities across Treaties 9 and 5 — called for the TBPS to be disbanded and for the inspector general of policing to bring in an outside service to investigate recent deaths of Indigenous people. They include Mackenzie Moonias, 14, Jenna Ostberg, 21, and Corey Belesky, 31.

The news conference was held shortly after criminal charges were laid against the service's former chief of police, Sylvie Hauth. 

"There's not much trust, especially with the Native people and the police," said Donna Belesky, whose brother, Corey, died on Nov. 1, 2022, in Thunder Bay. His death and others are being investigated as homicides.

The families of Belesky and Ostberg spoke to CBC after Teschner's announcement about the TBPS review. 

Both families filed complaints with the inspector general of policing on April 22, "relating to concerns of racism and incompetency in the death investigations of their family members," NAN confirmed in a statement issued Friday.

"Given the TBPS's historic and current failures to provide adequate and effective policing for Indigenous people, the families of Corey Belesky and Jenna Ostberg have no confidence or trust in TBPS to perform competent Indigenous death investigations," the statement says.

Donna Belesky says her family is "hopeful things will get going now" that the inspector general of policing is involved.

Teschner anticipates the inspection will be completed next year. The findings will be posted in a report online.

"My commitment and the commitment of the Inspectorate of Policing is to ensure that the residents of Thunder Bay and the Indigenous communities in and around the City of Thunder Bay receive the effective, responsive and accountable policing they deserve, and that all Ontarians deserve," he said.

Corey was a member of Marten Falls First Nation. The TBPS was dispatched to a residence on Nov. 1, 2022, around 1:10 a.m. following reports of an injured man. Officers arrived and pronounced Belesky dead at the scene. The case remains open, and no charges have been laid.

Donna describes him as a funny, caring person who enjoyed spending time with his family and loved animals. The family hasn't received any updates about his case in about six months, she said.