THUNDER BAY — With a growing number of hate related incidents directed at 2SLGBTQIA+ people, many in the community no longer feel safe in the city and there is a growing push for more police involvement, both on the part of the Thunder Bay Police Service collecting data and community members filing police reports.
“At the end of the day, we feel unsafe in our community,” said Jason Veltri, president of Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay. “Is that going to change tomorrow? Probably not, but we have to do everything in our power to ensure the safety and security of trans, non-binary, and queer individuals in our community.”
Veltri, along with Scotia Kauppi, chair of the Thunder Pride Association, gave a deputation to the Thunder Bay Police Services Board on Tuesday detailing security challenges for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community during the 2023 Pride Month and ongoing safety concerns.
In June, cities across Canada saw increased security threats during Pride Month and Veltri said Thunder Bay was not immune.
According to Veltri, for the first time, government ministers, including MP Patty Hajdu, had RCMP details during pride events and one local event organizer received a death threat.
“The death threat that is there is pretty pointed. It is only a sentence, but it led to a complete shift and change to our security plan,” Veltri said. “Thanks to the Thunder Bay Police for addressing it and taking it seriously.”
Veltri said June was an extremely trying month and hate-related incidents in the city have not stopped.
Examples presented to the police services board include households and business with pride flags or pride signs having a right-wing magazine placed in their mailboxes.
“When they asked their neighbours if they received [the magazine] they said no. It was a very specifically targeted campaign,” Veltri said.
“There is a very real threat in our community to trans and non-binary individuals to live openly. Specifically trans kids in schools who are witnessing a threat to their identities. I won’t sugar coat this anymore, we will see kids killing themselves because we don’t see a path to inclusivity.”
While members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ have met with police leadership, including chief Darcy Fleury, this was the first time a deputation has been given to the police services board and Veltri said it was meant to create an open and frank dialogue about these ongoing issues.
It was also an opportunity to discuss barriers that exist when it comes to reporting incidents of hate to police and having the data collected to back up the reality that is facing many in the community.
“We are urging our community to ensure they are reporting everything they see, hear, and feel,” Veltri said. “Because at the end of the day, as the chief said today, they need that data to take to the national side to bring to government, to advocate to changes to the criminal code when we see those types of incidents rise, even if they don’t make the threshold of hate crime.”
Kauppi said having the data would corroborate what people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are experiencing in the city.
“We see things that they don’t see,” she said. “Therefore, it is maybe not be taken as seriously. It is really important that data and information is taken down and collected to show the real truth of what is happening.”
Kauppi added that it is also important to have proper follow-ups by police with individuals who do make reports so they know their voices are being heard and their concerns are taken seriously.
Fleury is encouraging anyone who may have experienced a hate-related incident to come forward to police to make a report, which will not only help with data collection, but create stronger lines of communication between the police and the community.
“It might seem like it’s not that significant so they don’t want to report it or because they are afraid to come into the police because of past experiences with the police. We have to get past that and be able to communicate and get the information,” he said.
“We really need them to come forward. I think it’s important on both sides and that people are encouraged to come forward. We need to really communicate and stick together and address the situation.”
With more information relating to possible hate-related incidents in the city, Fleury said it will give police a better foundation to investigate incidents further, such as identifying individuals who may be committing these incidents on a regular basis.
Fleury added that he will also be looking into how many complaints have been filed and start working with officers to ensure proper follow-up is taking place.
“It’s important that people feel safe and that they are aware that we will take it seriously. We have that commitment. We will continue to speak to that commitment,” he said.
“There’s no need for this. People have opinions, OK, it doesn’t mean we go out and treat people poorly. It’s really sad that people believe that they can expound on other people’s human rights. We need to really focus on having them understanding prevention. If it crosses the line, we will enforce it.”
