THUNDER BAY -- The Ontario government is set to establish and staff a new office in Thunder Bay as part of its support for the federal inquiry into missing or murdered indigenous women and girls.
The office will be part of the Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) created by Ontario in partnership with the federal justice department to help relatives access information about the loss of their loved ones.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney-General says the FILU's mandate is to provide families with information in a coordinated and dedicated manner, giving them a centralized resource to efficiently gather the details they are seeking.
Field offices will be set up by next month in Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout and Sudbury, working out of local community-based indigenous organizations.
A toll-free number will be established for each office.
Spokesperson Emilie Smith said in a statement to tbnewswatch.com that placing the FILU within indigenous organizations will provide families with access to elders, healers, health navigators and mental health supports.
The ministry recently hired Maggie Cywink from the Whitefish River First Nation as a special advisor to support the work of the FILU and the inquiry team. Smith said Cywink is an affected family member and "an advocate for over 20 years who will help ensure that the voices and needs of families are respected and heard."
Ontario granted the federally-appointed commissioners powers under the Public Inquiries Act to investigate areas of provincial jurisdiction, such as policing and social services, that may offer insight into the causes and prevention of violence against indigenous women and girls.
