OTTAWA – It was a day that Thunder Bay Police Service chief Darcy Fleury called exciting.
The service’s MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited people) Tree of Hope project shone for the first time at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday.
“The Tree of Hope is a very significant piece of what we’re trying to do in our community and across the nation,” Fleury said. “We’re very excited about this opportunity.”
The Tree of Hope started in 2019 when it was brought to the service by then Const. Sharlene Bourdeau.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP and minister of Indigenous services Patty Hajdu has been to several of the ceremonies and conversations between her and Fleury led to Monday’s event.
“It’s really important to us that we are here,” Fleury said. “We’ve done a lot of work with our Indigenous community in building that trust and the intent of the Tree of Hope from the beginning was to show that we honour, respect and care for those women, young girls and two-spirited people that have gone missing over the years.
“What I’m hoping is that this brings national attention to the Tree of Hope and that more agencies across Canada will join and continue to show their unity in these causes.”
While police services in Ontario have adopted the Tree of Hope, Fleury would like to see the program expand to other provinces.
Thunder Bay Police Servcie Board chair, Karen Machado, acknowledged Bourdeau's efforts in an email statement on Monday.
“Retired Const. Bourdeau was the driving force behind the original Tree of Hope Project, which honours and raises awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people," said Machado.
“On behalf of all the members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Board, I would like to acknowledge and honour the counted and uncounted Indigenous girls, women, and two-spirit people who have been murdered or remain missing," she continued. “The issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in this country is tragic. Indigenous women in Ontario are three times more likely to be murdered than other women. The high level of violence against Indigenous women in Ontario has roots in deep-seated colonial attitudes that perpetuate racism and discrimination."
Machado said everyone gathered on Parliament Hill on Monday was a sign of hope.
"They were choosing hope. As more and more police services and the communities they serve light trees, there will be greater awareness and outrage over the tragedy of missing Indigenous women and girls, and more people will honour their memories,” she said.
