Some gains have been made over the past four years on implementing the 145 jury recommendations into the deaths of seven First Nations youth who died while attending high school in Thunder Bay.
A Year 4 Report Card was released Wednesday.
It’s an annual progress report conducted by Aboriginal Legal Services and the families of Jethro Anderson, Reggie Bushie, Robyn Harper, Kyle Morrisseau, Paul Panacheese and Jordan Wabasse.
It grades Canada, Nishnawbe-Aski Nation, Ontario, City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Police Service, Matawa Learning Centre, Northern Nishnawbe Education Council and Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School and Keewaytinook Okimakinak.
Legal Counsel Jonathan Rudin says “2017 the overall grade was a C+ and in 2020 the overall grade is a B+. So we’ve moved from a 67% to a 77%. And that is good news. The fact that there is progress and the progress is on an upward trend.”
However Rudin stresses there are still reasons to be concerned.
“Last year the overall grade was an A- an 83% and it’s now dropped to 77%.
Rudin says the grades have dropped because progress by non-Indigenous governments has stalled on addressing some of the short and medium term recommendations.
He adds there are outstanding long-term recommendations but those are more difficult because they require significant commitments from the Ontario and Federal governments.
“Many of these communities don’t have fully functioning high speed Internet. These long-term recommendations, recommendations to bring the situation of remote and fly-in communities, to bring them to a standard that most Canadians expect.”
Rudin adds “schools in Thunder Bay still need work, there needs to be permanent funding so that these schools can develop with some assurance that funding is there on a year-to-year basis and the kids who come to these schools need to have an education in their communities.”
He stresses these are serious issues that need to be addressed in order to move forward.
Legal Counsel Caitlyn Kasper is also with Aboriginal Legal Services and she’s been in contact with the families.
Kasper says “The last year has been difficult for many families in the north, who now have to factor in the spread of COVID-19 as a risk to their children when moving to Thunder Bay. The families are grateful for the work that places like Matawa Learning Centre have done to ensure that the youth continue to learn, either in person or through remote means. The families recognize the work that has been completed so far in the jury recommendations but echo the disappointment that non-Indigenous governments have not done more. Indigenous students traveling to Thunder Bay require continued and improved support for their safety and success and every party to this Inquest has a role in ensuring that.”
Here are some of the key findings in the Four Year Report Card:
145 Recommendations Progress
Overall
2017
In-Progress: 61%
Nothing Done: 24%
Complete: 15%
2020
Complete: 61%
In-Progress: 33%
Nothing Done: 6%
17 Long-Term Recommendations
2017
In-Progress: 71%
Nothing Done: 29%
2020
In-Progress: 100%
39 Medium-Term Recommendations
2017
In-Progress: 75%
Nothing Done: 25%
2020
Complete: 51%
In-Progress: 44%
Nothing Done: 5%
89 Short-Term Recommendations
2017
In-Progress: 52%
Complete: 25%
Nothing Done: 23%
2020
Complete: 77%
In-Progress: 15%
Nothing Done: 8%
Canada Rating Based On 81 Recommendations
2017
D Rating. 51% Success Rate
2019
B+ Rating
2020
C+ Rating. 68.63% Success Rate
Ontario Rating Based On 61 Recommendations
2017
C+ Rating. 67% Success Rate
2019
B+ Rating
2020
B- Rating. 71.74% Success Rate
City of Thunder Bay Based On 31 Recommendations
2017
C+ Rating. 67% Success Rate
2019
A Rating
2020
B Rating. 75% Success Rate
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Based On 26 Recommendations
2017
C+ Rating. 68% Success Rate
2019
A-1 Rating
2020
A-1 Rating. 79.41% Success Rate
Matawa Learning Centre Based On 24 Recommendations
2017
A- Rating. 82% Success Rate
2019
A- Rating
2020
A+ Rating. 90.48% Success Rate
Northern Nishnawbe Education Council and Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School Based On 25 Recommendations
2017
A- Rating. 80% Success Rate
2019
A+
2020
A+ Rating. 94.03% Success Rate
Keewaytinook Okimakanak Based On 22 Recommendations
2017
A Rating. 85% Success Rate
2019
A+
2020
A+. 93.2% Success Rate
Overall Success Rate
2017
C+ Rating. 67% Success Rate
2019
A- Rating. 83% Success Rate
2020
B+ Rating. 77% Success Rate
***Report states: “The Thunder Bay Police Service was not given a final grade. When the TBPS has addressed the concerns raised by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director and regained the confidence of the Indigenous community in Thunder Bay, then they will once again receive a grade.
