Senator Murray Sinclair, chair of TRC, named as Thunder Bay police board investigator

The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) announced Monday that it has appointed Senator Murray Sinclair, a retired judge, as the independent investigator to look intothe Thunder Bay Police Services Board.

Sinclair'shiring was to address the commission's concerns over the state of civilian police oversight and the public confidence in the delivery of police services in Thunder Bay.

The 66-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the task. A former lawyer, Sinclairserved asco-commissioner for Manitoba'sAboriginal Justice Inquiry, which studied the relationship between Indigenous communitiesand the justice system. He was alsothe chair of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).Inthat role,Sinclairparticipated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the final report, which was delivered in 2015.

The investigationcomes after therecent series of deaths involving Indigenous youthin Thunder Bay. Two of the mostnotable cases happenedinMaywhen the bodies of Tammy Keeash, 17, and Josiah Begg, 14,were found roughly two weeks apart in a waterway.

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The OCPC stated in a written release Monday that Sinclair will be investigating the commission's concerns around the police serviceboard's ability to address issues raised by Indigenous leaders relating to those deaths and the quality of the investigations carried out by Thunder Bay police.

He will also be investigating the commission's concerns about the systemic racism they allege exists within the police force and the recent criminal charges laid against the Thunder Bay police chieffor "breach of trust and obstruction of justice."

To ensure public confidence in the delivery of police servicein Thunder Bay, the OCPC stated that it has initiated an investigation into the police services board and its compliance with a variety of sections of the Police Services Act (PSA). Included in the scope of that investigation is reviewing the board's performance in carrying out its responsibilities to ensure "adequate and effective" police services in Thunder Bay.

They're also looking at theboard's role in ensuring that police services provided in Thunder Bay are representative of the communities they serve and that there is cooperation between police and those communities.

The commission statedit will ensure this investigation does not interfere or duplicate the systemic review currently being conducted by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) orany other ongoing police investigations. However, whenever practical, it will cooperate with other organizations carrying out related investigations.

Sinclair's interim report is expected to be completed by October 31, with a final report expected by March 31, 2018.

The reports will be made available to the public and provided to the police service and its board, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, and Indigenous communities.

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency. Its investigation is not punitive and not directed to any specific conduct issues.