THUNDER BAY -- The Liberal M.P. for Thunder Bay-Rainy River is calling community leaders together as Thunder Bay struggles to deal with inter-racial tension and an investigation into the conduct of police.
In a notice issued to the news media, the office of Don Rusnak says details will be released Tuesday about an upcoming summit "on strengthening community relations and reconciliation."
The statement said representatives from the federal, Indigenous and municipal governments in the Thunder Bay region will all be present when plans for the summit are unveiled at Rusnak's local constituency office.
The situation in Thunder Bay gained a higher profile at the federal level last week when Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters"this kind of angst diminishes the strength of the country."
Goodale said the matter is in Ontario's jurisdiction, but that the government would respond if local authorities asked for help.
Federal NDP leadership candidate Charlie Angus subsequently came out in support of a call by First Nations' leaders for an RCMP investigation into the recent deaths of 17-year-old Tammy Keeash and 14-year-old Josiah Begg in Thunder Bay.
Late Monday afternoon, in an interview with Dougall Media, Rusnak said there's been "enough focus on the negative. We have to look at solutions for some of the deep issues that we have here in the city."
