THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Police Service officer who initiated the Tree of Hope project has been nominated for a Police Association of Ontario Police Hero award.
Constable Sharlene Bourdeau says "I was surprised. Someone stopped me in the hallway Friday and said 'congratulations'. I don't know who nominated me, but I'm very honoured."
Bourdeau spearheaded the project to raise funds to help solve the cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
For the last two years, trees in front of police headquarters on Balmoral Street have been illuminated with lights starting with a sacred ceremony in November in memory of the victims.
Although fundraising was put on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project aims to raise money to be used as a reward for information leading to an arrest in an MMIWG case.
According to the nomination posted on the Police Services Hero of the Year Award website, Bourdeau has gone "far above and beyond for her community with respect to reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples in Thunder Bay. Constable Bourdeau found a way to reconcile with the Indigenous Peoples after the Broken Trust report" by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director.
Bourdeau worked closely with community partners in planning the Tree(s) of Hope
She has said she feels it is important to show family and friends of missing and murdered women and girls that they have not been left behind.
The Tree of Hope project also touches on 24 of the 231 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
