Jon Thompson

Former Thunder Bay police chief Sylvie Hauth will stand trial tomorrow. In "Thunder Bay" on Crave, we showed you how TBay police, mired in systemic racism scandal, investigated their own Anishinaabe board chair. This is that story from the inside. ricochet.media/indigenous/how…

More evacuees are arriving in Thunder Bay today from Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation). As all accommodations are spoken for, they will be sleeping on cots at the Fort William Gardens, the city’s largest hockey arena.

Fire has taken the Caribou Lake Lodge, the outfitting camp north of Armstrong confirmed in a social media post on Sunday. It has been operating since 1946.

For more on the decisions First Nations leaders are being forced to make, juxtoposed with the limited control, information, and services they're getting, read my latest from Ontario's mineral-rich, undeveloped north. ricochet.media/indigenous/aba…

Me on CHCH Hamilton re: northern forest fires “The communications they [First Nations leaders] are getting from Ontario are insufficient for them to make the decisions they’re making and Ontario is making it incumbent upon them ti make those decisions.” chch.com/chch-news/prem…

@JoeMC1966 Southern Ontario always has a lot to say about how long this is taking and the government is playing into that by making every possible step a big announcement. But it’s a generational project. I’ll be explaining this same to your kids in 10 years if this app is still around.

@JoeMC1966 Constitutionally yes, if that’s not unfashionable to say. But we’re talking about 400 kilometres of highway you’d have to build through muskeg to even get to this place. Much of the land there is like hardened mud, maybe 15 feet deep before even hitting earth, all swamp water.

Ontario & Canada want a $40B mining project in northern Ontario they call the Ring of Fire. But First Nations leaders who live there have spent days under fire smoke and what they call unacceptable communication & service. "Protect Ontario? What is that?" ricochet.media/indigenous/aba…

@AUBIN78 @BeachLoverOnt @fordnation @JillDunlop1 @mikeharrisjrpc Surely you don’t mean this question honestly. Does Doug Ford not know the difference between a conservation officer’s truck and a fire management truck? Surely you jest.

@BeachLoverOnt @JonSThompson @fordnation @JillDunlop1 @mikeharrisjrpc The scum couldn’t even bring the right truck. Instead of a fire management truck he’s in front of Conservation officers truck 🤦‍♂️ like does he even know his own ministries?

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler says Premier Doug Ford has not scheduled meetings with First Nations leaders while he’s in Thunder Bay.

@kclbdow Rick Dumas is in this picture. Wendy Landry is there. Every time you comment on my posts, it’s something jaw-droppingly racist. Maybe only pretty shocking by Thunder Bay standards, mostly because of what you do for a living. But deeply racist by the standards of anywhere else.

@JonSThompson How arrogant is that ? He was here to thank Emergency Services.

Fort William First Nation Chief Michele Solomon says not only was she not contacted when Premier Doug Ford visited Thunder Bay under wildfire smoke today, but the PC leader has never contacted her for any visit to Thunder Bay. FWFN is adjacent to Thunder Bay, just across a river.

@JoeMC1966 It’s not even for sure going to happen. That’s why I always call it the “proposed” Ring of Fire. I’ve been there a few times. Never mind the politics, the biological logistics of this place are something else. Then there’s the ecological question of whether that’s a good idea.

@JonSThompson The discovery of the ring of fire goes back to 2007. The Liberals started negotiations under Mcguinty 2012. Almost 10 years of a businessman running the Province not a rats dropping has been mined yet. Doug just blows out lots of hot air.

Ontario is expanding access to the Alert Ready system to support emergency response efforts in communities impacted by active wildfires. Municipalities and First Nations can request that urgent emergency messages be sent directly to the public through television, radio and compatible mobile devices to increase public awareness when immediate action is needed to keep residents safe.

@CarrieCnh12 This thread right below, sister. Also, “Tribal” is not the preferred nomenclature in Northwestern Ontario. “Indigenous” is safely general, “First Nations” is more accurate. Some of these particular First Nations people are “Anishinaabeg” and others are “Anisininew.”

@JonSThompson Is there a donation link to raise funds to help with expenses for where the tribal members are being taken?

BREAKING: Smoke has lifted in Neskantaga First Nation. The first flight of 14 elders and vulnerable people has taken off. Neskantaga Chief Gary Quisess says he doesn’t have enough information from Ontario to determine whether to lift the state of emergency he declared on Friday.

As Northwestern Ontario fires rage, First Nations leaders whose support is instrumental for developing the proposed Ring of Fire mines say they feel burned by poor communication and inaction. ricochet.media/indigenous/aba… My latest for @ricochet_en

@kclbdow Northwestern Ontario’s most charming and most definitely not racist corrections officer, ladies and gentlemen.

@JonSThompson Why should he ? Did you want more money ?

@voteLabonte Capacity issues, mostly. There are other reasons…

@JonSThompson Any reason why they're not going to other northern communities?

Some fly-in First Nations on standby for evacuation due to northern Ontario forest fires tell me they may be headed to Niagara. The whole country's already watching you, Niagara. Whatever's been twisting you up, you'd better work it out beating your welcome mat this weekend.

@Alina_Cameron @LiseVaugeois Have you ever seen her at any press conference this government has held since she was elected? Hint: no.

@JonSThompson Hey @JonSThompson was @LiseVaugeois at the presser? Why don't I see her?

It merits mentioning that Ontario's Indigenous minister Greg Rickford was also not present for the provincial government's visit to Thunder Bay, although the premier, the local member, and two other cabinet ministers attended.

@yellowsnow9 Did say in today’s press conference that Boshcoff was his favourite mayor then he said he might get in trouble for saying that and laughed

@JonSThompson Were mayor's from adjacent townships invited?

The MPP for Whitesand, Armstrong, Gull Bay, Collins & Aroland happens to be NDP. @LiseVaugeois claims Ontario gave her no info as constituents fled to Thunder Bay. "How am I supposed to do my job?" she asked me. She didn't even know where they were going. ricochet.media/indigenous/aba…