Tammy Keeash, Josiah Begg remembered at prayer walk in Thunder Bay
North Caribou Lake First Nation chief says she hopes walk will bring communities together
Hundreds of people turned out to remember the lives of two Indigenous teenagers from remote northern Ontario First Nations who were found dead in the McIntyre River system in Thunder Bay, Ont., in May.
The community prayer walk was held Thursday to remember Tammy Keeash, 17, from North Caribou Lake First Nation and Josiah Begg, 14, from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug. They both went missing on the evening of May 6, and their bodies were found about two weeks apart.
Huge crowd at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBay?src=hash">#TBay</a> city hall for Community Prayer Walk. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y03PSTI9jv">pic.twitter.com/Y03PSTI9jv</a>
—@JeffWaltersCBCTheme of today's walk is prayer, and working together. No 'side' is blaming the other for deaths in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBay?src=hash">#TBay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@JeffWaltersCBCThe event's theme is "Love, Compassion, Empathy, Accountability and Empowerment."
Coun. Grace Matawapit of North Caribou Lk calls for Indigenous people to start supporting police, stop finger pointing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a>
—@JeffWaltersCBC'We have to meet halfway' gets a round of applause from the large crowd. Few hundred here. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a>
—@JeffWaltersCBCThe event started at 1 p.m. at Thunder Bay city hall where a large crowd gathered. The day's itinerary was also scheduled to include stops at the Nishnawbe Aski Nation offices and the hope and memory garden along the banks of the McIntyre River to lay white roses.
"[Keeash's] life was just beginning when it tragically ended," North Caribou Lake community officials said in a news release. "Although she faced many challenges, she found the courage and strength to turn her life around."
City officials in Thunder Bay said transit buses were available for the event to bring people from Grassroots Church on Balmoral Street to city hall. Another bus was scheduled to return people from Grassroots Church, at the end of the walk, to to city hall, if needed. A bus followed the walkers throughout their trek.
City police advised that they will assist with the prayer walk and that drivers should expect delays, especially along Balmoral Street between 1:30 p.m.and 3:30 p.m.
REMINDER: Expect travel delays today on Balmoral during the afternoon prayer walk. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbaytraffic?src=hash">#tbaytraffic</a><a href="https://t.co/ZThuKi7Zva">https://t.co/ZThuKi7Zva</a>
—@tbpsmedia'Looking for answers'
In announcing plans for Thursday's walk, North Caribou Lake's leadership said that many people from Keeash's and Begg's home communities want information about how the teenagers ended up in the river.
Leaders from many Northern Ontario First Nations at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a>. It's hall for walk. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a> <a href="https://t.co/8C1dXZktWB">pic.twitter.com/8C1dXZktWB</a>
—@JeffWaltersCBCCity police have said there was "no evidence to indicate criminality" in Keeash's death.
On Wednesday, First Nations leadership representing dozens of communities in northwestern Ontario held a press conference in Toronto where they officially called for the RCMP to be put in charge of the investigations into the deaths of Begg, Keeash and Stacy DeBungee, who was also found in the McIntyre River in 2015.
DeBungee's case also prompted an investigation by Ontario's civilian police oversight body. It's examining allegations of racism in the way the force deals with all Indigenous deaths.
Opening ceremonies for Thursday's walk started at 1 p.m. with an opening prayer and remarks. The walk itself departed from city hall around 1:30 p.m., with closing ceremonies at the police headquarters scheduled for just before 3:30 p.m.