An Open Letter To Thunder Bay From Ryan McMahon (the guy that made that podcast and that TV show)
joketalkyellwrite.substack.com
All four episodes of the docu-series Thunder Bay are now airing on CRAVE TV. I'm writing this letter to ask you to give it a chance. You don't have to agree with me, just hear me out.
Just a quick note to say, thank you for all your work on the Thunder Bay show. I know it was difficult work for you and all the people that offered their stories. As a relatively new resident of the city, I am consistently disappointed and disgusted by the activities of those with power. It’s also hard to watch those that turn their heads because they don’t want to see. The podcast and show forces us all to see. You have done good work that supports ongoing efforts in the city to make change. I thank you for it.
Right now Canada is doing a big psychiatric medicine push, saying there is a big mental health crisis. I know lots of nish are going to get swept up in that. They will treat with forced medicine instead of getting people off drugs/ eating right. People are going to be injected with shit that sterilizes, kills sex function, fucks up the heart, etc. All acceptable side effects to the health scientists in the national social health system. Those health workers will act without conscience. Canada is building a monster.
As a non-indigenous person that LOVES Thunder Bay I think it is very important to tell you, Jon Thompson, Willow Fiddler, Georgeann Morriseau, Julian Falconer, and so many more involved in all of this... THANK YOU!!
I hope you all find the strength to stay the course and I hope I find the strength and ability to help make actual changes here.
When you said, "Thunder Bay is a place that if you love it, it will hurt you," I cried. When I watched the show with my oldest daughter and someone assured me that she would be okay because she is not indigenous...I cried. When I listen to the indigenous families on your show, in my life and in this community... I cry. Surely you and those involved are dehydrated at this point.
I used to have plans to get involved in local politics/ leadership but then I woke up. In part, your podcast and show have opened my eyes and ears and fresh off of finishing this series I feel compelled to thank you and let you know that there is no limit to the value of what you have done so far.
I don't pray but I hope the universe gives you and everyone involved the strength and ability to carry in until we start seeing the real changes that needs to happen.
So much emotion, so much respect and all the love and strength I have to give to you and everyone involved.
Thank you for bringing attention to this. Unfortunately nothing is changing. I am not indigenous but I've still lost many to drugs and violence. Please continue your work on our city! We need you to advocate for us! Make them listen! We stand behind you!!!
Hi Ryan I. Have alot of info on some of this and what happened when you talk as I was involved with Jordan and when nobody would listen to me please reach out to me on Facebook as you be very interested in the stuff I have before I get silenced again. Not interested in getting famous from this I just need to live with my conscience with this stuff
I appreciate your dedication, it's just too bad that you choose to selectively avoid very pertinent context and information about crime and the indigenous experience in tbay to focus on conjectural theories that instead point the finger at deep south 1950's style racism rather than the stark (and more boring) reality Thunder Bay faces.
To be clear, Thunder Bay has real and profound systemic problems in the police service and in all institutions when it comes to indigenous people. I am glad your doc at least focuses on this institution and its ills. It's the other stuff that is disappointing to me.
I dont see how convincing all of Canada that the reason indigenous youth are dying in the city is due to racist vigilantes or a racist serial killer. This distracts from the very real and serious problem many indigenous youth face in tbay. A fact you barely touched on in episode 2 and pretty much discarded almost immediately.
For all the unsolved deaths, there are many that were solved. A long list of those solved were homicides. Were any of those homicides perpetrated by racist whites? Anyone who has looked into this problem has noticed a clear trend here, and the fact is that it is almost exclusively indigenous men who commit murders. In some cases, it is indigenous women. In one particularly tragic case, an indigenous woman--Courtney Labelle-- murdered her own 11 year old son (this occurred while you were filming your documentary. It was a huge story in tbay when it happened, and yet this tragedy was ignored in your documentary).
Tragedies like the Courtney labelle murder, although they don't fit with the narrative of your documentary, do fit in to the legacy of profound trauma caused by colonialism in Canada. Labelle had a drug and alcohol problem. Most likely, she had family in residential schools. Most likely, she suffered from intergenerational trauma. Most likely, her ancestors suffered until traumas over Canada's 400 years of oppressive colonial policies. None of this made it into your documentary. Why? Did you think your audience wouldn't get it? Do you have a hard time understanding it yourself?
Colonialism and its legacy in Canada is on full display in Thunder Bay. Unlike large centers in Toronto or Vancouver, we actually have a very large and significant indigenous population and as a result, we see the symptoms of 400 years of oppression every day.
If you intend on continuing your projects surrounding thunder bay, if you truly believe in your call to improve the situation for indigenous people here and in Canada, the truth, and the whole truth, needs to be faced. Not just the truth that feels good for the victims, and which creates a boogeyman to which we can easily point a finger.
If we are to heal as a society, we need to make medicine that will treat the root cause of the problem.
What a one sided documentary!Why didn’t you show any footage of the day to day going’s on in this city.Why was there no mention of the the father of six who was beaten to death by several indigenous men over a bicycle?No mention of any crime s against whites of which there are many on almost a daily occurrence?Any mention that the bulk of the murders in T Bay are indigenous on indigenous violence?Is there racism in TBay?Absolutely but this media one sided bs is doing nothing to help the problem.Show the truth not just what you want people to see!Btw I have many Indigenous friends and they are great people.Just saying!
Thanks to you and all involved for your caring, passion and bravery, but mostly, your persistence. This was and is badly needed, because no town or city can make change in a vacuum. We need thought leaders who can challenge the status quo. Congratulations on a job well done. Condolences to the families of the missing and murdered❤️
I have to not seen the series just yet as I am not in a mentally healthy space, but I do want to say-keep strong and clear voices like yours will keep being heard. Gitchiimeegwetch
Just a quick note to say, thank you for all your work on the Thunder Bay show. I know it was difficult work for you and all the people that offered their stories. As a relatively new resident of the city, I am consistently disappointed and disgusted by the activities of those with power. It’s also hard to watch those that turn their heads because they don’t want to see. The podcast and show forces us all to see. You have done good work that supports ongoing efforts in the city to make change. I thank you for it.
Right now Canada is doing a big psychiatric medicine push, saying there is a big mental health crisis. I know lots of nish are going to get swept up in that. They will treat with forced medicine instead of getting people off drugs/ eating right. People are going to be injected with shit that sterilizes, kills sex function, fucks up the heart, etc. All acceptable side effects to the health scientists in the national social health system. Those health workers will act without conscience. Canada is building a monster.
As a non-indigenous person that LOVES Thunder Bay I think it is very important to tell you, Jon Thompson, Willow Fiddler, Georgeann Morriseau, Julian Falconer, and so many more involved in all of this... THANK YOU!!
I hope you all find the strength to stay the course and I hope I find the strength and ability to help make actual changes here.
When you said, "Thunder Bay is a place that if you love it, it will hurt you," I cried. When I watched the show with my oldest daughter and someone assured me that she would be okay because she is not indigenous...I cried. When I listen to the indigenous families on your show, in my life and in this community... I cry. Surely you and those involved are dehydrated at this point.
I used to have plans to get involved in local politics/ leadership but then I woke up. In part, your podcast and show have opened my eyes and ears and fresh off of finishing this series I feel compelled to thank you and let you know that there is no limit to the value of what you have done so far.
I don't pray but I hope the universe gives you and everyone involved the strength and ability to carry in until we start seeing the real changes that needs to happen.
So much emotion, so much respect and all the love and strength I have to give to you and everyone involved.
Thank you. Keep it up.
Thank you for bringing attention to this. Unfortunately nothing is changing. I am not indigenous but I've still lost many to drugs and violence. Please continue your work on our city! We need you to advocate for us! Make them listen! We stand behind you!!!
Hi Ryan I. Have alot of info on some of this and what happened when you talk as I was involved with Jordan and when nobody would listen to me please reach out to me on Facebook as you be very interested in the stuff I have before I get silenced again. Not interested in getting famous from this I just need to live with my conscience with this stuff
I appreciate your dedication, it's just too bad that you choose to selectively avoid very pertinent context and information about crime and the indigenous experience in tbay to focus on conjectural theories that instead point the finger at deep south 1950's style racism rather than the stark (and more boring) reality Thunder Bay faces.
To be clear, Thunder Bay has real and profound systemic problems in the police service and in all institutions when it comes to indigenous people. I am glad your doc at least focuses on this institution and its ills. It's the other stuff that is disappointing to me.
I dont see how convincing all of Canada that the reason indigenous youth are dying in the city is due to racist vigilantes or a racist serial killer. This distracts from the very real and serious problem many indigenous youth face in tbay. A fact you barely touched on in episode 2 and pretty much discarded almost immediately.
For all the unsolved deaths, there are many that were solved. A long list of those solved were homicides. Were any of those homicides perpetrated by racist whites? Anyone who has looked into this problem has noticed a clear trend here, and the fact is that it is almost exclusively indigenous men who commit murders. In some cases, it is indigenous women. In one particularly tragic case, an indigenous woman--Courtney Labelle-- murdered her own 11 year old son (this occurred while you were filming your documentary. It was a huge story in tbay when it happened, and yet this tragedy was ignored in your documentary).
Tragedies like the Courtney labelle murder, although they don't fit with the narrative of your documentary, do fit in to the legacy of profound trauma caused by colonialism in Canada. Labelle had a drug and alcohol problem. Most likely, she had family in residential schools. Most likely, she suffered from intergenerational trauma. Most likely, her ancestors suffered until traumas over Canada's 400 years of oppressive colonial policies. None of this made it into your documentary. Why? Did you think your audience wouldn't get it? Do you have a hard time understanding it yourself?
Colonialism and its legacy in Canada is on full display in Thunder Bay. Unlike large centers in Toronto or Vancouver, we actually have a very large and significant indigenous population and as a result, we see the symptoms of 400 years of oppression every day.
If you intend on continuing your projects surrounding thunder bay, if you truly believe in your call to improve the situation for indigenous people here and in Canada, the truth, and the whole truth, needs to be faced. Not just the truth that feels good for the victims, and which creates a boogeyman to which we can easily point a finger.
If we are to heal as a society, we need to make medicine that will treat the root cause of the problem.
Great documentary Ryan. I am looking forward to more episodes
What a one sided documentary!Why didn’t you show any footage of the day to day going’s on in this city.Why was there no mention of the the father of six who was beaten to death by several indigenous men over a bicycle?No mention of any crime s against whites of which there are many on almost a daily occurrence?Any mention that the bulk of the murders in T Bay are indigenous on indigenous violence?Is there racism in TBay?Absolutely but this media one sided bs is doing nothing to help the problem.Show the truth not just what you want people to see!Btw I have many Indigenous friends and they are great people.Just saying!
Thanks to you and all involved for your caring, passion and bravery, but mostly, your persistence. This was and is badly needed, because no town or city can make change in a vacuum. We need thought leaders who can challenge the status quo. Congratulations on a job well done. Condolences to the families of the missing and murdered❤️
I have to not seen the series just yet as I am not in a mentally healthy space, but I do want to say-keep strong and clear voices like yours will keep being heard. Gitchiimeegwetch
Bless your team and the work that you do