Alright, let's get it over with. Time to discuss the shit hole known as Thunder Bay. It's a small city in northern Ontario with a population of just under 100,000 people, or a little over if you include the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).Thunder Bay is principally known for its racism and redneck population. Roughly 10% of TB residents identify as Aboriginal. Another 9% are immigrants - but all European.
Fun Times
In 2015, almost a third of anti-Indigenous hate crimes were from Thunder Bay. In 2017 its MP stated publicly she was not at all surprised about its "appalling" hate crimes rate. It has the highest per-capita hate crimes rate in the country, nearly 6x the national average. This stretches back to 2013 when it had the highest hate-crimes rate, tripling the average of big cities like Vancouver and Toronto, followed closely by other northern Ontario cities and of course Ottawa.
Aboriginal women being raped by white men, and even police officers is a regular occurrence heard of repeatedly. Aboriginal men risk being beaten to a pulp by white residents and then thrown in the river. Aboriginals often deal with name calling in public and have garbage and other items thrown at them.
In a racist incident from January, a First Nations woman had a trailer hitch thrown at her, causing internal injuries which later killed her. As if this weren't enough, the woman's sister and her children were forced to leave the city after being targeted for abuse and death threats, including: "These white kids telling my kids that they are going to be the next ones found in the river or get a trailer hitch thrown at them."
Presumably the children are referring to the spate of Aboriginal teenagers found floating dead in the Thunder Bay river, which Chiefs have demanded answers about.
In 2015, Thunder Bay was considered the murder capital of Canada based on the previous year's statistics, a title it held again for 2016 murders, and again in 2017.
So aside from all that, what else have we got? A small northern city with the typical terrible Canadian weather and horrific winters; an incredibly boring, divided place (if locals' rants are to be believed).
In 2017 the Thunder Bay police chief had charges brought against him, while the Mayor and others were charged with extortion. (The chief was later acquitted, the other trials are still pending.)
In 2018, the police admitted to racism in its force and civilian service while issuing an apology. (In consequence of an investigation by the Ontario Police Watchdog.)
I just don't have the energy to continue pummeling this shit hole. So if you ever get stuck going there, what is there to do? The "attractions" listed here constitute the following:
Looking at a piece of concrete (Terry Fox "memorial")
Several parks and farms (outdoors stuff)
A Cheese Farm
A crappy little museum
A casino
Shops and the like you'd find in any town ...
Want to travel nearby? How about going to Winnipeg - a mere 596 km/370 miles away! Maybe Windsor at 832 kms/517 miles, or London, ON at 864 km/536 miles away?
HAVE FUN! O Canada!
