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Sexual Activism

Student-led exhibit amplifies sexual activism at Lakehead

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Sexuality, identity, and human rights are being explored at Lakehead University’s inaugural student-led Sexual Activism and Politics exhibit.

The four-day exhibition is the culmination of a semester of study in the Gender and Women’s Studies program. Students have turned the university’s Agora into a space for dialogue, using artworks to spark creative engagement on topics that affect many communities in our society.

The artists behind the Sexual Activism and Politics exhibit (Jacob Henriksen-Willis/March 25 2026)

“Stories often lack dignified spaces where they can be told,” said Kyra Brimmell, exhibit co-curator and a student in the program. “I wanted to help create a dignified and aesthetic place where people could tell their stories.”

Brimmell said engaging in meaningful conversations and activism through the program was very fulfilling for her.

“We all just happened to sign up for the same class together, and now we’re all friends and we get to work together and share our stories,” she said. “Everybody was very passionate and it was infectious.”

Students say the exhibit aims to amplify marginalized voices and inspire viewers to take action.

“A big thing to me is acknowledging specifically women and queer individuals who were left out of history,” said student and co-curator Kaylea Conway. “I’m honoured to have people tell me so much about their lived experiences and then give me the chance to portray it in a respectful light. This is all very complex art that we’re working with.”

Exhibit co-curators Kyra Brimmell and Kaylea Conway (Jacob Henriksen-Willis/March 25 2026)

Course instructor Mohit Dudeja said the exhibit emerged through a democratic decision‑making process among students.

“We are so proud of it,” Dudeja said. “This aims to create awareness, to let people know about things that have happened throughout history but also the things that are happening now. People from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, women, gender and sexual minorities, they’re still oppressed in Canada. Even though it apparently has an image of being more open and friendly to minorities. We want to bring these issues to the forefront.”

Artworks on display at the inaugural Sexual Activism and Politics exhibit at Lakehead.

red and white boat on sea during daytime

Canada, U.S. unite to break Thunder Bay ice

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Canadian and U.S. coast guards are breaking the ice as the Port of Thunder Bay finishes opening operations.

The port is scheduled to welcome its first commercial ships with an opening ceremony on Wednesday.

The U.S. is sending in the Spar from Duluth, Minnesota to cut ice in smaller areas that Canada’s 6,872-ton Vincent Massey couldn’t reach over the weekend — a much more collaborative effort than the last time Canadians and Americans met on ice.

“The Vincent Massey is a large icebreaker and there were some areas that were too shallow for her,” said Port of Thunder Bay Director of Operations and harbour master Edi Lopez. “The Spar will be able to go in those areas and break the ice.”

Completed in 2001, the USCGC Spar is a 225-foot Juniper-class seagoing icebreaker operated by the United States Coast Guard. She operates with a crew of around 50 Coast Guard members.

“The Spar is a smaller boat and slightly older, but that doesn’t mean it’s not capable of breaking the ice,” Lopez said. “But the Vincent Massey is a newer vessel with more power capable of breaking thicker ice. This year we had between 18 and 24 inches of ice. So for that you need a lot of power.”

The CCGS Vincent Massey is an anchor-handling supply vessel converted to an icebreaking ship in September 2023. Named after the 18th governor general of Canada, she is 274 feet long and operates with a crew of 25 Coast Guard members.

“It doesn’t take her any effort to break through the ice,” Lopez said. “It’s like slicing through butter.”

The Vincent Massey is headed south to Sault Ste. Marie at the moment, but Lopez expects her to return later in the week.

“The forecast says there will be winds from the northwest that will flush out the ice from the harbour and having the Massey here will be great to get that handled,” he said.

“If we didn’t have the support of the two Coast Guards, it would be impossible for us to see all this commercial marine vessel traffic coming to our port. There aren’t any ships in Thunder Bay capable of breaking that ice. It’s a good thing that this is opening the moving wheel that is our marine industry.”

Thunder Bay Police Services Board

Thunder Bay missing persons, firearms seizures down from 2024

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The Thunder Bay Police Services Board has shared their 2024 year-in review reports.

The number of reported missing persons is down 57% from 2024 to 2025:

Year# of missing persons
20241901 (1 suspected foul play)
2025810 (0 suspected foul play)

This year, the gender identity of missing persons was also included in the data:

  • Females – 499
  • Males – 309
  • Undisclosed/non-binary – 2

Firearms seizures are also down significantly, a 29% decrease:

Year# firearms seized
2024267
2025190

The number of sudden unexplained deaths has remained about the same:

YearTotal # of sudden unexplained deaths*HomicidesAccidentalSuicidalNaturalUndetermined
202432886121708
202532775181948

    *-The remaining number of reported deaths would include those that remain in the open classification status, fatal motor vehicle collisions, or overdose/apparent overdoses.

    The next TBPSB board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21.

    Seized Items

    Two handguns seized in Thunder Bay drug bust

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    A large-scale drug trafficking investigation by the OPP’s Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team has led to another arrest.

    Two handguns and 17g of cocaine were seized from the May Street home of a 52-year old Thunder Bay man on March 11.

    He is charged with drug trafficking and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He was held for a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear before the courts on Friday.

    This arrest is part of a larger intelligence-led investigation into Thunder Bay drug trafficking that started this month.

    DSC_6699

    Inaugural charity police gala a smash hit

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    The Thunder Bay Police Service announced today that a total of $68,502.50 was raised for two local charities through the Thunder Bay Police Service Inaugural Charity Gala on February 28.

    That money will be split evenly between the Thunder Bay chapters of the Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Club.

    Police Chief Darcy Fleury (left), Boys and Girls Club CEO Albert Aiello (centre) and Thunder Bay Police Service reps pose with the fundraising total and local art that was on the block at February’s police gala (Jacob Henriksen-Willis/March 20 2026)

    “People really enjoyed themselves,” said Police Chief Darcy Fleury. “It was a great way for community and police to come together and spend a night sharing some wonderful times and getting to know each other.”

    The night began as a quiet gathering before officers arrived in full uniform to the sound of bagpipes. Dinner followed, keynote speakers took the stage, and the live band Throwback kept the celebration going all night.

    “It was stunning,” said Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club CEO Albert Aiello. “As soon as you walked in, you knew the environment was special. The way it was decorated, the entertainment, everyone dressed to the nines. It’s something that the city’s been missing for a long time. We haven’t had a formal gala in quite a long time.”

    Aiello says the funds will go towards nutrition and leadership development programs for kids here in Thunder Bay.

    Live and silent fundraising auctions were held throughout the event. On the block were barbeques, fire pits, helicopter rides, local artworks and vacation packages.

    “The sponsorship from this community was fantastic,” Fleury said. “It was just unbelievable, and it really helps us an awful lot.”

    The gala attracted over 270 attendees and smashed the station’s fundraising goal of $40-50,000. Fleury says the station will host another gala next year and raise funds for different charities.

    “We met about it this afternoon, and we do want to make this an annual event,” Fleury said. “The big thing about that is you can’t just do the same thing. We have to roll out something new, we have to try and find new ideas and make it bigger and better.”

    a man in a yellow jacket fishing on a frozen lake

    Youth ice fishing derby Saturday at Red Rock

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    Registration is still open for Saturday’s youth ice fishing derby at Red Rock.

    Kids 13 and under are invited to sign up for a fun, hands-on day of learning on Lake Superior.

    Weigh-ins for caught trout, whitefish and perch starts at 1pm. Everyone will get a prize, but the closest fish to the mystery weight target will be crowned the winner.

    “We’re putting the effort,” said Andrew Brown, President of the Red Rock Fishing and Game Club. “Ever since COVID, it’s sort of been hit-or-miss with the activities. We’re just trying to get the kids involved and keep them outside.”

    Brown says excessive screen time is a big problem for this generation of kids, and the derby is a good way for them to learn valuable skills and reconnect with nature.

    “It makes them independent. They need to figure things out on their own. We teach them about cleaning fish and how to take everything we need. We don’t waste anything, we’re eating the meat and utilizing everything that we take from the land,” he said.

    “ID’ing fish is a big thing too. Some kids haven’t seen many different kinds of fish, right? They just think a fish is a fish. So it gives us an opportunity to educate there as well.”

    There are currently 30 kids registered out of the club’s goal of 50. Prizes include lifejackets, tackle boxes and rods. The grand prize is an ice auger drill attachment for cutting holes in the lake ice. The club will accept registrants until 11 a.m. on Saturday at its clubhouse on Park Road near the local marina.

    The Red Rock Fishing and Game Club is a nonprofit that relies entirely on volunteer help. It will host another fishing derby for all ages this June.

    TB Fire and rescue DEC 17

    No injuries in Shipley Street basement fire

    Multiple crews were required to bring a Shipley Street house fire under control at 10:30 am Thursday morning.

    The first arriving Thunder Bay Fire Rescue unit was met by a resident of the home who had evacuated after being alerted by their smoke alarm. They said no other occupants were in the house, and they believed there was fire in the basement utility room.

    Assistance was needed from Thunder Bay Police, Superior North EMS, Synergy North and Enbridge Energy before the blaze was extinguished. A total of 33 responders were at the scene.

    The fire is currently under investigation.

    The Thunder Bay Fire Rescue says they would like to remind the public that smoke alarms save lives, and never to re-enter a burning building.

    man holding book on road during daytime

    Thunder Bay unemployment 1.5% below national average

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    The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) presented the results of their Labour Market Outlook Study to more than 15 major local employers last week.

    Here are the numbers as of October 2025:

    • Labour Force: 64,600 individuals
    • Employed: 61,100
    • Unemployed: 3,500
    • Employment Rate: 61.3%
    • Unemployment Rate: 5.4%

    Thunder Bay is significantly below the national unemployment rate of 6.9%.

    The study was conducted by Dr. Camillo Lento, Dr. Robert Petrunia, and Dr. Karl Skogstad of Lakehead University. The CEDC says the results show a strong Thunder Bay workforce.

    “Through this work, the CEDC aims to support a resilient and adaptive local economy, one where residents have access to meaningful employment opportunities and employers can effectively meet their workforce requirements,” the CEDC wrote in a press release. “The findings are intended to guide collaborative action that strengthens the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the Thunder Bay region.”

    At the meeting, experts anticipated notable labor shortages in the health and trades, transport and equipment operator sectors. The CEDC says these patterns reflect the combined effects of population aging, increased retirements, and rising demand for health care services.

    “The session is really about getting everyone in the same room and on the same page,” said CEDC CEO Jamie Taylor. “We regularly engage our major employers through community meetings like this to ensure we are supporting their needs while also responding to the broader needs of our community.”

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