The Barrie Police Service is honoured to be joining the Thunder Bay Police Service, and other Police Services across Canada in hosting a Tree of Hope to bring awareness to missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse persons (MMIWG2S+) in our country.
Members of the Barrie Police Service will join representatives from Barrie’s Indigenous community to light a Tree of Hope. The tree will be lit in representation of the more than 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous women in our country.
The Tree of Hope began in 2019 with the Thunder Bay Police Service and Constable Sharlene Bourdeau. Since 2019, the initiative has spread to other Police Services, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars towards rewarding individuals who come forward with information leading to arrests of those responsible for the disappearance of these women. The Barrie Police Service has joined this project and annually lit the Tree of Hope since 2021, and we invite community members to attend the Tree of Hope Ceremony this year.
What
The Barrie Police Service will be participating in the Tree of Hope initiative started by Thunder Bay Police Service, to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse persons (MMIWG2S+) in Canada.
When
Sunday, November 12, 2023
6:00 pm – Opening Ceremony
7:00 pm – Tree of Hope Lighting
Where
Barrie Police Headquarters – Barrie Simcoe Emergency Services Campus – (Community Room) (110 Fairview Road, Barrie)
Who
- Barrie Police Service (BPS) Chief of Police Rich Johnston
- Barrie Native Friendship Centre (BNFC) Cultural Resource Coordinator Meghan Cote
- Elder Ernestine Baldwin
- Special Guest Drummer and Sacred Fire Keeper
- Members of the BPS and BNFC
| Prepared by: | Corporate Communications |