Rally looks for meaningful change when it comes to racism in Thunder Bay, Ont.

About 75 people braved a chilly Sunday afternoon as they rallied and marched from Connaught Square to the makeshift Thunder Bay courthouse, looking to draw attention to the issue of racism in the city.

The rally, hosted by Not One More Death, coincides with the verdict in a court case, which will be delivered on Monday.

The manslaughter case deals with the death of Barbara Kentner, who was killed after a trailer hitch hit her in January 2017. She died in July of that year. 

Brayden Bushby faces one charge of manslaughter in connection to the case; he has also pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault.

"Thunder Bay needs to start working with people," said Ma-Nee Chacaby, an Anishinawbe elder with Not One More Death. "We need to start working on how we treat each other. Respect. Caring." 

Chacaby said the rally is meant to highlight the Kentner case, but is not the sole focus of the group. She said racism continues to be an issue in the city, even though many people do not see, or feel the issue.

"If you think, 'ah, those Anishinawbe are, whatever,'" Chacaby said, noting she has felt racism since 1975, when she got sober. She said that moment in her life was monumental, and allowed her to put her life on a positive track.

"If you think that way, that's always going to be with you inside, and only you're the one who's going to suffer in the end at the result of that, because you're the one that's going to carry that around. And, you're going to pass that around to your kids, to your family, that's how it goes, it spreads. It's like a disease when you start hating somebody."

Chacaby said she's hopeful that young people are seeing Indigenous people and immigrants in a new light.

"That's what Thunder Bay is all about. Learning and living. And accept this place. Accept this place for who you are."