What questions and knowledge should the community share with the Review?

• What happens when there is no one looking for us when we are missing? Do the police have responsibility?
• What about the rights of survivors to not stay in contact with certain friends?
• What should service providers (not) do?
• Have you ever lost contact with someone who you thought was in danger and gone to the police?
• How should police be involved in searching for us, given the way that police interact with poor, substance user, and people who have mental health issues?
  

  Bruce McArthur’s victims. Top, from left to right: Selim Esen, Andrew Kinsman, Majeed Kayhan, and Dean Lisowick. Bottom, from left to right: Soroush Mahmudi, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi, Kirushnakumar Kanagaratnam. //toronto.citynews.ca/2019/03/26/missing-persons-review-includes-mcarthur/ Review into missing persons investigations will now include McArthur cases BY MARK DOUGLAS AND DILSHAD BURMAN POSTED MAR 26, 2019 4:59 PM EDT

The Review by Judge Gloria Epstein

From the website: The Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations (the “Review”) was established by the Toronto Police Services Board. The Review was prompted, in large part, by the tragic deaths of members of Toronto’s LGTBQ2S+ community and by deep concerns about how the Toronto Police Service (the “TPS”) conducted the investigations into their disappearances.

Simply put, the Review asks the following questions: Have all members of the community, including LGTBQ2S+ and vulnerable or marginalized people, been receiving the level of service from the TPS to which they are entitled? If not, why not and what needs to change?

“The community needs answers. It needs assurances. And most of all, it needs an opportunity to come together and work collaboratively in achieving those goals. That is how I see my job and the role of this Review.” – The Honourable Gloria J. Epstein

The Review was asked to review how the TPS conducted missing person investigations. In the Terms of Reference, these investigations were described as pertaining, in part, to LGTBQ2S+ community members and vulnerable or marginalized community members generally. The latter included those with mental illness and addictions, racialized people, sex workers and at risk-youth.

Consultation – Participate in the Review

Community Consultation:

• Stakeholder’s Meetings – a broad range of community groups and service providers will be invited to share their insights and expertise with me and members of my team. These meetings will commence in mid-May, 2019
• Confidential Interviews – individuals may request a confidential interview to share relevant personal experiences in a safe and supportive environment
• Written Submissions – commencing immediately, all members of the public, groups or organizations can make written submissions to the Review. These written submissions may be submitted to the Review until December 31, 2019
• Anonymous Communications – All members of the public may share their views with the Review anonymously through a portal to be available on the Review’s website as of May 10th
• Public Survey – all members of the public may also complete an electronic survey. It too will be anonymous. The survey will be available through the Review’s website commencing in early 2020
• Public Forum – after the Review compiles other forms of input, a public forum will be held in 2020 to permit anyone interested to share their perspectives, experiences and suggestions in a public setting
• Roundtables – experts will discuss, in roundtable sessions open to the public, policy issues arising from the Review’s work. These roundtables will take place in mid-2020

You Can Participate Anonymously – //www.missingpersonsreview.ca/contact