The chief of the Thunder Bay Police Service said he supported the idea of an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women while at a national police conference this week.

Chief J.P. Levesque has stated in the past he would support the idea of such an inquiry, adding he is confident that bringing all levels of government, aboriginal leadership and police agencies together would be step in the right direction.

"The RCMP issued a report in May which states that there are 225 unresolved cases involving murdered and missing aboriginal woman out of 1,181 reported cases dating back 30 years,” Levesque said while at the Canadian Association of Chief of Police Conference in Victoria, B.C.

“The concerns of aboriginal people in this regard should be the concern of all citizens. The need to dialogue is important. The need for action in regards to resolving this issue is even greater."

He added that having all governments and forces working together would better help deal with underlying issues, such as poverty and addiction.

"Unless we can address these social issues and dialogue in an open and transparent manner, these matters of public safety will continue to undermine our collective future,” he said.

“Policing is only one part of the equation which will bring about change. We need to be open to examining the facts."

