Why are some Aboriginal women in Thunder Bay equipping themselves with hand-held safety devices, and why are some Aboriginal parents in that Northern Ontario city choosing not to send their children to school? Some say it's because Idle No More is inflaming long-standing tensions between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. In Thunder Bay, police investigate a possible hate crime and the mayor regrets that his plan to keep people safe has failed. We look at concerns that native activism isn't the only thing on the rise.

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Idle No More and tensions in Thunder Bay

An alarm may seem an unlikely background sound to Idle No More. However, some people in Thunder Bay believe the noise and the movement are intimately linked. The personal safety alarms are being distributed to many First Nations people in the city.   

Racist incidents are reportedly on the rise since the Idle No More protesters hit the streets.  People are particularly on edge following the sexual assault of a First Nations woman earlier this month... police are investigating the attack  as a possible hate crime. 

The CBC's Jody Porter has covered both the Idle No More demonstrations, and the increased concerns around safety in Thunder Bay. Jody joined us from Thunder Bay.

Coming up on The Current

A special documentary look at a time when segregated health care was not only acceptable... it was the Canadian norm. In the days before medicare, community hospitals catered to white patients... and First Nations people were housed in separate wings or  hospital basements.  Eventually, Indian-only hospitals were established. Today, the few who speak out about those days have unhealthy memories. We aired an excerpt from our documentary airing next week.

Other segment's from today's show:

• First Nations Divided: Idle No More and AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo
• Idle No More: Does every revolution have a soundtrack?