Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 62 • Issue 25
Violent crime in Thompson up 45 per cent from five-year average for first four months of 2022 BY IAN GRAHAM
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
An RCMP detachment member delivered a dose of sobering statistics to the Thompson Chamber of Commerce at their last biweekly lunch meeting before their summer break on June 15. Staff Sgt. Shane Flanagan said that for the first four months of this year — January to April — violent crime in Thompson is up 45 per cent from its five-year average for the same time period and that the city has had three homicides already this year, two of which did not occur during the fourmonth period covered by the stats. One of the violent crime hotspots police have identified in the city has long occupied that position — the portion of Eastwood along Princeton Drive. “It’s responsible for a lot on the east side,” said Flanagan. “And that just goes hand-in-hand with some of the visible socio-economic issues that we are trying to deal with.” Another location didn’t Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham used to require as many Thompson RCMP detachment Staff Sgt. Shane Flanagan talks to the Thompson Chamber of Commerce June 15 about crime stats and policing issues police resources as it does in the city. now — the City Centre there are two distinct was at an earlier meeting ized gangs get disrupted Sgt. Jenny Melanson re- per cent of its budget on Mall. Since the new Liquor groups of people on the with other agencies in the when people got to jail and cently told Thompson city police services in 2022, could afford it — the Mart opened in the north- city’s streets: the older ones city trying to devise a plan they just kind of fall apart,” council. Attending to non-police RCMP is not immune to west corner of the mall’s who have been here longer for one particular person, — informal gangs are also parking lot, close to the and a younger group who who has been part of 37 less disciplined than actual matters like that, which forces affecting all types would probably not involve of organizations and busiintersection of Mystery congregate in the city for calls for police service in organized crime groups. “There’s really no police at all in larger cities, nesses in Canada and elseLake Road and Thompson access to alcohol and drugs. the last couple of months. “They come here because When it comes to mischief code, per se,” Flanagan keep all Thompson RCMP where worldwide at the Drive North, the number of calls for service to that area there is a place to party,” and non-violent disturbance said. “They’re all kind of detachment members on moment. he said. calls, about 70 per cent of trying to get a name for their toes at all times. “In this day and age, it’s has skyrocketed. As a result, many older incidents are related to less themselves.” “We are the busiest hard to get people even to “There’s obviously a Intoxication remains one detachment per member want to become police ofstatistically significant in- homeless people have taken than a dozen people. In previous postings in fo the major factors driv- in Western Canada, stats ficers andphoto apply,” Flanagan crease,” said Flanagan, not- to spending nights in the Nickel Belt News by Ian Graham ing that violent crime is up area of the Canadian Tire Grand Rapids and Moose ing calls for service at the wise,” said Flanagan, not- said. “We’re seeing that in Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. 100 per cent at 300 Mystery parking lot, where they feel Lake, Flanagan said offi- Thompson RCMP detach- ing that one analysis said our recruiting.” because sta- cers dealt with a lotright?’ of in- ment, Flanagan said,thing with Thompson could use say 23 Thompson residents Lake Road from the five- safer BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write thingsthe thatpolice you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, was not a very safe swallow when people tion is nearby. cidents related to organized 310 calls for intoxicated additional police officers started seeing a poyear average, though the EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangerslarger of polar “ForI get the through.” most part, that Igangs, butcapture said Thompson persons that in the four should on top of the 39somewhere it has now, bears, lice presence in said the city area is notshe’s the epicentre of when Though now written need to them for thought wasfirst exciting just find deMeulles if it very said littleshe disruptlargely free of that months this year. There onlive. the call volume, starting June 20, she withwould addiviolent crime in a book about herThompson. experien- causes DeMeulles wrote has my been grandchildren really until theofplane landed and based easier to had been viable ive nuisance crime. It’s a for the last decade-plus, are also mental health though Flanagan believes tional uniformed and plainSocial disorder calls — ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchissue but they back to a time when issues deal with, 222 in that might be an overestiofficers on patrol to “unruly characters causAddictions Foundation of visual the Wind: Stories fromfear the dating I don’t.” fuel offto and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They clothes ill in a heartbeat. for their safety.” Flanagan a Hells Angles cats, the first four monthssitting of the should mate, given howismany impact ofI ing issuesnorthern in the parking Manitoba director North - Life in Churchill for there She was also has a reputation I was probably just leave,’ quite help “I mitigate miss thethe shoreline, “Forofthe most part, the presence in theherself. city. Now, year, which can sometimes issues that police dealdisrewith miss the return of Nickel Days. lot anddeMeulles the different stores” Gisele said writ- said. a couple reasons. as a storyteller on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite the rock, I miss the regular group are victims it is no longer a centre for lead to officers spending are not actually crimes but “We anticipate an in— have seen a 230 per cent ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though of crime,” more this so than gangs that operate struc- spurred more than a same social,boat mental health area and they’re creasedvery population in and the increasethought and the she number of you always would know what, his- tory and I would tell people her50onhours was in the in another dangerous said.the “So, with waiting pa- addictions-related nuisance, mischief and van- perpetrators, do. tory, this stuff that’s in my tured hard times facing with Churchill I think we would issues. scream city,” I reallyhemiss Hudson storiescriminal and theyenterprises, would go, month It’s often a small group of so much as for unorganized tients at the Thompson Even if the detachment the increased population, dalism calls has gone up “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go people areit responsible informal General Hospital, acting have couldthe have moretomembers we anticipate thereonwill 156 good per cent. felt at writing,” she if I don’twho write down,” she ‘Yeah it’sgangs. true.’ While They’dthere go, way option do that? back home, standing the suspended operations a large police advantages to this detachment and the City of ThompsomeBay increased social Flanagan alsoI moved drew for said. “But when ‘Yousome didn’t do all that, did Thompson said. “My number kids areofnot go- are north of Gillam last spring. — I think right now they’re be Hudson looking out on Flanagan said “Most of these Staff son, which spending 22 problems.” attention to the that responses. to Thompson to fact get into ing to get it if I don’t dohe it — you? You’ve got tounorganbe really officer-in-charge “It used to be a really feeling like is they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve alat that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories bea lot of skill in university cause she always tells her and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always POWER SWEEPING, LAWN MOWING, AERATION, writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just DETHATCHING & SPRAYING, my writing. I write very putLICENSED it on tape, I will write it FERTILIZER AND WEED clear and that’s it. It’s there.CONTROL for you SERVICES because your story Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought,
“Weeds on your lawn? Gotta be gone.”
old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually I did all that before I was 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” Looking back, some of those experiences are things she might not do again. “I did some pretty bizarre stuff like fuel hauls into the high Arctic at -35,” said deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn on me until after. That was a very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says. Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and her sister and other family members still are. “My cousin owns the hardware store there,” she says. Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. They’ve built their worlds there. How would we feel if someone came to you and said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to leave your home community and we’re going to displace you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.” Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another. “I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”
CALL NELSON: 204-307-0281 npruder@live.ca