A terrible loss - mass murder in James Smith Cree Nation

Unfolding news coverage of the Saskatchewan mass murder
- headline from screenshot  

by Tarah Hodgkinson

In the wake of the tragic mass murder in James Smith Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, we would be remiss not to take this time to offer our heartfelt condolences to this community. 

On Sunday night, two men went on a stabbing spree, killing 10 people and harming over 15 others in the small community just east of Prince Albert. This is one of Canada’s worst mass murders and a terrifying experience for this First Nations community. 

Police found one suspect dead while the other remains at large and suspected to be somewhere in Regina at the time of posting this blog.

The Canadian prairie province of Saskatchewan contains a number of First Nations
communities populated by North American indigenous peoples.
James Smith Cree Nation is one of those communities.

This incident is absolutely heartbreaking. Not only for the community, but for the country as we wait for the suspect to be caught and for justice for the victims’ families. 

Saskatchewan is a special place for all of us in SafeGrowth. We have been working with the city of Saskatoon for over 15 years building the SafeGrowth network. Mateja and I worked with SafeGrowth advocate and senior Saskatoon planner Elisabeth Miller in that city’s planning department. 

We have partnered with North Battleford on their crime issues and on building community cohesion.  Many of us have spent time working throughout the province and connecting with the wonderful and committed people who live there. 

Saskatchewan is well known for its beautiful scenery and
spectacular northern lights. Mass murders are extremely rare.
The last mass murder was over 50 years ago.

That is why tragic news emerging from the James Smith Cree Nation reservation, a community only a hundred miles north of the city of Saskatoon resonates with members of our team. We have not been to the James Smith Cree Nation, but we know that the pain and suffering from this mass murder must be devastating to those communities and the victims.

TOGETHERNESS IN TRAGEDY

We have written extensively in this blog about how public events and celebrations, like farmer’s markets and fireworks, can bring people together. We have documented the cohesive power of local events and community markets and gardens.

We have described how exceptional events can mobilize people, such as the New Zealand earthquake in 2011 or during extreme weather events.

And so, we know that this devastating event is going to have the same impact as other collective events. It will bring the people of Saskatchewan together. Together to find the assailant and fight for justice. Together to mourn and rebuild. 

And we will be with them. Every step of the way. 

POSTSCRIPT

A final sad note a day after we posted this blog: News from police in Saskatchewan report today that the remaining suspect in this mass murder was arrested and transported to hospital where he died from "medical distress".  

SafeGrowth moves north

North Battleford, Saskatchewan - photo Creative Commons

This week we delivered SafeGrowth training in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, a Canadian city of about 15,000 in central-north Saskatchewan. Over the years North Battleford has had its share of troubles, including a top crime ranking for Canadian cities a few years ago.

This week city officials, police, and residents teamed up to expand their crime prevention and community development work. SafeGrowth training is now underway in a range of projects throughout the city. As well, representatives from three other nearby northern cities joined the training - the cities of Lloydminster and Prince Albert in Saskatchewan and Red Deer, Alberta.

SafeGrowth training class - photo Steve Woolrich

My co-instructor Elisabeth Miller and myself worked with this impressive bunch, committed as they were to learn how to improve community life. Next month we will see what they produce.

I grew up in a northern Canadian city and I have a soft spot for the people who call them home. The best northern places boast a strong sense of community, industries like mining and lumber with well paying jobs, and outdoor adventure activities in unspoiled forests. The worst northern places suffer high unemployment with boom/bust economies, social unrest, substance abuse and the high crime so often accompanying that social dysfunction.

Walking out to winter parking on the morning commute to SafeGrowth training

SOMBER REMINDER

There was recently a somber reminder about the seriousness of crime prevention work in northern communities. One week ago in the small aboriginal town of La Loche, 300 miles north of North Battleford, four people were gunned down in a multiple murder - two were teachers at the La Loche high school. A few years ago a gang shooting killed one resident directly across from the La Loche RCMP police detachment.

Perhaps lessons from the SafeGrowth work in North Battleford will ripple out to other northern communities suffering violence and crime like La Loche? We can only hope. Clearly, there is much work to be done!