By Nigel Maxwell
paNOW Staff
A band councilor for a Northern Saskatchewan First Nation said having RCMP in their community is not enough.
“There is a lot boozing and drugging. Elder people are scared to even walk around,” said Art Dorion with the Pelican Narrows First Nation.
The latest act of violence in the troubled community was a murder on Christmas morning. A 20-year-old man has since been charged with killing his grandmother.
Residents from Pelican Narrows gathered together on Monday to take a stand against violence in the community.
“We’re asking the leaders of this community to take action now,” said Mary Jane Michel. “With all these incidences that have been happening in the community, we just want them to do something about it rather than staying silent on the subjects.”
The village has its own RCMP detachment, but Dorion said response times can be slow. By the time RCMP officers arrive, it is often too late.
“Every time a person reports something we have to phone Regina, and Regina phones RCMP, and RCMP phones the victims. That’s what’s been going for years and years,” said Dorion.
Dorion is putting together proposals to both provincial and federal levels of government for establishing a tribal police service which would work with RCMP.
“As soon as I get the funding I’m going to get peacekeepers … in place. It’s more effective if we have these peacekeepers around the reserve.”
nmaxwell@panow.com
