[QBall]

Gunbunny Gunbunny:

I cant tell you where the investigation has gone but I can say that I know ALL of the people that were involved and they will be brought before a Provincial Court Judge and they will have to answer for there behavior. End of story.

While I'm glad to hear this what worries me is that the answer comes in the form of a healing circle or some stupid crap like that, and then it goes back to the way things were. Either which way I salute you Gunbunny for having the balls to do what needs to be done.

[Canadian_Mind]

Gunbunny Gunbunny:

As far as I know most of you don't know that I made the jump from the ARMY to the RCMP. I am a mountie. I am proud of that.

What you didn't know is that I am posted to La Loche. I have been here for 5 months and have been a police officer for more than 2 years.

Last night inside that hospital was the 2nd closest that I have come to using my issued 9mm S&W. Some of you may agree or disagree. Believe me or not. I don't care. I was in that hospital.

In saying this all I ask you all to realize/think of is that all police officers are just trying to ensure that everybody goes home safe at the end of the day.

Please thank your law enforcement for the work they do.

GB

Gunny, after reading the story, the only thing going through my head was what fucking miracle happened that you didn't need to fire your gun. Good on ya, glad you're safe!

[raydan]

Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind:

Gunny, after reading the story, the only thing going through my head was what fucking miracle happened that you didn't need to fire your gun. Good on ya, glad you're safe!

Do you have any idea how much paperwork they have to fill out when they fire their gun?

[ShepherdsDog]

I see now that the council is now saying that the police are partially responsible because they don't holiday there.

$1:

Police should accept some of the responsibility: Councillor

A La Loche councillor said the incident is another sad example of the community's poor relationship with the RCMP.

In an interview with CBC News, Holly Toulejour said there is no excuse for violence and those responsible should face charges. But Toulejour said police are viewed as outsiders in her town.

"We've tried to encourage the RCMP to be more community-minded", she said. "You only see them in uniform, and then when they are not on duty, like they are out of town spending their holiday somewhere else, not here with people," she said.

Toulejour said police are doing a poor job of reaching out to people, and there is a lack of trust.

"You know the police if you're in trouble, and I don't think that's very good," she said.

Toulejour also doubts the RCMP description of the size of the crowd outside the hospital. "I know people who were there, who witnessed the whole event," she said. "And they told me it wasn't 50 to 70 people. It was about 10 to 15 people."

When we were up north, we got the hell out of Dodge too, during holidays. most people do that everywhere regardless if they live in Regina, Edmonton or La Loche. When i was up north, I worked in holding cells some evenings and on weekends. The RCMP didn't have a lot of free time on their hands, with a small detachment covering two large reserves. Hours not on duty were spent doing paper work or with their families.

The teachers, RCMP, nursing staff, DNR, Hydro and Northern Store management did hangout some, but only because they were ostracized as outsiders.

[EyeBrock]

Yep, much the same as my experiences in Labrador.

[fifeboy]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Yep, much the same as my experiences in Labrador.

I don't know. We spent quite a few summers in the north. Got together with a local family and built a cabin on a nearby river. Nothing like a northern summer...well, excepting fly season.

[Macguyver]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

I see now that the council is now saying that the police are partially responsible because they don't holiday there.

$1:

Police should accept some of the responsibility: Councillor

A La Loche councillor said the incident is another sad example of the community's poor relationship with the RCMP.

In an interview with CBC News, Holly Toulejour said there is no excuse for violence and those responsible should face charges. But Toulejour said police are viewed as outsiders in her town.

"We've tried to encourage the RCMP to be more community-minded", she said. "You only see them in uniform, and then when they are not on duty, like they are out of town spending their holiday somewhere else, not here with people," she said.

Toulejour said police are doing a poor job of reaching out to people, and there is a lack of trust.

"You know the police if you're in trouble, and I don't think that's very good," she said.

Toulejour also doubts the RCMP description of the size of the crowd outside the hospital. "I know people who were there, who witnessed the whole event," she said. "And they told me it wasn't 50 to 70 people. It was about 10 to 15 people."

When we were up north, we got the hell out of Dodge too, during holidays. most people do that everywhere regardless if they live in Regina, Edmonton or La Loche. When i was up north, I worked in holding cells some evenings and on weekends. The RCMP didn't have a lot of free time on their hands, with a small detachment covering two large reserves. Hours not on duty were spent doing paper work or with their families.

The teachers, RCMP, nursing staff, DNR, Hydro and Northern Store management did hangout some, but only because they were ostracized as outsiders.

Maybe if they were their own police and could teach in their own schools, work in their own hospitals, get management positions in the Northern Store of the Liquor Board Store...I don't condone their behaviour, but there must be some frustration that the only thing they are capable of doing (the 75% that have no jobs) is collecting welfare.

There’s got to be some people in that community who are capable of doing those jobs.

Seems to me that if the community is made up of Métis and Fn’s then they should be represented in the workforce. I guess though those who do get an education or enough work experience to take those jobs, the likely flee to the city or a more stable community. I know I would. K nevermind I answered my own question. Carry on.

[andyt]

Macguyver Macguyver:

Maybe if they were their own police and could teach in their own schools, work in their own hospitals, get management positions in the Northern Store of the Liquor Board Store...I don't condone their behaviour, but there must be some frustration that the only thing they are capable of doing (the 75% that have no jobs) is collecting welfare.

There’s got to be some people in that community who are capable of doing those jobs.

Seems to me that if the community is made up of Métis and Fn’s then they should be represented in the workforce. I guess though those who do get an education or enough work experience to take those jobs, the likely flee to the city or a more stable community. I know I would. K nevermind I answered my own question. Carry on.

The RCMP would love to take Native applicants from small towns. But they do have standards, so those Natives are going to have to get off their butts and meet them. The same is true of teachers - you want to be a teacher you've got to get the required education. Want a management position - work your way up to it. You're just making excuses for people that won't get off their butts.

[peck420]

They could always move to a place with better prospects.

[Saskanna]

Yesterday LaLoche. Today Red Earth First Nation. What gives?

[fifeboy]

andyt andyt:

The RCMP would love to take Native applicants from small towns. But they do have standards, so those Natives are going to have to get off their butts and meet them. The same is true of teachers - you want to be a teacher you've got to get the required education. Want a management position - work your way up to it. You're just making excuses for people that won't get off their butts.

In my last 5 years of teaching, at least 4 of my students joined the RCMP. They were smart, fit and motivated young men. (However, none of them are posted locally, but in places from Saskatoon to LaRonge) The local Northern store had a lady who was from the community as the manager and all the people working in the store were local. The school had at least 40% of its teaching staff from the community or were from elsewhere and of aboriginal heritage. A number of local people were teachers but teaching elsewhere, at least one in LaLoche. I don't know if she is still there. The EMS staff were all aboriginal, the local Pharmacist grew up with my second son. I am not sure how many, but a good number of the nurses in the local hospital grew up in the community. The only place where there are no Aboriginal people (when I was there) is the Doctors. However, several of the Doctors had been there for at least 20-30 years.

This community has made great strides. It is nowhere near perfect. In my mind the biggest problem there is drugs and alcohol. Alcohol alone worked hard to destroy the town in the 60's and 70's but they struck back, setting up a locally run rehab centre. However, I don't know what they will do about drugs, you can get anything there you could get in Saskatoon.

[andyt]

There you go. It's not that they can't do it as a people, but many individuals are mired in despond. I just don't see what to do about it. All we do is throw money at them, which just mires them deeper in dependency. I think Natives need to get over this not wanting to assimilate and learn to live like the white man. Move to where the jobs are, get an education and give it your best shot. Just sitting in small towns or reserves with very limited employment opportunities just isn't going to provide a good life for the majority of the population. They should all take lessons from chief Clarence Louie.

[ShepherdsDog]

No one really wants to create economic opportunities in these northern communities that you would find in a comparably sized southern one. Those who leave to better themselves with education and training rarely return. They want to give themselves and their children a life they can't have up in the bush.

One of the biggest problems the local businesses(Northern Store) and gov't organizations(Hydro, DNR, schools and RCMP) found when hiring locals was their refusal to give up 'Indian Time'. They were undependable when it came to showing up for work on time, or at all.

[fifeboy]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

No one really wants to create economic opportunities in these northern communities that you would find in a comparably sized southern one. Those who leave to better themselves with education and training rarely return. They want to give themselves and their children a life they can't have up in the bush.

Many people return after education and training. Some don't. For teachers, Saskatchewan set up NORTEP to train northerners in the north. Many good teachers came out of that programme. U of S or U of R classes can be taken in LaRonge. The North is full of NRT truckers who live at home and drive to and from the mines.

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

One of the biggest problems the local businesses(Northern Store) and gov't organizations(Hydro, DNR, schools and RCMP) found when hiring locals was their refusal to give up 'Indian Time'. They were undependable when it came to showing up for work on time, or at all.

Indian time (bush time) is quickly fading out.

[ShepherdsDog]

I worked with BUNTEP teachers in northern Manitoba ....my experience was not like yours. Then again, we had a junior high teacher who graduated from U of A and she couldn't spell or add if a gun was held to her head.... Her nickname was Karla Marx, because she was one of those self hating whites.