Safety remains a concern for those affected by Manitoba wildfires
The provincial government has taken over security at an emergency shelter amid persistent safety concerns for evacuees fleeing wildfires far from home.
A new security strategy was implemented over the weekend at the Winnipeg Soccer Federation North complex on Leila Avenue. It includes on-site Manitoba Justice and Emergency Social Services staff, along with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, First Nation safety officers and community safety officers, a provincial spokesman said Wednesday.
Off-duty members of the Ste. Anne's Police Service and staff from Main Street Project and emergency assistance organization Turtle Team will also be included.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Ronald Kerr, a senior member with Morgan's Warriors, said evacuees at Billy Mosienko Arena could go to them if they had safety concerns but did not feel like they could approach police or security.
'Overall, the goal is to provide a trauma-informed and supportive security response to facilitate a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for evacuees during the evacuation,' the provincial spokesman said in an email.
The province has brought in a new private security firm, the spokesman said, but it will work with the other groups as opposed to taking a leading role. He did not name the previous or current security firm involved.
The province did not give a reason for the shift in leadership, but community safety has been a point of concern for evacuees, law enforcement and organizations.
The Leila soccer complex opened its doors to wildfire evacuees late last month.
The province did not say if security measures at other emergency shelters, such as Winnipeg's Century and Eric Coy arenas, have been altered.
The RCMP, Winnipeg Police Service, Brandon Police Service and Manitoba First Nation Police Service have produced a pamphlet handed out at evacuation centres on how people can keep themselves safe.
The WPS said last week it is sending officers to hold 'proactive, pre-emptive patrols' at shelters and several hotels following discussions with service providers and community leaders.
When asked if police had made any arrests or intervened in safety issues at evacuee centres, a police spokesperson said in an email 'calls for service have not increased' and did not elaborate further.
One Indigenous-led organization providing front-line support to evacuees says safety remains an issue.
'Overall, the goal is to provide a trauma-informed and supportive security response to facilitate a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for evacuees during the evacuation.'–Spokesman
Volunteer-run Morgan's Warriors has held regular community walks and needle cleanups, handed out hundreds of hot meals, and organized weekly searches for missing Manitobans since it was founded in 2024. The group was named after Morgan Harris, one of four Indigenous women killed by convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki, and is co-chaired by Harris's sister and cousin.
When thousands of evacuees, many of them from First Nations communities, took shelter across Manitoba, the group moved quickly: with the support of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Morgan's Warriors helped co-ordinate a donation drive, and provided transportation, clothing, food and other necessities.
When the evacuations began, Morgan's Warriors acted as a security resource at shelters around the city, including Billy Mosienko Arena. Ronald Kerr, a senior member with the group, said evacuees could go to them if they had safety concerns but did not feel like they could approach police or security.
'We were providing security within the centres, making sure that our relatives are safe when they're here, because there have been instances already where there are potentially predatory people that are going after our young girls and women,' said Kerr.
'We are watching for our relatives, and we are watching who is watching them, in a sense,' he said.
Kerr said that Morgan's Warriors knew not every incident would be reported, because of what he describes as 'fear within the Indigenous community of non-support' from the police. There was also concerns, Kerr said, from evacuees about private security staff.
'There is always that concern that some of the security companies that are out there, and I'm not going to name names or anything, but there seems to be an insensitive approach to this … maybe there's no intent to create harm, but it's felt that way, so people don't feel safe with that, so that's a concern for us,' he said.
Morgan's Warriors is no longer providing security as more evacuees have transitioned into staying at hotels, and is now focusing on other efforts to support evacuees as they wait to return home.
'We're doing things with love and compassion for our community,' he said. 'Our slogan is, 'Helping is healing.' And we really try and live up to that.'
'We are watching for our relatives, and we are watching who is watching them, in a sense.'–Ronald Kerr
George McLeod, who is staying at a Winnipeg hotel with his seven-year-old daughter after evacuating their home community of Cross Lake nearly two weeks ago, said he'd like to see culturally informed security stationed at hotels.
He said he and his daughter have experienced some conflict with private security staff at the hotel they were staying at and said he's heard similar concerns from some staying at the Leila soccer complex.
'To me, I'm always worried, because I'm a parent,' he said.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
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Malak AbasReporter
Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg's North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak.
Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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'There is always that concern that some of the security companies that are out there, and I'm not going to name names or anything, but there seems to be an insensitive approach to this … maybe there's no intent to create harm, but it's felt that way, so people don't feel safe with that, so that's a concern for us,' he said. Morgan's Warriors is no longer providing security as more evacuees have transitioned into staying at hotels, and is now focusing on other efforts to support evacuees as they wait to return home. 'We're doing things with love and compassion for our community,' he said. 'Our slogan is, 'Helping is healing.' And we really try and live up to that.' 'We are watching for our relatives, and we are watching who is watching them, in a sense.'–Ronald Kerr George McLeod, who is staying at a Winnipeg hotel with his seven-year-old daughter after evacuating their home community of Cross Lake nearly two weeks ago, said he'd like to see culturally informed security stationed at hotels. He said he and his daughter have experienced some conflict with private security staff at the hotel they were staying at and said he's heard similar concerns from some staying at the Leila soccer complex. 'To me, I'm always worried, because I'm a parent,' he said. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Malak AbasReporter Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg's North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak. Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
