Community leaders brainstorm at first safety summit

Premier Wab Kinew told delegates to Manitoba’s first safety summit that he wants to provide young people with a pathway to university — not a pipeline to prison.

“We are one province, and we are invested in one another’s futures,” he said.

About 200 politicians, community leaders and advocates gathered at the summit in downtown Winnipeg Tuesday to discuss ways to address crime and devise a safety strategy, to be made public later in the year.

Kinew, Mayor Scott Gillingham and retired judge Murray Sinclair spoke about the root causes of crime and the justice system, before the delegates broke into smaller groups to discuss the issues.

Kinew referred to the cycle of prison and bail as “gangster university,” which he says takes small-time offenders and incarcerates them; they get involved with gangs and become more violent.

“Then we release them onto the streets here in Winnipeg, or in ‘small town’ Manitoba or onto reserves. So that cycle… needs to change somehow,” the premier said during his opening remarks.

Sinclair pointed to young people losing their sense of community as a driver of crime.

“We need to think about, how do we create a community for our young people, as they grow up, to gain a sense of responsibility to a community in which they can take pride? To which they feel a sense of belonging to a group? To which they feel a sense of responsibility, and which they respect and which respects them?” Sinclair told attendees.

In the fall election campaign, the NDP promised to develop a safety strategy with input from community leaders.

“What we’re expecting by bringing everyone into one room is to get everyone on the same page, and get everyone working together once again, to share ideas and share perspectives,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said.

The provincial safety strategy is due to be released in September.

Mitch Bournonniere, a founding member of the Bear Clan patrol who does extensive work with inner-city groups and at-risk youth, said he attended the summit to discuss what he believes are the drivers of crime: mental health, addiction, homelessness and youth violence.

Bourbonniere said he was encouraged to see a focus on child welfare during the keynote speeches.

“It is our children that will wave the flag for the rest of society,” he said. “Every single child in Manitoba and their families deserve advocacy, mentorship, wraparound services, and someone to be in their corner.”

Wiebe said child advocacy is just one aspect of addressing the issue at large, and the province is taking a “whole of government” approach to improve public safety, including spending more money on child welfare, health and education.

Kinew said to address the root causes of crime social services must be considered, but support for law enforcement is also required.

“These are problems that require a health-based approach, a public health approach. They require a social intervention. They require economic opportunity and economic reconciliation. At the same time, if somebody’s doing something bad in the community, we need law enforcement present to be able to respond,” Kinew said.

Bourbonniere hopes the strategy comes up with ways to combat property crime, organized crime and random and unprovoked violence.

Denys Volkov, executive director of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, said the strategy must address the rising crime rates in rural and remote communities.

A survey the association conducted in June 2023 found more than half of Manitobans believe their community was less safe than compared to three years ago.

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Volkov identified bail reform and police visibility as areas the province should focus on to increase safety in rural areas.

“This summit is a step in the right direction, and we just want to see a followup to this forum in the future, and hopefully, we’ll continue this discussion,” said Volkov, who attended the meeting.

During his speech, Gillingham highlighted City of Winnipeg initiatives such as the recently launched community safety team that patrols transit buses and his plan to establish a community safety plan.

“As mayor of the city, I want a safer city. We need a safer city for everybody,” he said.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca

Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer

Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk.

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