The entire country reeled as news about the tragedy in Saskatchewan emerged – 10 dead, to become 12 with the deaths of both suspects, and 18 injured, in a series of stabbings.
Police said early in the investigation that some of the murders appeared targeted while others were random. Some of the victims died trying to protect others, including children. One was a first responder, trying to assist other victims. Another was a military veteran. All the victims and the two suspects lived in the devastated community of James Smith Cree Nation and nearby Weldon, Saskatchewan.
Canada is reeling again as details are revealed about a murderous rampage in Mississauga, where Sean Petrie killed Toronto police officer Const. Andrew Hong. In all, the suspect shot five people, two of whom are dead, with a third not expected to live, before he was shot by police in a Hamilton cemetery.
We will probably never know what happened to trigger either tragedy, but that will not stop us from asking. We want to know the motivation, the details, in the hope of finding something to reassure us the same thing could never happen in our community, to our friends and family.
Call it magical thinking – fingers crossed, touch wood. Such tragedies can happen anywhere.
It has often been said that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. Myles Sanderson, in Saskatchewan, had a lengthy history of substance abuse, domestic violence and ignoring court orders – 59 convictions, according to news stories. He had spent time in jail, but had been released early despite being deemed at a moderate to high risk of reoffending.
In Mississauga, Petrie also had what was described as an extensive criminal record that included convictions for assault, armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, and other firearms offences. He was deemed at high risk of reoffending. At the time of the murders, he was estranged from his family and living in his car.
Anyone who has spent time around courts of law in this country has seen the effectiveness – or lack thereof – of our catch-and-release system with repeat offenders. These are not the people who have a brush with the law and never offend again. They are the ones who have Legal Aid on speed-dial and joke about the revolving door on the local court building.
In a perfect world, people who run afoul of the law because of addiction and mental health issues would receive treatment; the homeless and troubled would get help.
That is what leaders of James Smith Cree Nation are calling for – access to effective drug treatment programs, as well as treatment for the ongoing mental health issues with roots in the residential school system.
The investigation into the Mississauga tragedy is still in its early stages; as of this writing, little was known about the suspect.
We wonder what might have been the outcome had there been intervention in the form of family counselling when all the suspects were little kids; early identification of learning disabilities and extra help at school – no multi-year waiting lists or suggestions parents get their troubled kids “tested privately” at their own expense; and mentoring, tutoring and whatever additional help was required.
Our world is not ideal.
What the community leaders in Saskatchewan want is completely valid; one can only hope they get it. Poverty, abuse and addictions tend to repeat themselves through the generations.
Considering the reality, that mental health, addiction and poverty issues are often ignored in many communities, including this one, until it is too late – resources are scarce and expensive – the “fix” will probably be left to the justice system.
It is easier and cheaper to stop the revolving court house door from turning so quickly, than it is to intervene early with a range of social services for kids at risk of offending.
Anyone who scoffs at a court order can and should be behind bars – better than nothing, at least for the short term, but at the same time a sign the whole system has failed both perpetrators and their victims.
