The M.D. of Opportunity council extended its state of local emergency for another two weeks on February 12, despite some rumblings from the Government of Alberta.
The state of local emergency is because of crime, drugs, and mental health concerns. The M.D. and Bigstone Cree Nation first started the state of local emergency the fall of 2023. In early 2024, the M.D. extended it to all hamlets and Bigstone to all reserves.
“We certainly have the option to renew,” said Chad Tullis, M.D. CAO initiating the discussion.
He mentioned that council could make a proclamation instead.
“We’ve done this with a combined effort with Bigstone,” said Reeve Marcel Auger (Wabasca).
Auger mentioned that the Government of Alberta wants to meet with the M.D. about this. If they decide to remove it, he said, so be it, but “at this point, we still want to see this state of local emergency.”
Councillor Cheri Courtorielle (Calling Lake) agreed.
“How long are these supposed to last?” asked Councillor Leo Alook (Trout Lake).
Alook then answered his own question saying that for a fire or flood they are short, but this one is different.
M.D. council has a meeting soon with the province, answered Auger. Then council can learn what the province wants to do. The state of local emergency is to raise awareness about the problem and hopefully get some support. The support hasn’t materialized on the M.D. side, he added, but he thinks Bigstone might be able to get some.
“It’s been too long,” said Auger. “We’ll see what they say.”
“When we first called it,” said Courtorielle, “… it was like the cavalry showed up” but the media and provincial and federal government interest didn’t last.
“Our whole reason we did it was so we’d get some help,” she said.
Courtorielle mentioned that although there was a “lull” in crime at the moment, the underlying issues were still there, adding “It’s a cycle,” and asking, “How many more years?” will the situation stay the same.
The province gave the M.D. money for a study into an RCMP detachment in Calling Lake. This hamlet is patrolled by the Athabasca RCMP detachment.
Unofficially, Courtorielle added, the M.D. has heard that even though the study recommends a detachment, one isn’t likely to be built. She wants to hear officially from the province on this.
Part of the M.D.’s response to crime is developing a community peace officer and bylaw officer program.
Deputy Reeve Brendan Powell (Red Earth Creek) brought this program up at the meeting.
“I’m just not happy with how long it’s taking,” he said.
“It’s a long process,” said Councillor Darlene Jackson (Wabasca).
“I don’t have an answer for it,” agreed Powell.
Council passed the motion to extend the state of local emergency.
“How’s our accreditation going?” Councillor Tahirih Wiebe (Sandy Lake), asked Bill Auger, M.D. manager of Bylaw and Security later in the meeting.
The application has been submitted, he said. The provincial government has some follow-up questions, which have been answered. However, the M.D. hasn’t heard back after that. In the morning, he tried to get an answer and planned to try again in the afternoon.
The M.D. received three applications for the community peace officer positions, he added. Also, the training facility has some people who are interested in the training, but need to be hired by a municipality first.
The M.D. council’s agenda package included quarterly reports from the Athabasca RCMP and Wabasca RCMP detachment. See article in a later Leader on these.
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