RCMP, aboriginal leaders hope weapons amnesty cuts violence on Alberta reserves

July 23, 2008

By John Cotter, The Canadian Press

EDMONTON - Aboriginal leaders from four Alberta reserves hope a gun amnesty believed to be the first for a native community will help reduce gang-related violence that has plagued them for years.

Members of the First Nations around Hobbema south of Edmonton are being asked to hand in illegal or unwanted guns, ammunition and knives between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30.

Reducing the number of firearms will hopefully put a crimp in the supply of guns used by gangs around Hobbema and make the community safer, officials from Alberta Justice, the RCMP and the band said Wednesday.

It's the latest step to thwart crime on the reserves since 23-month-old Asia Saddleback was wounded last April in a drive-by shooting involving gangs engaged in a turf war.

"When young Asia was shot it galvanized the community, it mobilized us to take action because such a thing should never occur," said Carolyn Buffalo, a spokeswoman for the four bands.

"We want our children to be safe. As a mother, I want my children to be safe. We see this gun amnesty as being a very positive step in that direction."

People who hand in unwanted firearms under the amnesty will not be charged for possessing unregistered and unlicensed weapons. But RCMP will test every gun and charges may follow if any are found to have been stolen or used in a crime.

The shooting of the girl was just the latest on the reserves where 13 different gangs have been active - some openly selling crack cocaine and other drugs out of derelict homes only hundreds of metres away from a high school. The homes were spray-painted with gang names such as Indian Posse, Alberta Warriors, Red Alert and Samson True Soldiers.

Following the shooting, the RCMP reinforced its Hobbema detachment with extra officers and began coming down harder on the gangs. Since then some of the derelict homes have been destroyed and gang graffiti has been painted over.

Band leaders have also imposed a 10:00 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on young people between 12 and 17 years of age. Half of the 12,000 people who live in the Hobbema area are under 18.

Alberta Justice Minister Alison Redford acknowledged no one measure will solve the violence and gang problems in the community, but suggested the gun amnesty will help.

"We have to get guns out of the hands of kids and off the streets," Redford said. "We are not kidding ourselves that hardened criminals will surrender their guns and that Hobbema will become crime-free. That would be naive.

"But every single gun turned in is one less that could be used to take the life of someone's family member or neighbour. Every single gun that is turned in is one less that can get in the hands of a criminal."

As of last spring, the federal and Alberta governments had posted 41 RCMP to police the four reserves. That gave the Hobbema communities a police-to-resident ration of one to 238. The ratio in Calgary is one to 630.

Albertans turned in more than 2,700 unwanted firearms during a gun amnesty in 2006. British Columbia has also had a similar provincewide program. Toronto and Ottawa have held local gun amnesties.

Raynald Marchand of the private, non-profit Canada Safety Council said such programs have been an effective tool in getting guns out of homes and off streets.

Chief Richard Lightning of the Ermineskin band, one of the four First Nations near Hobbema, said he hopes the program will be as successful on the reserves.

"The guns are really a detriment to our communities," Lightning said. "This is a collective effort by the provincial government and our First Nations. It makes me feel good."