Latest posts – Jason Kerr | Prince Albert Daily Herald

Police chief delivers first Year End Use of Force Report

-

February 12, 2025

Police chief delivers first Year End Use of Force Report

Use of Force report will help ensure transparency and build confidence with public says chief

Prince Albert Police Chief Patrick Nogier delivered the organization’s first Year End Use of Force Report at Monday’s Board of Police Commissioner’s Meeting.

The report is part of the Prince Albert Police Service’s (PAPS) efforts to better track when officers use force, what type of force is used, and whether it was appropriate. The data shows 46 use of force files from 2024. That includes everything from officers physical striking someone to firing their gun to laying down road spikes to stop a speeding vehicle.

Internal police investigation determined there was one officer whose use of force was classified as Level 3, where PAPS issues a remedial order, like a suspension. There were 12 instances were PAPS “intervened to provide officers with additional training to make better decisions,” Nogier told the board.

A single use of force file can involve more than one officer and more than one type of force. For example, in the first quarter of 2024, PAPS opened 15 use of force files involving 22 officers and 21 different types of force.

Nogier said he’s “very satisfied” Prince Albert police officers are applying force properly and at necessary moments. However, he said the report is needed to ensure proper transparency.

“(We’re) trying to identify deficiencies in either policy or in training,” Nogier said in an interview afterwards. “If force is not being applied properly or there’s a better way of doing business, then it’s incumbent upon the organization to review those situations, make recommendations, and/change policy.”

Nogier said use of force is a controversial concept for law enforcement. During the meeting, he told the board some officers have “a sense of vulnerability” because they are always being judged about using force.

He said social media recordings of officer interactions with the public capture a small snapshot of what’s happening. While such recordings sometimes lead to an “internal look at the way things are handled,” Nogier said the goal was to be more thorough and proactive.

PAPS has a four person Use of Force Committee that will review every Use of Force Report. Nogier said they will be reporting every use of force circumstance in 2025.

“We want to make sure that our officers are making good decisions in the right times and circumstances, so making sure that we maintain a focus on when force is being used, is it appropriate, is it proportional,” he said. “Those are all the things that will be a continual re-evaluation to ensure that we’re providing a good solid response that the community can trust.

“We’re reviewing it to make sure it’s appropriate, and that way we can provide a message to the community that officers are well-trained and only using force when it is absolutely required,” he added.

Nogier added that a very small number of interactions between Prince Albert police officers and residents actually involve force.

The Prince Albert Police Service faced scrutiny in 2023 after Boden Umpherville died from injuries sustained in an altercation with police. A news release from the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) said Umpherville was one of three people in a vehicle police pulled over. Although the car had been reported stolen, according to police, one of the people inside was the registered owner.

Prince Albert police used stun guns, collapsible batons and pepper spray during the arrest, according to SIRT.

When asked about the case on Tuesday, Nogier said it’s still in the hands of the SIRT.

“We’re ensuring the officer’s doing everything to keep them safe so they go home at the end of the day, but the offender also gets a vote and ensuring that the amount of force that’s being used is only proportional to what’s required to mitigate the risk to the community,” Nogier said. “It’s that constant balance and recognizing full well that some individuals in our community do not want to comply with laws, do not want to comply with requests from an officer to stop doing things that they’re doing that’s causing harm and risk in the community.”

During the meeting, Nogier told the board there were some questions from police association members about why the Use of Force Report was being started now. He said their message to officers was that PAPS will support them when they use force, but is has to be proportional to the amount used, and it must follow policy.

“If an officer is required to use force, and they’re making good judgements about it, as difficult as it is for a community to understand, we’re going to make sure that we back our officers in that situation, but it’s a two-way street. Officers also need to know that when they don’t apply force properly there are going to be consequences,” he said.

Nogier added that with proper documentation and accountability, it is possible the amount of times officers use force will increase.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

City urges homeless residents to use overnight warm-up location as temperatures plunge

Jason Kerr

-

February 11, 2025

0

City urges homeless residents to use overnight warm-up location as temperatures plunge

Warm-up location to remain open nightly until April

With temperatures dropping to nearly -30 C on Monday, the City of Prince Albert has asked residents to direct anyone who doesn’t have a home and can’t access the Emergency Shelter to The Meeting Place overnight warm-up location.

The warm-up location is located in the Salvation Army building on Central Avenue and has served more than 160 individuals since opening on Dec. 19.

“With extreme cold temperatures expected this week, we urge anyone needing a warm place to seek shelter at The Meeting Place,” City of Prince Albert Community Safety and Well-Being Manager Anna Dinsdale said in a press release. “No one should have to face these dangerous conditions alone. If you know someone who may need help, please encourage them to come in or connect them with available resources.”

The Meeting Place is open every night to provide “safe and welcoming space during the harsh winter months,” the City wrote in a press release. The location will be open until April to provide a space for individuals who may not have access the Emergency Shelter.

The City is operating it in partnership with the Salvation Army and The Safe Shelter for Women after receiving a one-time grant of $150,000 to provide additional services for Prince Albert’s homeless community during the winter.

Dinsdale said the initiative reflects a collaborative approach to community safety and well-being. The Meeting Place will have on-site security regularly patrol inside and outside the building. There will also be a visible police presence through overnight patrols.

Bylaw and CSO support will also be provided in the early morning to address “unintended consequences and support a seamless transition for clients,” according to the press release.

The Riverbank Development Corporation and Metis Nation Saskatchewan recently provided additional support for upgrades to improve building accessibility, and inclusion.

The warm-up location started operating three days a week, and increased to seven nights a week after Christmas. Major Ed Dean of the Salvation Army said they always planned to have a soft launch, followed by the ramping up of services after Christmas.

So far, Dean is liking the results.

“It has been a success,” he said.

Newest Hicks Gallery exhibit draws attention to waste, consumerism, and superficiality

Jason Kerr

-

February 7, 2025

0

Newest Hicks Gallery exhibit draws attention to waste, consumerism, and superficiality

Canadian artist Arianna Richardson has habit of taking the rejected and turning it into refinement.

Richardson is a sculptor, sewer, and performance artist from Alberta, and for the next two weeks, her latest exhibit will be on display at the John V. Hicks Gallery in Prince Albert.

‘Surface All the Way Through’ is described as an exhibition of textile and text-based signs created out of discarded plastic. Richardson said the exhibit is an exploration of superficiality, distraction, reflection, containment, emotional blockages, consumerism, accumulation, and waste.

Photos by Tia Furstenberg/Mann Art Gallery
Two pieces from Alberta artist Arianna Richardson’s traveling exhibit ‘Surface All the Way Through’. The exhibit runs at the Mann Art Gallery until Sunday, Feb. 23.

“The objects in this show are fabricated entirely of plastic: a material that I am endlessly attracted to for its shape-shifting mimicry and limitless supply of exciting surface qualities,” Richardson said in a press release. “As a toxic, uncontainable, and grossly over-produced material, it is also repulsive and surrounds me with dread and despair. It is between opposites that I have created these objects: working to both deflect and deal with my own conflicting attitudes in a time of vast uncertainty, inexpressible emotions, and constant horror.”

Richardson’s pieces include materials “rescued from their fate as discarded objects.” The materials are selected from her own personal consumption habits, or from thrift stores.

Mann Art Gallery Interim Artistic Director Jesse Campbell said the exhibit feels light and playful, but has serious undertones.

“There is a sense of discomfort from the push and pull between the fanciful space and the amount of waste that our world continually produces,” Campbell wrote in an email to the Herald. “Apart from consumer culture’s driving force of plastic production, one cannot help but think of the amount of material waste and environmental impact produced in the art world.

“Plastic tubes, disposable paint palettes, and the amount of shipping and travelling that are core parts of art galleries and studios make for an uncomfortable realization that art consumption can take its toll. I appreciate how Arianna draws attention to this conundrum through her beautifully crafted, handmade objects: a practice that in itself has been an inherent driver of humanity for tens of thousands of years.”

‘Surface All the Way Through’ arrived in Prince Albert through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council’s Arts on the Move program. It runs at the John V. Hicks Gallery until Sunday, Feb. 23.

The exhibit was previously on display in Melfort from Dec. 1-23, and will be on display next in Leader starting March 1.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Candle Lake Art Club opens new exhibit at Grace Campbell Gallery

Jason Kerr

-

February 6, 2025

0

Candle Lake Art Club opens new exhibit at Grace Campbell Gallery

The Candle Lake Art Club is spreading their wings with a new exhibit at the Prince Albert Public Library’s Grace Campbell Art Gallery.

The club normally holds one big show and sale up at Candle Lake, but this year decided to expand with a show in Prince Albert too.

“It’s a bit unusual for us,” club member Shirley Markell said. “We usually just have one big show at Candle Lake at about the 10^th of July—a big art show and sale…. We haven’t shown at the library for a number of years, so it’s very good for us to get things lined up and organized.”

The art club launched their new exhibit on Jan. 31. It features paintings focusing on a variety of subject matter. Markell said club members have a great deal of flexibility in what they paint.

“The subject is up to each individual, and it’s quite delightful,” she explained. “(There’s) a wide-variety of skills. Some people are fairly new, and some have been painting for years.”

Markell lives in Prince Albert, but has travels to Candle Lake once a week. She said most of the club members live in Candle Lake, and many took up painting later in life.

“Lots of us were interested in art as younger (people) and put things away for families,” she said.

“We meet in the seniors centre once a week. There are a variety of materials that people use, from water colour to acrylics to oils to graphite. Each person works on their own project, but it’s the camaraderie of being together once a week (that helps).”

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald. Photographs of a few Candle Lake Art Club members at a retreat in September 2024.

Markell herself prefers to paint a variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes, to still lifes. As much as she loves painting, she said it’s the community that keeps her coming back.

“It’s the camaraderie and fellowship and encouragement. Occasionally, once of us will teach a class if there’s something every one of us is interested in,” she explained.

The current group of paintings will be on display until Feb. 25. At that point, Markell said club members will switch out old paintings for new ones, and continue the exhibit until the end of March.

The Grace Campbell Gallery is located on the main floor of the John M. Cuelenaere Branch of the Prince Albert Public Library.

The Candle Lake Art Club meets once a week in the Candle Lake Seniors Centre. For more information, call president Charlotte Novotny at 306-929-3011.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Prince Albert food bank welcomes PAGC moose meat donation

Jason Kerr

-

February 5, 2025

0

Prince Albert food bank welcomes PAGC moose meat donation

Moose meat donation a way to fight food insecurity says PAGC

Prince Albert residents in need of a good meal will have one thanks to the Prince Albert Grand Council, who donated several boxes of moose meat to the Prince Albert Food Bank on Friday.

Food Bank executive director Kim Scruby said the donation will feed more than 300 people at a time when the need is extremely high.

“When I started here in 2017 I think we averaged about 700-750 hampers a month, and in recent months we’ve come close to 1,400, and that’s roughly three people per hamper,” Scruby said following the donation. “Just under 50 per cent of those are children, so this is going to make a huge difference for a lot of households in Prince Albert.”

PAGC dignitaries and hunters dropped the meat off early Friday morning. Scruby said the moose meat will be in high demand.

“The timing of this couldn’t be better,” he said. “Our freezers are pretty much empty. We’re grateful for the support in terms of this (donation) and also the ongoing support we receive from the Prince Albert Grand Council.”

The contribution was part of the PAGC’s ongoing efforts to address food insecurity and support community members during the winter.

Vice-Chief Joseph Tsannie was among the PAGC dignitaries on hand for the donation. He said the goal was to provide traditional foods for those who might not get a lot of it.

“We know (about) the high cost of food,” he said. “A lot of times our children don’t get the proper food that they need. Some say that our children are going to school hungry because of the high cost of food and energy bills that we have in our communities. We know that we have a lot of our First Nations members who live in the cities, and with families and single parents struggling just to get by, we’re so happy to have our staff … go out and get three moose for the food bank.”

Tsannie added that the food would be donated to any food bank client in need, not just PAGC members. The PAGC also plans on making another moose meat donation to the Prince Albert Salvation Army for their lunch program.

The moose meat was harvested during a traditional hunting trip in the Porcupine Forest near Hudson Bay. The list of hunters included the heads of the PAGC’s Urban Services, Education, and Land Based programs, as well as Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte.

Vince Brittain was among the PAGC hunters. He said the experience was a long and cold one, as temperatures dipped to around -40 C, but it was well worth the effort.

“Traditional hunting is about cultural identity, food security, and sustainability, and traditional hunting is just not about sustenance,” Brittain said. “It’s about getting to know your environment and each other and your skills.”

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald.
PAGC hunter Floyd Cook holds up a box of moose meat that was donated to the Prince Albert Food Bank on Friday, Jan. 24.

The six PAGC hunters used snowmobiles to help track down the moose. They got up at 3 a.m. and didn’t get home until 1 a.m. the next day.

“It was a long day (and) a cold day, but with our experience with hunting this time of year, you dress properly and just make sure you’re staying active and staying warm,” PAGC hunter Floyd Cook said. “Overall, I think the whole experience was good for everyone.”

The meat donated on Friday did not include the moose organs like kidneys or liver. PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said those are considered to be delicacies in the north, so they were given to PAGC elders.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

State of the City focuses on crime, growth, and tax increases

Jason Kerr

-

February 5, 2025

0

State of the City focuses on crime, growth, and tax increases

Council didn’t have a lot of wiggle room with budget, Mayor tells business community

Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky faced questions about the property tax increase business and residents will face after council approved a budget with a roughly $8 million spending increase.

Business leaders from across the community were at the Ches Leach Lounge on Tuesday to hear Powalinsky’s comments. He said there were several areas that needed funding after years of low tax increases.

“I think it’s fair to say that over the years, Prince Albert has enjoyed a series of affordable tax increases … and over that period of time other things escalated,” Powalinsky said. “We’re now at the point where we understand that we can’t cut services, but we need to find the revenue to make the services happen.”

Powlinsky said wages and benefits are the biggest increase to the City’s budget. Through police budget increases and collective bargaining agreements, Powalinsky expects to City will have to page more than $3 million in additional costs.

Buildings, maintenance, and transit operations also required increases, and maintaining the Steuart Arena will also add extra costs.

As for cost savings, Powalinsky told those in attendance closing the Frank Dunn Pool will help save some costs.

“Really, we don’t have a lot of wiggle room on the budget,” Powalinsky said. “This is what I call a balancing year. It’s to get us at least partway to where would could have been or should have been.”

With the increases, Powalinsky said there’s no way council can have a lower increase than the 10 per cent that was proposed.

“We’ve gone through the budget upside down, (and) sideways,” Powalinsky said.

“I thank council for all of the mental energy, (and) the senior administration, and departments for bringing forward a good budget, a fair budget, a just budget, and one that’s going to support Prince Albert.”

Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
Prince Albert residents watch as Mayor Bill Powalinsky gives the State of the City address at the Ches Leach Lounge on Tuesday.

Powalinsky focused his address on community safety, infrastructure projects like the new indoor leisure centre, and ways the City is preparing for growth brought on by the new acute care tower at Victoria Hospital, and other opportunities.

Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce CEO Patty Hughes said she was happy to see Powalinsky address all three issues since they are top of mind for business owners.

When asked about the budget, she said residents were going to have to adjust to it.

“Regina just announced that they have a significant increase on their budget as well, and I think we’re going to be seeing that across the board, because the past few years, we have been doing slim increases trying to make sure that we do the best we can, but unfortunately it’s an adjustment year,” she said.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Jahn shocked, but grateful, to be named Prince Albert’s 2024 Citizen of the Year

Jason Kerr

-

January 31, 2025

0

Jahn shocked, but grateful, to be named Prince Albert’s 2024 Citizen of the Year

Sonya Jahn has had plenty of surprised in her life, but this one beats them all.

On Wednesday, representatives from the Prince Albert Kinsmen Club and Prince Albert Daily Herald told Jahn she was Prince Albert’s 2024 Citizen of the Year. It was unexpected, but welcome, news.

“(It) was very much of a surprise. Very much a shocker,” Jahn said with a laugh after being notified during Veselka Choir practice at the Mont St. Joseph Home. “I am so extremely humbled by this. I didn’t expect this in a million years. There are so many other people who have been named Citizen of the Year in years gone by who have done so many wonderful things in our community.”

Jahn’s former high school teacher and longtime friend Diane May was one of two people who filed papers nominating her for the award. She said Jahn is a well-organized volunteer who knows how to bring people together to support a common cause.

“She’s just so open and friendly and so hardworking,” May said. “I thought that if anybody deserved to be nominated, it would be Sonya, and if anybody else were chosen, they’d have to be a saint.”

Jahn’s biggest contribution has been her support for Ukrainian newcomers who arrived in Prince Albert following the Russian invasion. Roughly 135 families have arrived in Prince Albert since the war started. During that time, Jahn has helped in a number of areas. The list includes helping newcomers find accommodations and employment, register their children for school, and learn English. She also organized social events to make them feel welcome, and helped them acquire necessary financial or medical documents needed for life in Canada.

“She would come to people any time that they needed anything,” May explained. “She’d give them help and it wasn’t a nine to five thing. It was all the time. I think she put in more hours doing this than anybody with a paid job would, and she was just volunteering her time out of the goodness of her heart.”

From left to right, Prince Albert Kinsmen Club Secretary Joel Longworth, Kinsmen Club President Wes Moore, 2024 Citizen of the Year Sonya Jahn, nominator Diane May, Prince Albert Daily Herald publisher Donna Pfeil, and Daily Herald Marketing Manager Erin Bergen pose for a photo following the 2024 Citizen of the Year announcement. — Jason Kerr/Daily Herald

Jahn has deep roots in Ukraine. Her mother was born there before coming to Canada, so when the Russian invasion began she immediately looked for ways to help those in need.

“When the war began, I just felt that it was near and dear to my heart that I wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of these people who are going through such a horrific situation,” Jahn said. “They’re innocent people who just want to live a peaceful life in an independent country.”

While Jahn is best known for helping newly arrived Ukrainian families, those aren’t her only volunteer efforts. She previously worked with the Saskatchewan Health Authority as a Volunteer Services Coordinator. Since retiring, she’s volunteered with a number of organizations, including the Veselka and District Ukrainian Cultural and Heritage Club, Calvary United Church, and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, among others.

“Volunteering is something that is so good for your health and well-being,” Jahn said. “I know that I sound like I’m on a soap-box given my work over the years, but I have always been active as a volunteer in the community, and it does make me feel good when you can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

“I’m humbled by this beautiful award (Citizen of the Year), but my reward is to see the community (become) a better place.”

Former Prince Albert Citizen of the Year Malcolm Jenkins also filed nomination papers supporting Jahn. In his nomination package, Jenkins wrote that Prince Albert was lucky to have her as a resident.

“Since the war started in Ukraine, Sonya has been tirelessly volunteering to help newcomers and their families rebuild,” Jenkins wrote. “Her efforts both locally and across the province have helped hundreds of newcomers settle into life in Canada and find a home in Prince Albert.”

Jahn will be the guest of honour at the Prince Albert Citizen of the Year banquet. There was no date set as of press time.

Prince Albert Peavey Mart among list of stores to close

Jason Kerr

-

January 28, 2025

0

Prince Albert Peavey Mart among list of stores to close

Closure comes after all locations shut down in Ontario and Nova Scotia

Almost a week after closing 22 locations in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Peavey Mart is closing their store in Prince Albert.

The company has not made a formal announcement, but customers at the 15^th Street East location were greeted with “Store Closing” signs as they walked into the building on Monday.

Employees said they couldn’t comment on the closure, and didn’t have a final date for when the store was closing. An email to the company’s corporate office in Red Deer went unanswered by press time.

“The Canadian retail environment has faced considerable disruptions in recent years, and Peavey has not been immune to these challenges,” Peavey Industries CEO and President Doug Anderson said in a press release announcing the company’s plan to close all stores in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

“These closures are a difficult, but necessary, step to stabilize and position our business for future growth.

Peavey Mart moved to its new location in Prince Albert in 2021. The company was still opening new stores throughout 2024, the most recent coming last September, when it opened a new location in Steinbach, Man.

Early this month, the company secured a $155 million financing package to “obtain inventory and driver operational improvements,” according to a press release.

At the time, Chief Financial Officer Karen Dilon said the package would enable the company to “build a more resilient business model.”

There are 11 Peavey Mart locations in Saskatchewan, including ones in Prince Albert, North Battleford, and Humboldt.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

Prince Albert food bank welcomes PAGC moose meat donation

Jason Kerr

-

January 24, 2025

0

Prince Albert residents in need of a good meal will have one thanks to the Prince Albert Grand Council, who donated several boxes of moose meat to the Prince Albert Food Bank on Friday.