Winnipeg Crime Prompts Air Canada Hotel Move

CBC News


Posted: Oct 1, 2011 10:06 AM CT


Last Updated: Oct 1, 2011 12:21 PM CT



Air Canada says its pilots and flight crews will no longer stay in downtown Winnipeg after a security review of the area prompted concerns over their safety.

It comes after a media report cited a bulletin from the airline to flight crews informing them they would no longer be staying at the city's Radisson hotel because of increased instances of violent crime.

In an email to CBC News on Saturday morning, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said the safety and well-being of passengers and crew are always a top priority of the airline.

"In this instance, we are acting out of an abundance of caution after conducting a security assessment with both local law enforcement officials in Winnipeg and our own security people," he wrote.

"As a result, we will be using a different accommodation for crew layovers in Winnipeg on an interim basis."

Fitzpatrick said the decision has no impact on Air Canada's service to the community.

P.O.V.:

Do reports of high crime keep you from travelling?

The Winnipeg Sun reported the contents of the bulletin, which cited "instances of public intoxication, resulting in several downtown locations being susceptible to crimes of violence and opportunity" and refers to "displaced" people from rural Manitoba forced to relocate to the downtown core due to "recent environmental issues."

It is unclear whether the bulletin was referencing residents of rural areas affected by flooding in the province earlier this summer.

Winnipeg police said its officers have met with Air Canada officials and co-operated with the airline's corporate security to evaluate safety concerns in the area.

But in a statement Saturday to CBC News, a police spokesman said that assessment is not yet completed.

The police spokesman acknowledged violence has been increasing in the city's downtown, but not specifically in the area around the Radisson hotel. The force also wouldn't comment on the report of displaced people causing the public safety issue.

A manager at the Radisson told CBC News on Saturday the hotel was told about the airline's move a week ago and is "sorry to see them go."

Concerns over Winnipeg's crime rate have recently emerged as an issue in the provincial election campaign, with party leaders being called to weigh in on public safety in the downtown core.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2011/10/01/air-canada-winnipeg-security.html



Regardless of whether this is an over-exaggerated move on AC's part, this is a big black eye shining directly on the city, especially the downtown, and will add fuel to Winnipeg's not-so-hot reputation across Canada. Will the fricking politicians please make some legitimate efforts to clean up the human scum that wander the downtown streets in excess??

EdWin, maybe you've been away too long. More good things are happening in downtown Winnipeg today than in the past 20~ years.

However, the problems highlighted are typical of what many cities in Western Canada are relatively recently dealing with. Including your adopted home. What are the answers to record numbers of poor peoples moving into those cities?

What are those cities supposed to do to combat the issues that some of the fringe element bring to the area? As one of our sandboxers has said many times as Main Street improves and certain facilities closed, the problem simply moved south and west.

The record flooding only compounded the problems by bringing more poor, and bored, people to the area.

Let's hear some potential solutions.

"More good things" is an understatement. Things are changing in that city like hasn't been seen in a long time, and I am very happy about there.

However, the one thing that isn't changing is the crime issue. Whether it's over or under inflated by anyone, it's still an issue that needs to be dealt with. This one story alone will be the focus for many, regardless of much much progression has been made, and this is what concerns me.

As for solutions? More cops on the streets? Harder sentencing time? The death penalty? A combination of all of the above? I have no idea. I'm not a criminologist and haven't been educated in that area, so I can't comment on solutions with certainty. I'm just an armchair observer like everyone else here who is concern about things like this and how they will affect the city, it's people and it's reputation.

Bottom line, this is not good, and something needs to be done; soon. Or all the positive steps that the city has taken to improve itself and the downtown will be for not.

grumpy old man wrote:EdWin, maybe you've been away too long. More good things are happening in downtown Winnipeg today than in the past 20~ years.

However, the crime problem and the perception of a crime problem are also at its highest in 20 years.

However, the problems highlighted are typical of what many cities in Western Canada are relatively recently dealing with. Including your adopted home. What are the answers to record numbers of poor peoples moving into those cities?

But they don't have our crime problems. So what is different?

What are those cities supposed to do to combat the issues that some of the fringe element bring to the area? As one of our sandboxers has said many times as Main Street improves and certain facilities closed, the problem simply moved south and west.

It's interesting to see that the problems on Portage Avenue are happening without the benefit of sleazy bars.

The record flooding only compounded the problems by bringing more poor, and bored, people to the area.

IMO, the displaced people are not the problem...it's our Winnipeg regulars that are causing it.

This may also be related to the antitpated increase of crime and violence after Jets games. I was in Toronto this spring when a Leafs game was on and in Vancouver during a play-off game and it was VERY scary - lots of scalpers, panhandlers, rowdy and obnoxious fans, fighting etc., and we all know what just happened in Vancouver after the final game. It is not surprising that people don't want to be exposed to that high level of violence.

The western Canadian cities impacted do have very high levels of violence - similar indeed to Winnipeg. Look at the crime statistics for Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. Always amoungst the very highest in the land.

There is a common element in those cities...

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/03/04/the-most-dangerous-cities-in-canada-overall-crime-score%E2%80%94by-rank/

I'm certain there are more recent statistics...

Violence after Jets games? Seriously? Where does this come from? If anything, downtown Winnipeg will be safer due to the huge influx of people on game days.

Criminals are basically cowards and don't like crowds...

Top story on CTV National News tonite.

Wouldn't it make more sense for flight crews to stay closer to the airport, and reduce the commute time to work?

yup

They like to be able to shop at Eaton's when there is a lay over,not to be isolated at the airport, plus the special $45 rate makes it pretty cheap.

Sam Katz is shocked by the announcement!

Gimme a break! Is Sammy a member of ACTRA?

....as if he didn't know just how crumby our downtown has become.

I can see how sammy would be shocked. I doubt it is due to the proclamation that downtown APPEARS to be unsafe. sammy is likely shocked because he did not hear it first from Air Canada and had to read it in brodschmucks sensationalistic way...

He didn't know the WPS were working with AC's security people on this?

tsk tsk tsk.....or....BS. one or the other eh.

I feel so strongly about this issue that I need to say it again in this thread.

EdWin wrote:If I may be so bold as to say what is on my mind here.

I feel that the reason neither the police, city or provincial gov'ts want to REALLY deal with this issue is that the majority of this issue revolves around a certain minority group. And said minority group would likely cry foul if any of the mentionned above would come out in public and admit the real cause of these problems. People would be labelled as racists and that the white devil is just continuing to keep them down and a whole bunch of other crap. Of course they would never want to admit the truth either.

In order to deal with this issue, we need to deal with the problems caused by this particual people, because whether or not anyone wants to say it, they are responsible for the majority of crime in Winnipeg and Manitoba. I would suggest that they need to work on their own issues without as much taxpayers money, however they would likely cry foul on that as well.

It's vicious circle that never ends. These people have the police and the gov't wrapped around their little fingers, and everyone knows this, and I am fricking sick of this crap and their threats and mind games.

EdWin wrote:In order to deal with this issue, we need to deal with the problems caused by this particual people, because whether or not anyone wants to say it, they are responsible for the majority of crime in Winnipeg and Manitoba.

I would suggest that they need to work on their own issues without as much taxpayers money, however they would likely cry foul on that as well.

These problems are not unique to Winnipeg, although we may it worse than any large Canadian city.

So long as there is a system that promotes learned helplessness, we will have a tough time making progress.

Fortunately for us, Harper has a majority government and can finally implement changes to drastically change INAC or phase it out with a system that promotes personal responsibility rather than a free ride. Free rides don't help in the long run.

Winnipeg Homicide maps 2009, 2010, 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/homicides/

When blowed up there were all of five murders in downtown Winnipeg since 2009.

But that map sure does demonstrate where the problems lie. The adjoining list documents well whom the problem lies with.

Now how the hell can that be fixed? Someone (you Dean?) suggested we pull all funding from the 2378 organizations offering "support" in the area and create one organization. Build and promote many super-CCs. Double support staff at area schools. Use school gymnasiums evenings and weekends. Load up on police presence.

Give the people in the area every opportunity to use their idle time more productively.

the amount of overhead involved in having that many agencies not working together is ridiculous, scandalous even.

Not bad, only took 2 days for the Chiefs to have a press conference and deflect the whole issue by playing the racism card. No solutions identified, but they're considering a lawsuit. Mo'money is the answer to all their problems, seems to be working so far.

I don't see how crime problems and other obnoxious problems can be labeled as racist. If the commentary is accurate (and chiefie admitted as much) then the comment is fact.

If the crime and panhandling and public drunkenness were mostly green aliens simply saying the problem is green aliens is not green alien racism.

Time for the chiefs to "get it" and do something about it.

The Chiefs need to accept the fact that a number of their people are out of control in relation to the rest of society. Of course having said that I must be racist. It must be nice for them to have blinders on.