Rally calls for increased policing, services in Happy Valley-Goose Bay

About 80 people gathered at a rally in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Friday to share their concerns aboutpublic safety in the communityand to call on the provincial government to act.

The central Labrador town is dealing with a number of issues arising from a homeless and transient population that is primarily living onthe trailsthroughout the area. The town council estimates 80 people are livingon the trails.

Sacha Fraser one of the organizers of the rally, said the town needs the provincial government's help.

"I worry about the safety of children in the community, I worry about the safety of vulnerable people in the community," said Fraser.

"We're in a very serious public safety crisis and we need help."

The rally was in response to a report in the St. John'sTelegram that said provincial Justice and Public Safety Minister John Hoganwouldbe in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Friday. Hogan told CBCNews on Thursday his trip has beendelayed until next week because of the legislature schedule.

Fraser said the provincial government is focused on long-term solutions and that while those are important, the community needs immediate help. She said there needs to be enough police to respond to incdidents and put preventive measures in place.

"The illegal and indecent behaviour and aggressive behaviour escalated quite a bit over the last number of months. And if the resources aren't there to deal with escalating behaviour, then one can only draw the conclusion that things will get worse and something will happen," Fraser said.

"They need more attention and they need immediate attention. Because without those things sort of being resolved, we won't have the foundation we need to put the longer term solutions in place."

Fraser said she hopes Hogan hears from people who areconcerned, like the ones at the rally, and takes the issue seriously.

Many peopleat the rally shared stories, including a woman who said she was chased on the trails by two men while she was walking her dog.

Another woman, Jill Elson, said she grew up walking around the trails with friends, but it's different for her children.

"Typically I should be worried about my teenage daughter going out and partying and that type of thing. That doesn't even have to cross our mind because she doesn't go out anywhere because she's scared," Elson said. "I'm scared of her getting harassed by intoxicated people or assaulted."

Elson said she wasn't going to speak upuntil she heard the minister's comments in the House of Assembly this past week.

On Tuesday,Hogan said the issue is complex but that the province will not police their way out of it, especially when the people being talked about are Indigenous. He said that is a past colonial way of thinking.

Elson said it's not a colonial way of thinking to arrest people doing illegal acts in public.

"This isn't an Indigenous issue or the colonialized way of looking in the lens. This is safety for us all, including those who are in the woods, and we're just trying to get our town back," she said.

Her child's daycare group can no longer go on walks outside because of harassment concerns as well, she said.

"They should not be scared to go outside and play," Elson said. "But there's people going around assaulting, traumatizing the children, bumming them for money."

Elson said there needs to be safety and mental health supportsin the community.While the mental health of those committing illegal acts is important, she said, the mental health of those being assaulted should be considered as well.

"We all have to abide by the law, and right now the valley is lawless."

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