Case Explained: MLA, RCMP add input during Greater Lakeland Rural Crime Watch AGM – Legal Perspective

ST. PAUL – The Greater Lakeland Rural Crime Watch Association (GLRCWA) is all set for another year, following the organization’s 2026 Annual General Meeting, which brought together an encouraging number of members from across the area to the Canalta Hotel meeting room on Feb. 10. The group approved a newly revised set of bylaws and elected an executive for the coming year.

President Jonny Nielsen thanked all for attending, saying he thought it was the largest group in some time. The association has joined the Alberta Provincial Rural Crime Watch Association, has received helpful information from the provincial group and is planning to send representation to the Provincial AGM.

A review of the past year once again saw trespassing problems during hunting season, and the first-ever GLRCW meeting in Glendon. While there are no rural crime watch groups in Bonnyville and Cold Lake, he said rather than expanding, “We decided that we would stay back here. We will have some town hall meetings and think they are reasonably successful.”

GLRCW secretary Yvonne Weinmeier, who also serves as the executive director of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, said she feels that “crime and vagrancy need to be reduced, and it depends on our participation. After years of rebuilding and restructuring to the point where we have strong governance, we are now ready to move forward. A comprehensive review of the membership is underway and the bylaws needed updating. Member participation is important . . . We are strengthening partnerships but we cannot move forward without a strong board. Strong leadership is essential.”

Those newly revised bylaws were next on the agenda, read out by Weinmeier, and a special resolution to repeal the former bylaws and replace them with the new bylaws was passed unanimously.

As per the new bylaws, president Nielsen, vice president Orest Sereda and secretary Weinmeier were returned to the executive for another one-year term as were directors Lester Nichols and Levina Ewasiuk. Treasurer Anna Leskiw and director Anna Bazian were returned for two years, with new directors David Inscho taking a two-year term and Darlene Sereda a one-year term. All of the newly elected executive and directors joined to repeat the oath of office in unison.

Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr attended the meeting, and congratulated the GLRCW on the new bylaws, which he felt “are very thorough and will solve a lot of problems.” Crime, however, is a problem that is “getting worse, and with catch and release, the RCMP are working hard but the prisoners are being let go. This area is in the top 10 in the province of crime severity, and the Lac La Biche area is in the top five.”

Cyr added that finding lawyers “is always a problem,” and noted that the province was able to get a northern retention allowance for prosecutors, although he said that in some areas they are faced with massive workloads compared cities, and even finding office space for them is a problem. “I spoke to the Justice and Infrastructure ministers on it and told them it is falling short.”

Questions on everything from monitors for prolific offenders and restorative justice for non-violent crimes to addiction and transitional housing were also brought to the MLA’s attention.

Elk Point RCMP Sgt. Steven Nolan reported that crime rate “is down 35 to 40 per cent” in his area, “but St. Paul has a different dynamic. They have the district resources for northeast Alberta and a crime reduction team.”

When asked what individuals can do to help the RCMP, the sergeant said, “Get out there and call us. We have a call taker and a dispatcher who work together. We have a system in place, and we need people to be witnesses.”

Wrapping up the annual meeting, Nielsen told the sergeant on behalf of the GLRCW, “We want to assist you to make this a lower crime area.”