'I just wasn't prepared to sit back and watch any longer'
Missing Indigenous women and exploitation in Winnipeg cause Bear Clan Patrol to reassemble for change
When the body of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine was found in Winnipeg's Red River in 2014, the Bear Clan Patrol assembled to fight exploitation in their community. James Favel heads up the Indigenous-led volunteer group, which is not unlike a neighbourhood watch.
"We didn't know who the perpetrator was, so we were out there on the streets with flashlights, pens, and pads of paper taking down license plates and hanging around ... where most of the exploitation was happening at the time," said Favel.
The Bear Clan now does many different things, patrolling five to six nights a week in the North End of Winnipeg. They typically have about 20 volunteers on a given evening. The patrol says hello to neighbours, makes their presence known and hands out food.
The Bear Clan started up in 1992, but went on a hiatus until Favel started it up again in 2015.
"Basically we're goodwill ambassadors in the community," said Favel. "We're out there showing that there's someone out there that's supporting. We can be a liaison between the police and other service providers."
Helping in times of crisis
Raymond Cormier, the man accused of killing Fontaine, was found not guilty in February.
"With the Stanley verdict and then the Cormier verdict in our community, we really didn't have ... the expectation of justice," said Favel. "And that's sad."
There is a brothel on Favel's street, and he often witnesses the exploitation of women in the community.
"We have drug addiction; we have exploitation; we have solvent abuse; we have homelessness; we have poverty. So all of the inner-city issues...we're dealing with them head-on."
Favel's own wife and daughter have been badgered by unwanted sexual advances from these predators in the community.
"I just wasn't prepared to sit back and watch any longer."
The Bear Clan has been able to build rapport in the community by helping in times of crisis.
"I guess in the beginning everybody kind of thought that we were crazy. But through persistence and commitment we've demonstrated that we are serious about what we're doing."
Bridging the gap between Indigenous people and the police
The North End of Winnipeg is about 75 per cent Indigenous. Historically, Indigenous people have been underserved but overrepresented in the prisons, says Favel.
"There has historically been neglectful activities from our police here in the city. But I'm happy to say that what we're seeing these days has been a 180-degree change in the way the policing is done in the community."
The Bear Clan works effectively with the Winnipeg police, and the police say that the patrol has become a bridge between the community and law enforcement.
"We are seeing things change. It's getting healthier," said Favel. "And we have to work together, we have to keep at it. And hopefully things will be better for our children."
Learning from past experience
When Favel was young, he made some mistakes that got him arrested. Those arrests were often drug-related. He says those experiences help him understand kids like him while he patrols with the Bear Clan.
Favel says that is life is pretty good now, and he wants to see his community living better as well.
The Bear Clan works to promote a stakeholder mentality in the neighbourhood, engaging the community in a positive, prosocial way.
"I want to see that my daughter is comfortable, safe and secure. I want to see that my wife can walk to the store without being harrassed and badgered. And I want others to have that similar experience"
This story appears in the Out in the Open episode "Protection."