Clarity Sure Would Be Nice

There weren't many contentious issues during the 2013 floods in Alberta, especially in Calgary.  Considering the disaster upon the city, it wasn't like we were mired in any kind of controversy.  Yet, just down the road in High River, it was a totally different story.

I had a chat with Roy Green over the weekend, reflecting on the one-year anniversary and when asked about any "ongoing issues" still needing to be addressed, I said the RCMP's handling of guns in High River is still going to be front-and-centre for many in that neck of the woods.  We've waited for a year now for a report and analysis to be done, which many people hope actually give us some answers on who called the shots on that one and why.

We could probably argue until we're blue in the face about what exactly happened.  But I'm willing to let that discussion wait until we get all the facts from the powers that be.  I can say that I've heard plenty of rumours and rumblings and I have a few working theories in place.  If I get anywhere with them, I'll let you know.  But for now, all it would be is speculation and rumours.

I do find some of the arguments interesting though from those who can't believe the RCMP would even step foot in residential homes to begin with during the flood.  One particular comment I saw really irked me though.  "There was no good excuse to kick people's doors in and walk around their homes in muddy boots."  Normally I'd say just one person is probably thinking this, but I've seen more than a few of them.  So, being that I like playing devil's advocate, I'm going to respond to this one (even if some of you think this is just "feeding the trolls").

I'm going to give you a hypothetical situation.  The RCMP decide not to go door-to-door as it's not safe to go back into the community as the flood waters are really rushing in.  They have decided they will not enforce the mandatory evacuation that's been ordered.  And after the flood waters subside, everyone goes back in to realize that several people have died inside their homes as they either ignored or were not aware of the evacuation order.  Who do you think is going to get the blame for that one?

Here's another story: winter storm paralyzed the Trans-Canada Highway a few years back yet people still tried to drive between Medicine Hat and Calgary.  A young man in shorts hit the ditch in his vehicle.  The car died and he was left freezing with no emergency kit/blanket/etc.  He tried to call RCMP who were being called out to several other people being stuck and they told him they'll get to him when they can (even though they can't see 10-feet in front of the hood of their vehicles as they're trying to find stranded motorists).  He was finally saved, everything was good, yet he still had the audacity to blame RCMP for not getting to him sooner.

Is it wrong to connect these two to a certain extent?  

In a state of emergency, is it not the authorities who are looking out for everyone's best interests?  Let's forget the guns for a second.  A door or a muddy carpet can be replaced.  Can a life?

By no means am I giving any policing authority a blank slate to do whatever they want.  But should we not be looking at the overall picture (aka context)?  We were in a state of emergency and is it not likely that decisions made were to make sure as many people as possible were safe?  Even if that meant they would have to "kick people's doors in and walk around their homes in muddy boots"?

Maybe I'm way out in left field on this one though.  Maybe policing agencies use natural disasters as a cover to break into homes to dig up some dirt on their residents so that they can implement their grand master plan of world domination and a complete police state.

Just some thoughts to ponder.

Again, I really look forward to seeing what happens with that federal report into what happened in High River.  If the RCMP or the town or anyone else overstepped their boundaries, you know we'll be reporting on it.  But there is that possibility that no one overstepped boundaries and everything was done with public safety in mind.  And we'll be reporting on that too.  I just hope we can get some answers sooner rather than later, so that we can finally move on from that part of the disaster and allow some people to finally move on and deal with the real tragedy here, that being people losing their homes and, in some cases, their lives.

Flood 2013: One Year Later

Let me echo the sentiment that has rang loud and clear over the past week or so: it's so hard to believe that it was a year ago that we were all bracing for the worst disaster in Alberta's history.  The 2013 Flood was something none of us ever want to live through again.  And while many of us media types take a look back, I thought I'd take a moment as well to do the same.

Last July, I did write up a blog post on my feelings right after the insanity subsided.  You can read that whole post here.  The emotion and feelings were still pretty strong at that point (and a little sleep deprivation).  I've also obviously moved up in the world, so my outlook has changed a little bit.  But the message does remain the same.

It's that raw emotion that still rattles me.  Nothing will jar you more than looking into the eyes of someone who has lost everything except the shirt off their back and ask them to answer a few questions with a microphone in hand.  Truth be told: after the third day of the flood, I went home and cried myself to sleep.  It wouldn't be the first time during a stretch of six days straight where I worked 20-hour days (happened twice).  Part of it might have been physical and mental exhaustion, but the bigger part was, without a doubt, the bottled up emotions that you're not only feeling, but the ones you're sharing with those you're speaking with.

But it was all worth it.  It's what I, and most other journalists, live for.  We're here to inform.  It's events like the flood which give us the opportunity to tell stories in a way most others can't.  As I mentioned in my post from last July, it's when we are a true public service.  Whether it be on the air or online, we're trying to give you the most up-to-date information in real-time.

A little story for you: I was part of the team that launched 102.1 The Lounge in Medicine Hat in the spring of 2008.  Within the first few weeks of being on-air, we had several big stories come our way, including a major thunderstorm which ripped through Burdett, Seven Persons and other parts of SE Alberta. We went out to those communities that night and the next morning and brought our listeners every story we got a hold of.  It was after that when many people came to us and said "you've gained our trust and are now our news source."  For a team of two (at the time), that was pretty special.  That sentiment continued throughout my time in the 'Hat and, even to this day, some people still claim that I (and other members of my old team) hold that place as "the place to go."  I'm still very proud of what our team (Christy, Steve & Harv) accomplished.

And that's what I (and all journalists) really strive for: to be trusted in your home and office.  That's what we wanted during the 2013 floods.  And I reckon that's what we'll all be striving for heading into this coming week, as Southern Alberta braces for more possible flooding in the Lethbridge and Medicine Hat regions in particular.  Sitting in my new position as news director, I can say without a shadow of doubt that's my team's goal here in Calgary each and every day, and we'll do everything we can to provide that as Alberta battens down the hatches.

One final note: thank you for allowing us into your homes, offices and lives.