Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 9, 2009, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page a4 a 4 Winnipeg free press Friday january 9, 2009 top news Winnipeg repress. Com Donald at Wardlaw 982 9494 wow. Shop journeys. Com Sale ends january 18th Mon Fri 10am 9pm, sat 10am 6pm, Sun noon 5pm 30 % 60 % off remaining fall & Winter fashions and More 73% of women read the Winnipeg free press at least once a week. The Union representing rank and file police officers is taking the forces top brass to task for giving two officers the Choice to return to work less than 24 hours after witnessing a Man shoot himself to death. Mike Sutherland president of the Winnipeg police association said thursday hers concerned about the was not properly following protocols to guard against officers suffering Long term stress after being involved in traumatic events. Speaking on behalf of the police service const. Jason Michalyshin said however it was the Choice of the officers to return to work just hours after the bizarre incident unfolded. He said policy was followed correctly. Early wednesday morning a Man held a gun to his head and shot himself with police standing just metres away. The incident occurred following a Short foot Pursuit after officers stopped a vehicle in the West end. Sutherland wonders How the officers were even offered the Choice of working thursday Given the grisly scene they witnessed. In terms of traumatic situations like this someone taking their life a few feet away right before your very eyes i dont know How anybody be affected Sutherland said. Nowadays Given the number of lethal Force encounters. We need to get the help to them in a timely fashion. Police were tight lipped thursday about the incident which unfolded after the victim bolted from a car that was stopped by police on Beverley Street near Portage Avenue around 4 a. M. About 10 minutes later officers who were chasing the Man encountered him in the nearby Back Lane of Simcoe Street and st. Matthews Avenue. He put a handgun to his head right in front of the officers and pulled the trigger. They have not released his age or any other information that May identify him. They did confirm that he was not wanted on any outstanding warrants. Police said they had located interviewed and released the Driver of the Honda that was stopped. He is not facing any charges. Michalyshin said he confirm Why police had stopped the vehicle. While the Driver did leave the scene police Arentt considering it a flight from Justice. Michalyshin described the events As traumatic for All involved. One of the officers at the scene had Only been on the Job for months the free press was told by a source. The was policy Sutherland questioned works in two ways it can be activated informally at the request of an officer or fellow officer or formally meaning the officer is placed on a Short mandatory leave and is referred to a psychologist. Formal activations take place following the most serious and volatile situations such As where an officer has been directly involved in shooting a suspect. The guidelines have been in place for at least five years and Sutherland said they ave been effective. In wednesdays Case Michalyshin said enacting the informal Side of the protocol was appropriate As the officers did not have any direct part in the mans death. It was their Choice. Its not something that they re forced into he said. He was Adamant that the officers in question had been provided with psychological resources by the service. They All accessed it Michalyshin said. Sutherland said the officers supervisor requested they not work until they had spoken with a psychologist which took place thursday. He said the officers May not have wanted to show weakness by requesting time off. Its Why he feels the Force should have made counselling mandatory. Sometimes the people that can put on the Best and bravest face Are those that Are hurting the most inside. We want to get away from the 30 or 40 year history of stress issues faced by officers sometimes leading to Domestic problems marital breakup and drug and alcohol abuse. James. Turner free press. My. Ca officers should be on leave cops who saw shooting too stressed out Union by James Turner e rez crossing Israel the United nations Security Council voted to Call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza strip late thursday hours after the world body suspended the delivery of All humanitarian supplies there. Fourteen of the councils 15 members voted in favour of the Compromise Resolution worked out in three Days of intense bargaining involving several Arab foreign ministers u. S. Secretary of state condole Ezza Rice British foreign Secretary David Miliband and French foreign minister Bernard Bouchner. The u. S. Abstained. The text stresses the urgency of and Calls for an immediate durable and fully respected ceasefire leading to the full withdrawal of israeli forces from Gaza. It Calls for the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance including of food fuel and medical treatment and welcomes initiatives aimed at creating and opening humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms for the sustained delivery of humanitarian Aid. Moments before the Resolution was passed israeli warplanes dropped bombs on areas on the outskirts of Gaza the main City in the North of the territory. Hours earlier the delivery of humanitarian supplies was halted after two in truck Drivers were killed by what the in said was an israeli tank. So far about 750 palestinians have been killed including at least 169 children and teenagers. Adding to growing International pressure on Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza the International committee of the red Cross which usually does not offer Public comments on areas of conflict accused Israel of failing to meet its obligation under International humanitarian Law to care for and evacuate the wounded from combat zones. The in said it would halt All delivery of Aid goods until Israel could assure the safety of its workers. The in Drivers died very close to the Erez crossing As a three hour daily Lull in the fighting unilaterally observed by Israel began. The attack happened hours after three rockets were fired into the jewish state from Lebanon sparking fears that the conflict in Gaza might evolve into a War on two fronts. Hezbollah which attacked Israel with thousands of rockets during a summer War in 2006, said its forces in Southern Lebanon were not responsible for the attack. Clashes involving Light and heavy machine guns As Well As explosions caused by artillery mortars and warplanes could clearly be heard from time to time inside the narrow coastal strip on thursday by journalists gathered at Erez. The crossing is one of the key Transfer Points for humanitarian Aid entering the enclave and the Only Way that Ganzans and foreigners May leave the territory. Despite the fighting Israel allowed 89 trucks carrying 2,200 tons of food and medical supplies As Well As some Oil and Gas to enter Gaza on thursday prime minister Ehud of Mertys office said in a statement. The conflict erupted on dec. 27 when Israel moved to try to prevent rocket attacks from the territory. As it entered its 13th Day a senior israeli official met with egyptians in Cairo to discuss a Franco egyptian ceasefire proposal. Israeli Media reported that at least two dozen rockets were launched toward Israel from Gaza on thursday. The in Drivers who were killed were part of a three vehicle Convoy going to collect the body of another in worker killed in earlier fighting in the palestinian territory in spokesman Chris Gunness told the bbl. One of the unmarked vehicles in the Convoy had taken three direct hits he said. They Israel defense forces knew exactly where we were going and at what time Gunness said. Suspending Aid was a huge blow to us Given what he described As the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. It is clearly a very difficult decision to make. Until now investigators had been unable to determine whether the attack had been carried out by the if or Hamas said Mark Regev prime minister of Mertys spokesman adding that Israel fully supported the Unis Relief efforts in Gaza. Reports in the israeli Media said israeli troops believed the in Driver May have been killed by Hamas. In accusing Israel of not fulfilling its obligations to assist people wounded in a combat zone the i arc said that on wednesday red Crescent medics who had been prevented for four Days from reaching the wounded in the Village of Zeitoun found four Small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses. They were too weak to stand up on their own. One Man was also found alive too weak to stand up. In All there were at least 12 corpses lying on mattresses. The israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded nor did they make it possible for us or the palestinian red Crescent to assist the wounded said Pierre Wettach the ice cos representative for Israel and the palestinian territories. Nine israeli soldiers have died since sunday. Can West news service with files from Reuters a recent Spike in respiratory infections in children prompted health officials to warn parents to take Steps to prevent serious illnesses such As bronchitis. A High number of Young children with respiratory infections have been admitted to Hospital since november including some that needed oxygen masks and ventilators. Sixty two children were admitted to childrens Hospital including nine patients who were admitted to paediatric intensive care. Eight of the admissions were infants less than six months old. Health officials said hand washing and keeping infants away from shopping malls or schools where people have colds is the Best Way to prevent disease. Children under one year can develop very serious illnesses that require hospitalization. Sometimes the people that can put on the Best and bravest face Are those that Are hurting the most inside. Spa president Mike Sutherland parents warned about infections the evening was mostly peaceful but police broke up a few heated disputes Between pro palestinian and pro Israel supporters thursday outside the Asper jewish Community Campus. About 30 pro palestinian supporters and activists took part in a Vigil outside the Centre As hundreds of people arrived for a pro Israel rally inside the Doncaster Street Campus. The cold is pretty bad but its not As bad As having your family Home bombed said Daniel thau Eleff one of the organizers of the Vigil put on by the Canada Palestine support network and Canadian muslims for Palestine. Activists outside the Campus clutched White candles and passed out flyers decrying what thau Eleff described As the massacre in Gaza As an estimated 800 people arrived for the stand with Israel event organized by the jewish federation of Winnipeg. Roughly a dozen police officers were on hand to keep order outside but Only a few verbal skirmishes took place Between the two groups. Guests at the pro Israel rally packed into a crowded gym. What we should be supporting is a truce said attendee Pam Zentner who said she hoped to see a peace treaty in Israel. Half a dozen provincial and Federal politicians came to voice their support and denounce rocket attacks by Hamas a political and paramilitary organization. Provincial Justice minister Dave Chomiak Kildonan st. Paul my Joy Smith Winnipeg South Centre my Anita Neville Tuxedo la Heather Stefanson provincial water stewardship minister Christine Melnick and Federal Treasury Board president Vic Toews All attended the stand with Israel event. Defence of Israel is not a political Choice for our government it is a moral imperative said Toews to a standing ovation from the crowd. Jewish federation of Winnipeg chief executive officer Bob Freedman said the purpose of the event was to show Solidarity and support for the state of Israel. We see there Are people outside with a different View and thatus Fine he said. There were similar rallies from Halifax to Vancouver. While some 30 protesters marched into the israeli consulate in Montreal and handed officials a mock eviction notice a group that included jewish musicians academics and activists gathered in Toronto to denounce Canadas stance. Lindsey. Wiebe free press. My. Ca supporters of both sides let their voices be heard by Lindsey Wiebe Stop fighting in Gaza in world body suspends Aid after Drivers killed by tank by Matthew Fisher Boris Minkevich / Winnipeg free press supporters gathered at the Asper jewish Community Campus thursday to show Solidarity with Israel. A 04_ Jan 09 09. Ind a4 1/ 8/ 09 10 48 42 pm ;