Residents live in fear evicted man will return

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This article was published 23/12/2022 (732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Residents of Riding Mountain National Park are scared about the potential for violence if a man, who was evicted and charged with firearms offences, returns with his supporters and sets up a blockade.

People who live near Lake Audy are worried Wesley Bone will make good on his promise to return with 35 supporters and cut off access.

They want park wardens to increase their presence in the area. Thursday night, they voiced concerns to Parks Canada and the RCMP at a meeting at the visitors centre, which was monitored by the Brandon Sun.

Dean Krupa, whose family has lived at Lake Audy for generations, said people live in fear.

“There’s a group that are there. There’s a bunch of guns that are there. I don’t know who they belong to… so I think it’s a very valid safety (concern).”

Parks Canada staff told the 30-plus people in attendance they are “confident” in the charges laid against Bone, who set up camp in the area in 2019.

On Friday, the Sun received clarification about the charges against Bone. Crown prosecutor Matthew Sinclair said Bone has been charged with six offences under section 86 (1) of the Criminal Code of Canada relating to the unlawful storage of firearms, and one federal Parks Canada charge for removing two notices contrary to the Canada National Parks Act.

Bone has vowed to “peacefully” return to Lake Audy and set up a blockade on Crawford Park Road, which he claims runs through a historical Indigenous cemetery where his ancestors are buried.

“If they’re going to make threats of banning me out of my traditional territory, then we’re going to shut down the road until we have these graves marked properly,” Bone said.

In November, wardens arrested Bone in Strathclair and his belongings were removed from his encampment near Lake Audy. He is banned from the park, except to use Highway 10, which runs through it.

“As far as it goes, there is no charges,” Bone said, though he did say he has been told he must appear at the courthouse in Minnedosa on March 28, 2023. “I’ve spoken to the RCMP, and I told them what (Parks Canada) have on their documents is just another colonial force banning me off of my territory.”

Dean Krupa, and his sister Darla, told the Sun Friday residents are scared and angry.

“There’s 200 people in that area that this affects directly if this goes bad,” Darla Krupa said. “I’m really frustrated.”

Dean Krupa said the coalition of concerned citizens has not been told if wardens will increase their presence.

Bone is adamant he never made threats of violence against anyone. He said he had one gun stored at Lake Audy, which he kept under his bed with the safety on and only used for hunting.

“We are completely peaceful. We don’t use guns to manipulate or to bring the truth out.”

A Parks Canada spokesperson sent an email Friday saying it will continue to have a “measured” approach that takes into account the safety of all people involved and respect for the collective rights of Indigenous people to access their traditional territory.

“Parks Canada is continuing to work with the local First Nations to ensure all rights holders continue to have access to the Lake Audy area,” the statement said.

The campground, lake and bison enclosure remain closed. Lake Audy is 300 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

— Brandon Sun