Divide between urban and rural is not always there
Much is made — especially in political circles — of the divide between country and city dwellers in Saskatchewan.
But that rift may not be as big as it seems. As researchers found during the first round of Taking the Pulse — a joint project between the University of Saskatchewan Social Sciences Research Laboratories, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina LeaderPost — the majority of residents believe calling the police is the best way to respond if someone attempts to take their property.
There was no measurable difference in the results from urban and rural residents, with 55 per cent saying the extent to which Saskatchewan residents should be allowed to protect their personal property from crime should be to call the authorities.
“It may be busting a myth here,” said Steve Wormith, a professor and director at the University of Saskatchewan’s Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies.
“This idea that the rural country perspective/approach to sort of selfimposed justice just didn’t fly at all ... This result was not a rural phenomenon.”
It is a perception worth blowing up. Some media — especially those located outside the province — were enamoured with the idea of guntoting farmers riding around with guns in their tractors. As the province struggled with the serious racial and societal rifts that became pronounced after farmer Gerald Stanley was charged in the shooting death of Colten Boushie, the extreme images of rural vigilantes did not help this dialogue.
It is worth noting that 55 per cent saying that calling the police is the best response is not that high an outcome. Clearly, work must be done to build trust that police will quickly respond to and solve property crimes. The idea of 45 per cent of homeowners being willing to take the law into their own hands is frightening.
It shows the importance of education programs and the provincial government’s investment of $5.9 million to hire more police officers and expand the roles of commercial vehicle enforcement officers and conservation officers.
Rural or urban, the people of Saskatchewan are united in wanting to feel safe in their homes. Residents need to work with government to make this a reality, no matter where in the province they live.