Kootenay Crust By Ian Cobb

Op-Ed Commentary

A recent study released by a Lower Mainland law firm indicates Western Canada has a problem.

Specifically, we’re Canada’s vandals when it comes to being unruly arseholes during Halloween.

Preszler Law reports Saskatchewan leads Canadian provinces in property damage rates during Halloween season, followed by Manitoba and Alberta. And right behind the cheeky prairie provinces is British Columbia.

“According to data collected from Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan ranked highest with an average property damage rate of 6,371 incidents per 100,000 people, closely followed by Manitoba with 5,964 incidents per 100,000. Alberta ranks third in the country, recording an average of 5,075 incidents per 100,000 residents,” Preszler Law outlined in a media release. B.C. takes fourth place with 4,439 incidents per 100,000 residents.

The analysis also indicates that Quebec has the lowest rate, with 1,743 incidents per 100,000.

The data, calculated per 100,000 residents, reflects incidents occurring each October from 2019 through 2023and highlights trends in damage rates across all provinces.

“As Halloween approaches, property damage, including vandalism, broken windows, and graffiti, often increases due to mischief associated with the holiday. So, local residents are reminded to remain vigilant and tighten their security measures to avoid such damage and mischief, Prezler Law advises.

“As we approach Halloween, we advise community members to be aware and take preventative measures where possible,” said David E. Prezler. “This time of year can come with a spike in mischievous activities, and simple steps like increased neighborhood watch, good lighting, and community awareness can help reduce property damage.”

So this leads me to wonder why we Western Canadians grow so vandalous at this time of year?

There is certainly some element of tradition to it, I can attest as a Manitoba raised lugan.

Every year on “gate night” as we called it (the night before Halloween) we young (mostly) boys in south Winnipeg would sneak out under some pretext in order to raise havoc.

Where I grew up, in the country outside Winnipeg, there were huge volumes of rotting vegetables and tomatoes to pilfer from farms, often in easy-to-cart-off boxes or crates, which we would gather the week leading up to gate night.

And then we’d march the soon-to-be juicy, smelly projectiles to a designated launch spot, at a corner on a local highway. On one side of the road was a thick woods spoked with trails we knew like the backs of our hands and on the other wise of the road was an elevated lobbing spot that led to a massive field with long grasses.

We’d split up into teams and take position and around about 9 p.m., otherwise wasted produce rained from the night sky onto what would be now classic vehicles.

Whenever a screaming, angry driver stopped, instead of running, we showered them with more tomatoes, cabbages, peppers etc. Naughty, Bad. Wrong. Yes, yes and yes but damned it was fun!

So, there is that so-called traditional aspect. We did it because we learned it from our older siblings and so on. My older brother was a real scamp and he had me trained young to be a little bugger. I reckon that continued with succeeding generations.

Some ‘traditions’ are beyond the pale, though, such as the one-time tradition of Wilmer/Invermere kids who piled tires across Toby Creek Bridge and lit them ablaze (back in the 1980s and ‘90s, with occasional re-appearances). The idea of gate night, or hell night or whatever your particular area called it, was to have some cheeky fun, not destroy things or endanger people.

What else makes Western Canadians so prone to messing up their neighbours’ stuff?

The worst places are the prairie provinces, where small town life abounds and boredom grips even the most vivacious soul at some stage. Yet the same can be said for everywhere else in Canada.

Is it a lack of respect instilled in Western Canadian kids? Head injuries from sports? Tainted water? Cold weather? Lackadaisical parenting? Behind-the-eight-ball genes? Easily accessible alcohol? Bad drugs? Broken societal norms?

In many areas in Western Canada one could easily find someone willing to blame Justin Trudeau and part two of western alienation for their child’s/children’s vandalism sprees.

Whatever it is, heads up. Be vigilant the next couple of nights and watch out for young trick and treaters on Halloween eve.

– Ian Cobb is owner/editor of e-KNOW

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