HUNTER: Don’t blame ‘root causes’ in Saskatchewan massacre

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If “root causes” have been guilty for the bloodbath in Saskatchewan authored by Myles Sanderson, our streets can be awash in blood.

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That’s a reality.

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Each tiny nook of this nation can be a terrifying killing zone.

However the homicidal Sanderson is a rarity.

Pulling out that previous Annex trope does a grave disservice to the hundreds of thousands who’ve overcome trauma in warfare zones, awful childhoods, bodily and sexual abuse and all different manners of horror.

The planet is crawling with deeply broken folks however it’s a pittance who choose up a gun, a knife, a 2×4 or use their naked fists to lash out at a merciless, unjust world.

As a substitute, 99% handle life by means of their ache and attempt to be higher than their abusers. With out excuses.

And nonetheless, social media is alight with allegations of colonialism, racism and the entire kitchen sink of woke cliches. That is what’s REALLY behind this tragedy that noticed 10 folks butchered by a maniac, they inform us.

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I’m brushing not one of the harrowing points that Sanderson and his brother Damien handled of their brief lives. Abuse and incarceration are sometimes an countless cycle demanding a breaking level.

Sanderson, 30, a gray, throbbing muscle of rage and resentment started the alleged killing early Sunday morning within the tiny north-central Saskatchewan reserve of James Smith Cree Nation. The place he had known as house.

By sundown, 10 folks had been stabbed to dying by the brothers Sanderson. The subsequent day, Damien Sanderson was discovered lifeless.

Because the Prairie province quaked in terror, an enormous manhunt was underway for Myles Sanderson. Alongside the best way, experiences leaked out about his 59 convictions. About somebody pondering he would possibly match properly again into the neighborhood he little doubt terrorized.

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However by Wednesday afternoon, he had been run to floor, but not earlier than inflicting accidents upon himself that might be deadly.

He knew a few of the victims, cops inform us, others have been full strangers.

In reality, information reveal that he tried to kill one of many lifeless in January 2015.

That man was 66-year-old Princess Patricia’s Canadian Gentle Infantry veteran Earl Burns. He was Sanderson’s father-in-law and within the earlier incident he had been stabbed a number of occasions by the alleged mass killer.

Sanderson bought sentenced to 2 years much less a day for that bloody escapade. On Sunday, Burns grew to become one of many 10 lifeless who, in line with Veterans Voices of Canada “gave his life to avoid wasting his spouse and grandchildren.”

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There was one other double stabbing in 2018 in opposition to two different residents of the reserve.

Then there was Sanderson’s lengthy historical past of home violence. Blended in was a smattering of situations and probation. Orders have been drawn for counselling for anger administration, home violence and addictions.

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Extra situations. Extra probation. Extra counselling. Extra fees. Rinse. Repeat.

Although Sanderson lied about residing along with his former spouse and was despatched again to the slammer final November, he was sprung once more in February.

He was not thought-about “an undue danger to society.”

An often-used Portuguese proverb is that “The street to hell is paved with good intentions.” It suits in neatly with the tragic occasions in Saskatchewan in the course of the terrible September of 2022.

It’s an concept that works a lot better at explaining the evil actions of the Myles Sandersons of the world than snatching the “root causes” chalice.

Simply ask the folks of James Smith Cree First Nation.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun