RCMP in Alberta have charged two suspects and are searching for a third after a century-old church was burned down in a community northeast of Edmonton.
Smoky Lake RCMP said officers were responding to reports of vehicle thefts in the community on Sept. 21, when they received reports of a fire in the nearby hamlet of Bellis, located around 140 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
RCMP say the fire “ultimately destroyed” the All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The church temple dates back to 1932, and was built by the community established in the area in 1918, according to the Canadian Orthodox History Project.
RCMP said they believe an “accelerant” was used in the church burning.
“We are saddened to see a nearly century-old cultural building destroyed in such a manner,” said Sgt. Anita Doktor, Detachment Commander of the Smoky Lake RCMP in the statement. “We believe in preserving our history, no matter our beliefs, and want to highlight the fact that this is not something that should take place within our communities.”
RCMP said it had first received calls on Sept. 21 regarding one attempted and one successful vehicle theft in the community of Smoky Lake, and that the suspects had left the area together in two separate vehicles. Officers located the vehicles, which were said to be “driving erratically” and attempted a traffic stop.
“The vehicles fled and a Tire Deflation Device was deployed on the suspect vehicle. The vehicle steered towards a police car and rammed it, with a suspect deploying bear mace in an attempt to escape,” the statement said. “The stolen vehicle fled the scene while the suspect vehicle eventually stopped, with suspects fleeing on foot.”
Alberta RCMP police dog services and remote-piloted aircraft system members were deployed, assisting in locating and arresting three suspects, one of which was a youth, said the release.
Sandy Dawn Marie White, 23, and Lazare Favel, 26, from Saddle Lake First Nations were arrested and face several charges in the case including arson, mischief to cultural property, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, mischief under $5,000, assaulting police with a weapon, break and enter, possession of break-in tools, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.
Smoky Lake RCMP said they were also looking for information about the third suspect in the case. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Smoky Lake RCMP or Crime Stoppers. Tips can also be reported to local police offices.
‘100 Churches’
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre recently referred to the Bellis church burning as he called for an end to “anti-Christian hate” in the country.
“One hundred churches have been burned,” Poilievre said, in response to a reporter’s question during a Sept. 29 press conference. “Christians may be the number one group that are victims of hate-based violence. But, of course, it’s not politically correct to say that.”
Poilievre said that the Liberal government has not done enough to protect Christians in Canada, and said if elected, his government would do more to address the ongoing incidents.
The Liberals have said that Bill C-9, known as the Combatting Hate Act, will protect religious institutions such as churches by creating a new crime for obstructing or intimidating those who want to use faith-based institutions. The bill would also make hate-motivated crime a specific criminal offence.
Church fires started happening in 2021, after the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced that ground-penetrating radar had located possible burial sites of 215 “missing children” at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The number of potential grave sites was later revised to 200.
A series of arsons and desecrations at churches across Canada followed 16 other announcements of potential unmarked burial sites at former residential schools.
The sites have not been excavated and no remains have been found to date.
Matthew Horwood contributed to this article.
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