World News

First responders across the globe flock to downtown Winnipeg for World Police and Fire Games’ opening ceremony | CBC News

[ad_1]

Downtown Winnipeg saw thousands of first responders from across Canada and the world as they headed to the opening ceremony of the World Police and Fire Games Friday night.

“This is a great experience,” said Leah Berti from the Calgary Police Service. “It’s awesome to have all these different countries supporting, you know, health, fitness, and bringing people together.”

Athletes from law enforcement, firefighting, and other first response agencies were marshaled from the RBC Convention Centre to the Canada Life Centre to kick off the 2023 Games.

The Olympic-style competition was expected to bring more than 8,500 participantsĀ ā€” includingĀ friends andĀ family of competitors ā€”Ā from more than 70 countries.

Active and retired first responders will participate in the competition.

“Win or lose, we’re having a great time ā€¦Ā but a win would just be the icing on the cake,” said Berti, who is one of 10 volleyball players from the Calgary Police Service competing this year.

A women sings and dances as she walks down a street in a crowd of people.
The competition runs July 28 to Aug. 6. (Rachel Ferstl/CBC)

Her teammate and colleague, Kendra Laustsen, said the Games gives first responders a chance to connect with others who share her interests ā€” both as a member of the police service and a fan of volleyball.

“We all have a commonality with first responding, and so we see and we deal with situations that aren’t average,” she said.

“With mental health, you need to balance. You need to have those outlets and be able to form friendships, and have ways to de-stress ā€” and sport is definitely one of those.”

Organizers estimate theĀ Games willĀ generate $85 million for the local economy.

Leslie Lynas, a 63-year-old retiree from the Northern Ireland Police Service, is excited for the chance to explore Winnipeg over the course of the competition.

“Winnipeg is a beautiful city. The people here are amazing,” he said.

“I want toĀ get out and about and meet the people.”

A man holds up a sign that says "France" while walking in a crowd of people.
Athletes will compete in more than 60 different sports. (Rachel Ferstl/CBC)

Lynas said this will be his sixth time golfing at the Games, and he’s made lots of new friends along the way.

“It’s a chance for all of us to get together [and] talk about experiences. We do have a lot in common,” he said.

First responders celebrate opening of World Police and Fire Games

Competitors from around the world hit the streets of Winnipeg Friday night to mark the opening of the World Police and Fire Games, which run through Aug. 6.

More than 60 different sports are being showcased at the Games this year, and Winnipeg fire-paramedic Sehaj Jawanda is playing in four of them ā€” five-on-five and three-on-three basketball, flag football and pickleball.

LISTENĀ | Faith Fundal talks to multi-sport athlete Sehaj Jawanda:

Up To Speed4:54A Winnipeg Fire Paramedic is competing in multiple sports during the World Police and Fire Games

Guest host Stephanie Cram spoke with Winnipeg athlete Sehaj Jawanda who is playing four sports in the World Police and Fire Games.

While the Games are a way to bring his whole city together, finding the time to practise has posed a challenge.

People hold up flags while walking in a crowd. Others wave flags behind them.
Both active and retired first responders, and family and friends, can participate in the Games. (Rachel Ferstl/CBC)

“It’s all shift work, so it does bring challenges, however, you know, we keep in mind that we play sports for self improvement, relieve some of that stress from work,” JawandaĀ  told CBC on Up to Speed on Friday.

Games ‘totally inappropriate’: protester

Cyclists protesting the Games also made their way through downtown Winnipeg Friday night.

A monthly mass bike ride, in collaboration with the police abolitionist group, Winnipeg Police Cause Harm, brought about 100 cyclists to Hargrave Street shortly before the athletes made their way towardĀ the opening ceremony venue.

People on bikes cycle down a street lined with buildings.
A Critical Mass bike ride, which brings cyclists across Winnipeg together at the end of every month to advocate for safe bike infrastructure, collaborated with police abolitionist group Winnipeg Police Cause Harm to protest the Games. (Rachel Ferstl/CBC)

Buck Doyle, Winnipeg Police Cause Harm member, said the city shouldn’t be glorifying police, especially during a time when calls for social change are top of mind for some.

“The city should not be contributing massive amounts of funding to this when there’s so many other valuable things that really are urgently needed,” he told CBC on Friday.

“All these social crises are at the forefront here, and just funding a giant, like, Olympics for the police is really totally inappropriate.”

The group has stood against the Games before, booing when organizers held a news conference for the Games at True North Square one year ago.

Posters denouncing the Games have also been taped upĀ around the city’s core.

A poster reading "the gamrs are violence."
Posters calling for the cancellation of the Games appeared this spring on some downtown light standards. (Bartley Kives/CBC)

Doyle said having thousands of police in the city can be frightening for some people.

“That’s scary. Police are violent, like we don’t want more police on the streets,” added Doyle.

“Having a giant collection of police actually increases danger for the most vulnerable people,” he said, noting Camp Marcedes, which was set up earlier this month to raise awareness about calls to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women, is located near the athletes’ village at The Forks.

The Games run July 28 to Aug. 6 at various venues throughout the city.

[ad_2]

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button