The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Snow Lake RCMP Detachment has a new Corporal. Jackie Wheeler transferred from Glaslyn, Saskatchewan, position on July 24. As luck would have it, shortly after that date, a rash of Break and Enters took place, and she and others in the office have been busy dealing with them ever since. Although, the officer's time in Snow Lake has thus far proved to be eventful, she has also taken time for some thoughtful analysis of her new surroundings. "It's a very friendly little town," said the slight and cordial officer from her lakeside office. "I've had a lot of people say hi and stop to talk on the street. Actually, the first day my children arrived, three kids showed up on the doorstep to meet them. And the kids have been coming by ever since." Wheeler has two children Ð Darren, 12, who is in grade 8, and Tyler, 10, in grade 5. Her husband, Norm Sancartier, recently bought Caribou Lodge in Cranberry Portage, renaming it Caribou Lodge Outfitters. Originally a British Columbia resident, Wheeler is no stranger to Manitoba. She grew up in Quesnel, B.C., but her initial posting was a two-year stint in Oakbank, Manitoba. The officer followed that up with two more years in Cross Lake before moving to Inuvik, NWT, for a five-year posting. It was then south to Beaverlodge, Alberta, for seven years, and three more in Glaslyn Saskatchewan, before coming to Snow Lake. The twenty-year veteran of the force is well versed in the demands of police work. While in Beaverlodge she was immersed in the infamous Wiebo Ludwig case. "I was there from the start to the finish of that affair, being the longest serving member during the period taken up by the matter," said the Corporal. Ludwig was eventually tried and convicted of bombing a Suncor well-site. "Also, the Horse Lake charges, that was my case," Wheeler continued. "Fifty-one counts of historical sexual abuse against eight individuals." Recalling her last posting in Manitoba, Cross Lake, Wheeler imparted a story of the friendship, acceptance, and humour she feels is inherent in the province. "The community of Cross Lake was great," she explained. "They were excellent people. And if they accepted you into their community, they gave you a nickname. Well, they gave me the nickname of 'Rambo.'" "As you can see, I'm 130 pounds soaking wet, so I couldn't quite figure that one out for the longest time," she chuckled. "But on one occasion, I put a gentleman in the police vehicle after he'd been drinking far too much. He wanted to go to work and he was pleading with me, 'Rambo, please, just let me go to work.' "I told him that I'd take him to work once he'd slept it off. But then I turned and asked him, 'Why is it that you call me Rambo?' He looked at the handcuffs and thought about how he got into the back of the vehicle and said, 'You're Rambo!' "He gave me a good laugh. Everyone had a great sense of humour in Cross Lake and that's why I was pleased to be able return to Manitoba. The people live up to their license plates here. It is a very friendly province. The people are super. And I'm finding Snow Lake to be the same way." Outside of her job, Wheeler has a hobby that is, to say the least, unusual to Northern Manitoba. This former animal technician owns four Arabian Horses Ð three mares and a gelding. They are part of her family and travel with her to every posting. "They are all brothers, sisters and a daughter, actually," she noted. "I had their mother up until 1997. The oldest, Trinity, is her son; he was 25 this year. Wildfire, a daughter, is 14 this year. Calla is 12 and Wildfire's daughter, Tate, is my son's horse." All of the horses can be rode, and when asked whether they would be in Snow Lake's annual July 1st parade next year, Wheeler replied, "I hope so." My Take on Snow Lake runs Fridays.
