Memorial Foundation

Over many years the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police have undertaken a memorial service to Honour the Police and Peace Officers who have lost their lives while serving Manitoba citizens. They have coordinated this event to take place with the National memorial in Ottawa on the same last Sunday of every September. It has been decided that a committee come together to look at the possibility of erecting Manitoba’s own memorial for its fallen officers. The original group that began this idea back in 2005 consisted of the following:

Gary Walker: Winnipeg Police Service
Robert Belanger: Manitoba Conservation
Doug Zawada: Federal Corrections
William Whyte: Provincial Corrections

The above group met on numerous occasions while lobbying Government and finally in 2007 the Government of Manitoba embraced the project. There were two other organizations that expressed interest to erect their own memorial; they are the Fire Fighters and the labor groups. It was decided that all three of these groups come together to create the vision. In fall of 2007 the Government put out a news release indicating their support and gave first reading in the Legislature to the formation of, “ The Firefighters, Peace Officers and Workers Memorial Foundations Act”.

In September of 2008 representatives from all groups met at Minister Lemieux’s office to go over the new Act created for the Memorial Foundations. The result of this meeting was to create three separate Boards, one for each group to represent their agencies. Your first Police / Peace Officer Board that went in for approval from Minister Lemieux’s office consists of the following:

Robert Belanger: Manitoba Conservation
Tom Sutcliff: RCMP D Division
William Whyte: Provincial Corrections
Jack Templeman’: Winnipeg Police Service (retired)
Delinda LaRiviere: Federal Corrections
Corrine Scott: Winnipeg Police Service Inspector

In spring of 2009 the Manitoba Government gave final accent to the newly created Act and all three boards were given approval to create and submit their by laws. At the same time your Peace Officer board elected the following board members to the following positions:

Robert Belanger: President
Tom Sutcliffe: Vice President
Jack Templeman: Treasurer

This board will continue to update the Police / Peace Officer group as we progress on this most worthy journey. Please be prepared to help this board in whatever way you can as the requests for fundraising or help comes forward; this has to be a team effort.