On- and off-ice incidents at the Feb. 8 midget AA hockey game between the Thompson King Miners and Norway House North Stars are under investigation by the RCMP, whose members escorted players and their families from both teams out of the C.A. Nesbitt Arena after the game was abandoned midway though the second period at about the same time that fighting erupted in the stands.
A cell phone video of the fight in the stands has been obtained by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) news, which reported Feb. 10 that the Norway House team was escorted from the arena by police after a player was attacked by two men and a woman who yelled racial slurs. APTN also reported at that time that unnamed witnesses said a Norway House player had been slashed in the head during the game with enough force to break his helmet. Lucas Hanlon, a Metis player with the King Miners, later spoke with APTN, disputing the notion that the fracas was racially motivated and saying he didn’t see anyone have their helmet broken by a slash.
Kelton Queskekapow, the 16-year-old Norway House player involved in the fight in the stands, told APTN that he was defending himself against a spectator who started a fight with him after making racist comments about Queskekapow, the team and his family. Queskekapow had been ejected from the game after receiving a major penalty for crosschecking after a King Miners player slashed the Norway House goalie’s trapper when he froze the puck and play was whistled dead. APTN reported that Queskekapow’s family is still hoping to press charges against the men involved in the fight.
A Feb. 12 statement from Thompson Mayor Dennis Fenske said Ken Gladden, president of the Norman Regional Minor Hockey Association, had told him that suspensions had been handed out as a result of the incident but a phone message and email to Gladden requesting confirmation and further details on the suspension had not been returned by press time.
“The incident involving players, coaches, parents and fans has happened in other arenas across Canada and I am saddened that it has arrived at our arenas as well,” said Fenske’s statement. “We are a diverse community and strive to build an environment that is welcoming to everyone through the implementation of the Thompson Aboriginal Accord and the Local and Regional Identity Action Plan. With a population of almost 50 per cent Aboriginal in our community, the City of Thompson takes claims of racism very seriously. Our sports teams have players from a broad spectrum of cultures, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal and this is reflective of our community as a whole. Thompson is a proud northern city that welcomes diversity and works to builds positive relationships with its neighbours. Working together we can move past this incident and resume friendly and healthy sporting competitions that display the good sportsmanship qualities we all have.”
