Island on the Prairies, celebrating everything the region of Portage la Prairie has to offer visitors
01/17/2025
Our hearts are broken by the loss of our cherished friend and teammate, Kellie. Her absence has created a void that can never be replaced. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know her.
With family consent, this letter was sent to the Honourable Minister Wiebe, Minister of Justice, today.
Dear Minister Wiebe,
I write to you not only as the Mayor of Portage la Prairie but as a deeply grieving community leader. On January 15, 2025, our community lost a vibrant, promising young woman, Kellie Verwey, in a senseless and preventable tragedy. This loss has shaken our city to its core, and it demands immediate attention and action.
The incident that claimed Kellie’s life is both devastating and infuriating. According to the RCMP, a stolen vehicle driven recklessly by James Lorne Hilton caused the chain of events that led to her death. This individual, known to the police, had an active arrest warrant at the time of the crash. He should have been in custody, not behind the wheel of a stolen truck on our highways. This is a systemic failure, plain and simple, and it cost an innocent young woman her life. Her dreams, her future, and her contributions to our world were stolen in an instant.
Kellie was not just a name in a report; she was a cherished member of our community. As our Tourism Coordinator, Kellie was a driving force behind initiatives that showcased the beauty and vibrancy of Portage la Prairie. Her dedication went far beyond her professional role. She was an active community volunteer, always ready to lend her time and talents to make our city a better place. Beyond her public service, Kellie was an entrepreneur, passionately building a future alongside her fiancé, Travis, with their business, Roast and Toasts. Together, they created not just a business, but a vision for connection, warmth, and community spirit.
She was full of life, ambition, and hope, with a future as bright as the morning sun. Her family, her friends, and her city are now left to grapple with the unbearable pain of her absence, all because our justice system failed to protect her and others like her.
I cannot overstate the frustration and anger felt by our community. This tragedy exposes glaring deficiencies in our system:
Repeat Offenders Allowed to Roam Free: James Hilton, a known offender with an active arrest warrant, was free to wreak havoc on innocent lives. How can this be acceptable? The lack of accountability for individuals with a history of criminal behavior is appalling.
Failure to Prioritize Public Safety: The current system allowed a dangerous individual to evade justice repeatedly. This prioritization of bureaucratic inaction over public safety is unacceptable and must change.
A Broken System Lacking Courage for Reform: For too long, our justice system has enabled individuals like James Hilton to slip through the cracks. Where is the courage to stand up and say, “Enough is enough”?
I also ask, how can we keep putting our frontline responders our RCMP, police, firefighters, and paramedics through the trauma of dealing with these preventable tragedies, knowing that the consequences for those responsible are so often inadequate? These dedicated individuals bear the weight of these horrific situations, only to feel as though their efforts are met with systemic inaction.
Kellie’s death is a call for urgent, systemic reform. Our community demands answers and action. We demand a justice system that prioritizes the safety of law-abiding citizens over the convenience of leniency for repeat offenders. This cannot and must not be allowed to happen again.
I implore you, Minister, to act decisively and immediately:
Strengthen enforcement mechanisms to ensure individuals with active warrants are apprehended and kept in custody.
Prioritize public safety in sentencing and parole decisions, especially for repeat offenders.
Increase resources and accountability within the justice system to prevent known criminals from endangering innocent lives.
Consult with communities and families affected by crime to develop meaningful, impactful reforms.
As leaders, it is our duty to protect the people we serve. Kellie Verwey and her grieving family deserved better. Our community deserved better. It is now on all of us to ensure her death is not in vain.
This letter is more than a plea for change; it is a demand for justice. I ask you to stand with us, to take the necessary steps to reform a broken system, and to honor the life of Kellie Verwey by ensuring no other family has to endure this pain.
I look forward to your prompt response and to hearing how you will address this urgent matter. Please know that the City of Portage la Prairie is prepared to work with you in any way necessary to drive meaningful change.
Sincerely,
Sharilyn Knox
Mayor, City of Portage la Prairie
on behalf of the entire Council of the City of Portage la Prairie.
Cc: The Honourable Wab Kinew, Premier of the Province of Manitoba. The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Jeff Bereza, MLA – Portage la Prairie. Branden Leslie, MP – Portage-Lisgar. City of Portage la Prairie Council. Association of Manitoba Municipalities
