MOTHERS OF DEAD MOUNTIES VISIT CITY'S RCMP DETACHMENT

It was less than a year ago that four families lost one of their own
to the hands of a man in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. And last Friday two of
their mothers on their way to Surrey, made a stop in Revelstoke.

In a rather happy coincidence, Grace Johnston, mother of Cst. Lionide
Johnston and Doreen Duffy, mother of Cst. Anthony Gordon ran into
Revelstoke Sgt. Art Kleinsmith Thursday evening who invited them to
tour the local RCMP detachment the next day.

The invitation gave the women an opportunity to give the department a
matted, framed print of the four fallen officers that died in the tragedy.

"We're honoured to have them visit with us," said Staff Sergeant Randy Brown.

Brown proudly hung the portrait in the detachment's front lobby and
in exchange gave to the two women a video of the Revelstoke RCMP's
memorial ceremony held last March while the national memorial service
was taking place in Edmonton.

When the Mayerthorpe tragedy happened on the third of March, the
country stood still - awe-struck that such a vicious slaughtering
against police officers could occur; and it was not just that the
horrific incident could happen at all but that it happened, of all
places, in a small northern Alberta town and not the inner-city of
Vancouver or Toronto.

"It will be nine months on December 3," said Doreen Duffy. "My
birthday," she said, as the thought entered her mind and making it
painfully clear how dear her loss remains.

While most might lay the blame of that tragedy entirely at the feet
of James Roszko, many others took the opportunity to voice their
opinion either for or against the legalization of marihuana and the
gun registry debacle.

But the mothers of the murdered, Johnston and Duffy, blame the
inadequate justice system that didn't keep such an obvious threat to
society behind bars where he belonged.

Although the pain of losing a child to such gross and inexplicable
violence will never completely fade away, the support they've
received from their community and country is an enormous comfort to them.

"Oh yes, the support we've received is wonderful," Johnston said,
that does provide some small comfort for their loss and a lot of
pride for their boys still alive in their hearts

Johnston and Duffy now continue their journey to Surrey where Leo
Johnston's surviving twin brother, also an RCMP officer, lives and
serves his community.