[esquire]

Probably just gallows humour.

Winnipeg was in a super gritty and rough phase in the late 90s and early 00s when crime was relatively high. Apart from the occasional spike, the murder count settled down for a while after that surge, but it has just exploded this year. While I don't think that most people have much to fear, I would say that there is a somewhat more menacing vibe on the streets that reminds me a bit of the "bad old days" some 20-odd years ago. More petty crime, more (drug-fueled) disorderly conduct, etc. It's a little alarming.