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Demonstrators stand through frigid temperatures to honour murdered indigenous man

Jeff McLean , , , , , , , ,
The cold weather didn’t stop demonstrators from gathering in support of the Boushie family at Fredericton City Hall on Monday.

Protestors stood through freezing temperatures at city hall on Monday to show solidarity and support for Colten Boushie, a 22 year old Cree man from Saskatchewan who was killed last summer. The man accused of killing Boushie, Gerald Stanley, was controversially acquitted of second-degree murder last Friday.

The case has prompted speculation for a number of reasons regarding law enforcement and the justice system. Most notably may be the lack of indigenous people on the jury due to the defence’s use of a “peremptory challenge,” which allows them to reject a potential jury without cause. Those who consider the Stanley trial to be unjust are citing peremptory challenges as evidence for systematic racism in Canada’s justice system.

Colten Boushie (pictured) was shot by Gerald Stanley on August 9, 2016.

Demonstrations in honour of Boushie took place across Canada after Stanley’s verdict. No One is Illegal, an activist group that stands up for the rights of immigrants and minorities are responsible for organizing the event in Fredericton.

“In times of grief, I think community needs to come together, and it’s also an opportunity for settlers like me to step up with our indigenous community members,” said NOII member Erin Morton.

Many were stunned by the results of the Stanley trial, but for Wolastoq Grand Chief Ron Trembley, it’s the same story he’s heard all his life.

“I wasn’t shocked about the result. We’re so used to getting the injustices that my response should have been frustration and anger,” he said, “but truly I wasn’t surprised, and we have to stop thinking that way. We should demand justice and we should stop thinking that well racism is here and it’s been here since the beginning.”

The impact of the Bouchie case will certainly increase animosity between First Nations and non-indigenous people in Saskatchewan, a province that has historically struggled with the issue.

“My biggest fear of this is that you know, our young people are gonna stop and they’re going to respond in a negative way, possibly through violence or take up action themselves and want to rectify what negative actions occurred there, and that’s my biggest fear,” said Trembley.

The public outcry against peremptory challenges in the Stanley trial has led the Liberal government to consider jury reform.