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News > World

Canada Investigates Racist Comment After Indigenous Shooting

  • A march was organized in London, Ontario, to peacefully protest the Boushie verdict and the ongoing lack of justice for Indigenous people.

    A march was organized in London, Ontario, to peacefully protest the Boushie verdict and the ongoing lack of justice for Indigenous people. | Photo: Facebook

Published 16 February 2018
Opinion

The Facebook post allegedly read: "It should be sending a message to the criminal element that this crap is not going to be tolerated."

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating a Facebook post allegedly written by one of their officers saying that Indigenous man Colten Boushie, fatally shot in 2016, "got what he deserved," Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said.

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The report was first published by CBC News after a screenshot was sent to the media corporation, showing a conversation which allegedly took place between officers in a private Facebook group.

The officers were discussing the 2016 Boushie case in which all-White jury last week acquitted a White Saskatchewan farmer who fatally shot the 22-year-old, a member of the Red Pheasant First Nation tribe.

According to CBC, the post read: "Too bad the kid died, but he got what he deserved. How many of us work on or near reserves and are getting fed up with the race card being used every time someone gets caught breaking the law?

Gerald Stanley was charged in August 2016 with the second-degree murder, but he was found not guilty February 9 after his lawyer claimed it was a "freak accident" and his client accidentally shot at Boushie's head while the victim was in an SUV with friends on Stanley's property.

The Facebook user, whose identity has not been released, wrote: "This should never have been allowed to be about race… crimes were committed and a jury found the man not guilty in protecting his home and family.

"It should be sending a message to the criminal element that this crap is not going to be tolerated and if you value your life then stay away from what isn't yours."

RCMP spokesman Staff Sgt. Tania Vaughan said the Facebook group is neither monitored nor administered by the organization, nor is it notarized in regulations. However, when content compromises the integrity of the unit, such instances are investigated and addressed.

The post relating to Boushie has since been deleted, but investigators are currently looking into the issue.

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"Obviously this remark is absolutely appalling and unacceptable," Goodale said Wednesday. "It just contradicts everything the RCMP stands for.

"It is unacceptable, so it's under very, very serious investigation to determine exactly what has happened here and who is responsible for it."

A march was organized in London, Ontario to peacefully protest the Boushie verdict and the ongoing lack of justice for Indigenous people.

Hundreds of people, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice King, have decried such human rights abuses.

The Boushie family are appealing the verdict and the case is currently under review with the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.

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