Boushie family renews calls for public inquiry, RCMP apology

It has been five years since 22-year-old Colten Boushie was shot and killed by farmer Gerald Stanley on Stanley’s property near Biggar.

Members of the Boushie family — including Colten’s mother, Debbie Baptiste, and his uncle, Alvin Baptiste — joined lawyer Eleanore Sunchild on Monday in renewing their calls for a public inquiry into Boushie’s death, and for a public apology from the Saskatchewan RCMP.

Stanley was charged with second-degree murder after Boushie died from a gunshot to the head during an altercation on Stanley’s farm on Aug. 9, 2016. In February of 2018, Stanley was found not guilty.

During a news conference Monday on the Dakota Whitecap First Nation, Debbie Baptiste wiped away tears as she remembered her son.

“We want people to love one another, respect one another, and that’s what Colten would want. He was a kind-hearted, good boy,” she cried.

“He deserved a life. He had dreams and they were cut short,” she continued. “He was a victim, not a criminal. I hope and pray for change in the justice system. This racism should not be in the justice system. Discrimination don’t (sic) belong there either. I miss my son so much.”

Eleanore Sunchild (left) and Debbie Baptiste. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)

Sunchild said for the past five years, the family has experienced immense hatred on social media.

“We will continue to fight for justice. We will continue to speak out and advocate for justice to speak out against systemic racism in the Canadian justice system so that this doesn’t happen to any other families or any other Indigenous people,” she said.

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP released a report last spring into how the Mounties handled the shooting death. It found that officers discriminated against Baptiste when they informed her of her son’s death.

Upon request, Saskatchewan RCMP Media Relations released a short statement regarding the calls from the family for a public apology.

“We would welcome the opportunity to speak with the family if and when they are ready,” the statement read. “We reached out to the family informally in January, however, we respect that any meeting with the family will have to be on their terms. The RCMP will not share details of any conversations with the family.”

Alvin Baptiste said he will never forget his nephew.

“We will tell stories about Colten. The tragedies that happened. What happened in the courts … This will never go away ’cause Colten will always be in our hearts,” he said.