FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. File photo.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling for First Nation representation in RCMP internal investigations.
On Thursday, the RCMP cleared themselves of any wrongdoing in how officers investigated the Colten Boushie shooting. Boushie was shot and killed on a farm in west central Saskatchewan over a year ago.
Boushie’s family claimed they were mistreated by officers when they were informed of the 22-year-old’s death.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron says First Nations representation is needed when it comes to investigations of this nature.
“You have officers investigating other officers, showing that the justice system doesn’t serve First Nations with the same standard of care that it should,” he said in a media release.
A lawyer for the Boushie family says they plan on appealing the RCMP’s decision to clear themselves.
The following is a statement provided to the FSIN by the family of Colten Boushie:
“We are extremely upset and disgusted by the dismissal of the RCMPs misconduct. There is no reassurance of fairness when they investigate their own. My family members re-live the trauma of that day over and over again, and now we are being told that is completely acceptable. Officers made mistakes. The individual officers are nothing special, nothing gives them authority or power over people other than their own systems and structure of oppression. We know they made mistakes based off their lack of education and judgment. They are not trusted by Indigenous people on the prairie. How are we to trust the RCMP when they treat us like criminals when we are the victims?” said Mother Debbie Baptiste and sister Jade Tootoosis.
RCMP revealed yesterday they have issued an apology, provided operational guidance to employees and have made some procedural changes as a result of the way they handled the Boushie case.
The second-degree murder trial for Gerald Stanley, the man accused of killing Colten Boushie, will take place from January 29 to February 15 in North Battleford.