Online fundraising campaign for Stanley eclipses $100K target
People campaigning for change after a jury acquitted Gerald Stanley in the shooting death of Colten Boushie “will not be distracted” by torrents of bigotry and racism online, says a prominent Indigenous politician.
“This is bigger than them; this is bigger than their hate,” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations vice-chief Kim Jonathan said Monday, two days after thousands of people gathered in cities across the country to protest the decision and support Boushie’s family.
Boushie’s death on Stanley ’s Biggar-area farm revealed what FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron called a seam of “ugliness” running through the province, including some calls for expanded property defence rights while Boushie’s family and friends mourned.
Days after the shooting, furious reaction online led former premier Brad Wall to call for an end to “racist and hate-filled” comments on social media. Wall urged everyone to “rise above intolerance.”
Premier Scott Moe said Monday that he was aware of “racist” comments online in the hours after the verdict. “I think racism is present in individuals not just in the province of Saskatchewan but quite likely across the nation of Canada … There’s no place for this in our province,” he said.
Saskatchewan RCMP spokesman Rob Embry said he could not get into specifics but confirmed the force is investigating “a number of complaints of concerning online content” made over the weekend. More information will be available if charges are laid, he said.
Stanley, 56, was charged with second-degree murder after the shooting. His trial began in Battleford last month and finished shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday when the jury, after 13 hours of deliberation, returned with a not-guilty verdict.
Also on Friday, an online fundraiser for Stanley was set up on the website GoFundMe. As of late Monday afternoon, more than 1,200 people had donated more than $107,000 to the campaign. The fundraising goal was originally $100,000 but due to response, has now been raised to $150,000.
Eleven people — including five anonymous donors and people calling themselves “Concerned Landowner” and “Concerned Rural Landowner” — donated $1,000 each to the campaign. .
Many gave anonymously. Some used obviously false names, including the names of FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Omar Khadr, while others identified themselves with messages of support for Stanley and his family.
“It’s not racism, Just cause they say it is,” one person wrote while giving $20 to the cause. Another person said ”Private Property Matters” while donating $100. A third person, who gave $25, said, “Thankfully justice was served.”
“The Stanley family has spent thousands upon thousands of dollars surrounding this ordeal,” organizer Sam Olson — who could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday — wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“All funds raised will be going to the Stanley family, in an effort to help them re coup some of their lost time, property and vehicles that were damaged, harvest income, and sanity during this entire difficult situation they have been dealing with over the past two years.”
Jonathan, who is travelling to Ottawa this week to join members of Boushie’s family in meetings with federal cabinet ministers, said “something happened in that courtroom,” and online vitriol is just a distraction from meetings with governments eager to listen.