Canadians divided on Stanley trial, Trudeau’s remarks
Canadians may be divided on the acquittal of Gerald Stanley — the white Saskatchewan farmer accused of shooting and killing 22-year-old Cree man Colten Boushie — but many believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments on the matter were wrong.
Trudeau faced significant criticism for appearing to question the jury’s decision in the case and asserting that Canada must “do better” in the future.
A public-opinion poll from the Angus Reid Institute included a question about whether it was appropriate for Trudeau to comment on Stanley’s trial.
Nearly half of survey respondents — 46 per cent — said it was inappropriate for Trudeau to personally respond to the verdict; 32 per cent said it was appropriate.
The poll also found Canadians divided on the jury’s not guilty verdict.
According to the poll, 78 per cent of the 2,501 adult respondents had at least scanned headlines about Stanley’s trial, which concluded in Battleford, Sask., on Feb. 9.
Of those who had heard about the case, 30 per cent nationally said they believed the jury’s verdict was “good and fair,” compared to 32 per cent who said it was “flawed and wrong.” The rest were undecided.
Survey respondents in Saskatchewan were most likely to say the verdict was fair; 63 per cent said they thought it was fair, compared to 17 per cent who said they thought it was wrong.
Western Canada leaned in the same direction, as opposed to the east.
British Columbia was split evenly with 32 per cent saying it was fair and 32 per cent saying it was flawed.
In Alberta, 44 per cent thought it fair with 25 per cent saying the opposite.
Manitoba had a similar split to Alberta, with 44 per cent saying the verdict was fair as opposed to 26 per cent who thought it flawed.
In Ontario, 27 per cent said the verdict was fair and 33 per cent said it was wrong.
In Quebec, 21 per cent said the verdict was fair as opposed to 36 per cent who thought it wrong.
In Atlantic Canada, 27 per cent said the verdict was fair and 35 per cent said it was wrong.
Age and gender also told a story. Overall, men and women hold nearly mirror-opposite views, with 37 per cent of men saying the verdict was good and fair (compared to 27 per cent flawed) and the same proportion of women (37 per cent) saying it was wrong (compared to 24 per cent fair).
The survey also asked whether respondents thought Canada’s jury selection process needs to be reformed. Boushie’s family and supporters have been vocally critical of the jury selection process, which allows lawyers to dismiss potential jurors for no stated reason through peremptory challenges. Stanley’s defence lawyer challenged all visibly Indigenous potential jurors, leaving a jury that appeared to be all white.
More than half of respondents — 59 per cent — said Canada should reform its jury selection rules so juries better reflect the whole community. Forty-one per cent said the current system works and juries generally deliver good verdicts regardless of their composition.
Boushie’s death and Stanley’s acquittal sparked conversations about race relations in Saskatchewan and across the country. In the days following the verdict, rallies were held across Canada. Participants decried the verdict and demanded changes to the justice system to allow fairer treatment of Indigenous people.
Boushie’s family members have said they want an inquiry into how they were treated by the RCMP and justice system, and they want the jury’s decision to be appealed. It’s not yet clear if either will happen. The deadline for the Crown to file an appeal is March 9.