Ministers say Canada must 'do better' after Boushie verdict

Federal ministers say the country must dobetter for Indigenous peoples in the Canadian justice systemafter aSaskatchewan jury found Gerald Stanley not guilty of killing Colten Boushie.

According to courtroom observers, prospective Indigenous jurors were rejected by the defence team.

Justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Indigenous services minister Jane Philpottboth posted on Twitter they want more to be done.

Justin Trudeau echoed those statements, offering his condolences to Boushie's family.

"I'm not going to comment on the process that led to this point today, but I am going to say we have come to this point as a country far too many times," he told reporters Saturday morning.

"I know Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians alike know that we have to do better."

But some question the ministers speaking publicly on a judicial decision.

"Inappropriate" was the word former justice minister PeterMacKayused to describe the posts.

"It undermines the system of justice, quite frankly, to have politicians weigh in," he said, adding the case could still be appealed, so they are technically commenting on a case currently before the courts.

Unwarrantedskepticismof a properly conducted trial will set a dangerous precedent,MacKayconcluded.

Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer called Boushie's death "tragic," but said the independent judicial process must run its course without political intervention.

"It's appropriate to show concern and support...for the family of the victim, but I think it is important that we remember that politicians don't decide these types of things," Scheer told reporters in Halifax.

He also said that the situation warranted a discussion about challenges faced by young First Nations people.

'Very rare'politicians speak up

This outreach from federal politicians is virtually unprecedented, according to Glen Luther, a criminal law expert from the University of Saskatchewan.

"It's very rare," he said Saturday."The federal government is actually taking it seriously."

Ministers using a specific trial to point to issues in the justice system could provide a much-needed wake-up call, he added.

'We have to do better,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says after verdict in Colten Boushie's death

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau comments after a jury found Gerald Stanley not guilty in the shooting death of Colten Boushie

"It does fall on the federal government to fix that, they're in charge of the justice system, they're the ones that can make the reforms,"saidLuther,who later clarified he was not commenting on the appropriateness of the ministers' tweets.

Perry Bellegarde, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, is anxiously waiting to hearwhat the government is planning to do.

"Those are positive statements from very high levels," he said."They get it, but now we have to see the proof in the pudding sooner [rather] than later."

But the shifting tones also caused blowback on social media againstWilson-Raybould, as people interpreted her comments asquestioningthe proceedings.

"Are the Liberals suggesting that our courts return verdicts that they approve of?" one response said.

"Respectfully, the AG and prime minister should not be commenting on cases, especially such a divisive one," said another.

However, Luther said it's more likely the tweets were directed at the system in general, and not meant to criticize the judge or jurors.

Indigenous leaders push for change

Indigenous leaders are pushing for change as well, callingonthe federal government to step in when the verdict was handed down Friday evening.

Boushiewas shot and killed after he and four others from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation drove onto Stanley's rural property in an SUV in August 2016.

EricMeechance, who was in theSUVwithBoushiethat day, testified during the trial that he tried to start anATVon Stanley's property but denied trying to steal it.

When Stanley's son hollered at them, one ofBoushie'sother friends tried to drive away in the SUV, with Stanley giving chase. Stanley's son smashed the SUV's front windshield with a hammer and theSUVcrashed. Stanley fired shots from a pistol as two of the friends ran from the vehicle.

Boushiewas shot in the head while still in theSUV. Stanley testified he never meant to shoot anyone and that the handgun he was holding went off a third time, accidentally, when he tried to reach for the keys of the SUV.