The Tuesday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories
Highlights from the news file for Tuesday, Feb. 13
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JUSTICE MINISTER DEFENDS BOUSHIE TWEET: Jody Wilson-Raybould doubled down Tuesday on her controversial reaction to the Colten Boushie verdict, saying a federal justice minister should be responsive to Canadians who speak out and protest perceived injustices in the legal system. Wilson-Raybould defended last week’s comments on Twitter, which came after Saskatchewan farmer Gerald Stanley, 56, was acquitted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Boushie, 22, a member of Red Pheasant First Nation. Earlier in the day, Wilson-Raybould met with the Boushie family and discussed various areas of improvement for the justice system, including jury selection, an ombudsman for victims of crime and the need for compassion and support for victims. She has said the government is considering changes to the way juries are selected after concerns were raised about the apparent all-white makeup of the jury in Stanley’s trial. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat down with the Boushie family in the afternoon for what he described as a very good, very emotional meeting. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who also met with Boushie’s relatives, said the civilian-led RCMP watchdog has launched an investigation after the family filed a complaint over the police’s handling of the case.
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