CRCC Investigation – Colten Boushie
We’ve read that responses to CRCC Interim Reports have been delayed by the RCMP, such as in the case of Mr. Colten Boushie’s family. Can you let us know when you expect to share the result of this report?
- The RCMP believes civilian review is essential for ensuring public trust and confidence.
- We fully support the CRCC's investigation into this matter as we understand there are outstanding questions.
- We maintain open communications and cooperate with the CRCC to ensure accountability and transparency with respect to our management of public and/or Chair initiated complaints.
- Given the numerous factors to consider, the high volume of relevant material to be reviewed and the complexities of the recommendations and findings, the time required to prepare a thorough and well-founded response can be difficult to predict.
- Our objective is to deal appropriately and effectively with all complaints that are received. Despite other challenges and pressures, the completion of the analysis of the Interim Report has been prioritized so that I will be able to provide my response as soon as feasible.
Colten Boushie was shot and killed after he and four other people drove onto Gerald Stanley’s farm near Biggar, Sask., in August 2016. A jury acquitted Stanley of second-degree murder in February 2018. After the trial, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) launched an investigation into whether the RCMP's investigation of Boushie's death was reasonable. It also looked at whether RCMP members discriminated on the basis of race. The commission gave the RCMP its findings, along with some recommendations, in January 2020.
The RCMP received the CRCC Interim Report on Alvin Baptiste in November 2019. The the Interim Report on the Boushie Public Interest Investigation (PII) was received in January 2020. The review of both reports and their respective relevant material has been started.
The timeline to disclose the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP’s (“the CRCC”) findings to the family follows a process set out under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act (“the RCMP Act”), which requires that the RCMP Commissioner first provide the CRCC with a response to its interim report dated November 4, 2019.
The CRCC is currently awaiting the Commissioner’s written response to the interim report. Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between the CRCC and the RCMP effective December 11, 2019 (“the Operations MOU”), the Commissioner must provide the Chairperson of the CRCC with the written response within six months of the issuance of the report by the CRCC.
Upon receipt of the Commissioner’s response, the CRCC will prepare and release a final report. This final report will include the November 4, 2019 interim report as an annex. Pursuant to the Operations MOU, the CRCC will provide the Commissioner with the CRCC's final report within 30 days of the receipt of the Commissioner's response by the CRCC.
The RCMP Commissioner and the Chairperson of the CRCC agreed that best efforts would be made to ensure that the specified timeframes set out in the Operations MOU would be met.
It is understood that delays could result from the RCMP’s operational pressures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
A copy of the final report will be sent to the complainant, in this case, Mr. Alvin Baptiste, as well as to the RCMP Commissioner, the Minister of Public Safety, the RCMP members involved, and the appropriate provincial Minister.
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