REGINA

'There’s a mythology of Canadian benevolence': Documentary on the death of Colten Boushie premieres in Regina

CTV Regina

Michaela Solomon CTVNewsRegina.ca Senior Digital Content Producer

Published Friday, May 31, 2019 5:20PM CST Last Updated Friday, May 31, 2019 5:29PM CST

Debbie Baptiste, mother of Colten Boushie, holds a photo of her son during a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on February 14, 2018. A film examining the case of a young Indigenous man who was killed on a farm in rural Saskatchewan will open this year's Hot Docs festival in Toronto. Organizers say Tasha Hubbard's "nipawistamasowin: We Will Stand Up" will make its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, which runs April 25 to May 5. A news release says the documentary "looks at inequity and racism in the Canadian legal system" after the case of Colten Boushie. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

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“Nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up”, a documentary that examines the death of Colten Boushie, premieres in Regina on Friday.

The film has toured across the country, and follows the Boushie family after their loved one was shot by Gerald Stanley on a farm near Biggar, in 2016.

“Like many people across the country I was struck by what happened, with grief and anger and concern,” Documentarian, writer and producer Tasha Hubbard told CTV’s Indigenous Circle. “At the same time thinking about how this fits with the history of the Prairies, and the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.”

Hubbard grew up on a farm and said she understands the respect gun owners need to have for the weapons.

While filming the documentary she was moved by the compassion of the Boushie family.

“They were very open with me, and despite going through the worst experience of their lives, they were concerned about me,” Hubbard said. “That’s the kind of people they are, they’re very caring.”

Hubbard said as an Indigenous person, she understands that the legal system is not designed to work in her favour. Through the course of Stanley’s trial she hoped she would see the family treated respectfully by the RCMP and the courts.

“I hoped to be surprised,” Hubbard said. “I hoped the jury would be representative of the community and include Indigenous people, and none of that happened.”

The film raises questions about the systemic existence of racism in Canada’s justice system, and explains the history of colonialism in the Prairie Provinces.

Hubbard said she hopes Indigenous viewers feel validated about their own experiences with the legal system. She hopes non-Indigenous viewers can educate themselves on a history that’s been hidden.

“It’s a chance to reflect on ideas and attitudes that they have,” Hubbard said. “There’s a mythology of Canadian benevolence, people are not treated equally within the Canadian legal system.”

The documentary received the 2019 HotDocs Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award and the Colin Low Award for Best Documentary.

The first screening of the film is at the Rainbow Cinemas on Friday at 7 pm and screenings will continue until next Thursday.