Although the mood was serious and sombre, a slight bit of victory was also noted during last Thursday’s rally in front of the St. Paul courthouse, where nearly 100 people gathered to speak out against a recent ruling in the much-publicized Cindy Gladue case.
That same morning, it was announced that Crown prosecutors in Edmonton would file an appeal.
In St. Paul, organizers Linda Boudreau-Semaganis and her daughter Danielle Boudreau gathered with a large crowd of supporters to speak out and create awareness about the case.
On March 18, Bradley Barton, a man from Ontario, was acquitted of first-degree murder. He was on trial for the death of Gladue, an aboriginal woman who was found dead in an Edmonton hotel room in 2011. In the appeal, prosecutors say the jury was wrongly instructed on issues relating to manslaughter and motive.
One of the main concerns being expressed by people who have been rallying since the acquittal have to do with the fact that the jury had no aboriginal representation, and was made up of mostly Caucasian men.
According to Danielle, the acquittal “shows the injustice we as women receive in the court system.” She added that now that the rallies have taken place, she hopes the courts and others involved in the case realize people are paying attention and willing to “speak up and stand up for our women.”
While at the rally, Danielle pointed out that one day, a similar case could happen in St. Paul, and “it could be one of our sisters.”
During the rally in St. Paul, Linda spoke to those who had gathered.
“All women and men have to stand. We all have to stand in solidarity,” she said. “As long as we have two legs and a heartbeat, we have to stand.”
Linda, who is from St. Paul, has been involved in speaking out about murdered and missing aboriginal women on a national scale. She had been following the Gladue case closely and was also involved in supporting Gladue’s family when the verdict was handed down.
She told the crowd gathered on Thursday that Gladue’s family felt justice wasn’t served. Linda said that personally, as she sat in the courtroom during the trial, it made her feel that she had no value as a woman.
“We all have value. . . All life matters,” said Linda, adding, it is now important to remember Gladue, and recognize that she left behind three daughters who will forever have a hole in their hearts.
The 24 rallies held across the country were “about supporting and honouring aboriginal women,” said Linda, as she led those gathered in prayer.
Saddle Lake band councillor Shannon Houle was one of the many locals in attendance on Thursday. After the rally, she spoke about her views on the Gladue case, and overall issues relating to missing and murdered women.
“We are human beings, not anything less, and deserve respect. . . We utterly refute INAC Minister Valcourt’s statement to this,” said Houle, adding, “Our nation of Saddle Lake Cree Nation demand his removal from office and we as a nation stand with our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, granddaughters in reclaiming their honoured place within society.”
Houle said that “mutual respect” is needed among people, and needs to be at the “forefront” if change is to happen.
“The disgusting and degrading part of this Cindy Gladue case was . . . (that) she was violated again by the Canadian justice system by displaying her vagina in court,” said Houle, adding, “This goes totally against our culture and teachings. This is such inexcusable desecration of a human being’s sacred body.”
During the trial, Gladue’s preserved vagina was brought into court to show jurors the details of the 11-centimetre wound that led to her death. Barton was initially charged with second-degree murder, but after the preliminary hearing charges were upgraded to first-degree murder. Barton and Gladue, who was a sex-trade worker, had met in Barton’s hotel room twice before she was found.
Speaking on the announcement that an appeal was filed, Houle said she was pleased to hear the news. She further added that Saddle Lake is going to be having their own meeting with RCMP this month to address issues in relation to what many perceive as “a lack of justice,” racial profiling, and overall mistreatment.
The crowd on Thursday ended the peaceful demonstration by holding hands in prayer and singing a warrior song for Gladue, her family, and all those affected by others who have gone missing or have been murdered.
“We all hugged each other and walked away with determination to say ‘no more’,” said Houle.
