My project on the Manitoba Justice Inquiry &Helen Betty Osborne.Canada

1. MANITOBA JUSTICE
INQUIRY (1991)
Manitoba Justice Inquiry
Aboriginal vs Non Aboriginal Experiences
JJ Harper
Helen Betty Osborne

2. The Inquiry
• Created to respond to two specific incidents in Manitoba.
1987-1988
• J.J. Harper E.D Island Lake Tribal Council
• Helen Betty Osborne 19 year old student
• Explore/Investigate All Aspects of Each Case

3. Inquiry was delayed
• Challenged by the Winnipeg Police Association
• Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled that Orders in Council
were deemed invalid because they were in English Only
Administration of
• It was legally altered to
Justice and Aboriginal People-
1989.

4. Community Hearings
• Open to the Public
• 1,000 presenters/speakers
• 36 Aboriginal Communities were visited
• 20 with no road access
• Hearings at 5 Correctional Facilities
• 21,000 pages of transcripts
• No Cross-examinations ( Build Trust)
• 123 days of hearings
• 18,000 kilometers travelled

5. Aboriginal Vs Non Aboriginal
• Experiences/Research
• Investigating Practices
• Race Relations
• Cultural Biases
• Understanding Barriers

6. Aboriginals
• Incarceration
• Child Welfare
• Language Barriers
• Lack of representation by Aboriginals
within the justice system
• Lack of support

7. J.J. Harper

8. JJ Harper
• Shot and killed by police in 1988
• Police Exonerated
• Evidence supressed
• Racial concerns by Aboriginals
/unanswered questions

9. Helen Betty
Osborne
Murdered
Nov.13,1971
Norway House Indian
Reserve
Attending High School
(The Pas,Manitoba)
Hoping to Become a
Teacher

10. Nov.13,1971
• Helen Betty Osborne was abducted by four men
• Forced into a car
• Physically and Sexually Assaulted in the car
• Taken to a Cabin on Clearwater Lake
• Driven to the pump house on Clearwater Lake
• Taken from the car and brutally beaten and stabbed
(50) times to death

11. Helen Betty Osborne’ Body
• Found by a 14 year old boy (Kenneth Gurba)
• Between 9 and 10 A.M. Saturday Nov.13 1971
• Very dense wooded area
• Police Summoned
• Identification of Helen Betty Osborne was found through
fingerprints 10 minutes after midnight Nov.14,1971

12. Justine Osborne (Mother)
• Police Officer Alan Hayden-Luck of Norway House 1:56
a.m.went to Justine Osborne’s home and broke the news
to her.
• He was uncertain if anyone else was with her
• A recommendation was made that the officer could have
contacted the Band, or reached out to some other support
for Justine Osborne
• Justine stated that she was in shock and wanted the
Officer to leave her home

13. Helen Betty Osborne Investigation
Aboriginals Non -Aboriginals
• 4 suspects Identified
• Friends are interrogated
• No Formal Questioning
by Police • Parent was informed and
• Graphic pictures shown permission was obtained
prior to questioning
• No Parental /Guardian • One in-car informal interview
Consent which was interrupted by
suspect’s friends
• Boyfriend/ Fainted Upon • 16 years before any charges
Seeing Pictures • Middle Class Standing
•

14. Helen Betty Osborne
• Witness
• White or light blue car is identified
• 5342 Partial Plate #
• Driving Erratically Near Clearwater Lake
• The car is identified as a 1967 Chrysler
• Locally Owned by Bud Colgan- Lee
Colgan’s Father

15. Judicial Inquiry Requested
• Both the Chief of The Pas
Indian Band and the Mayor of
The Pas, Manitoba had
advocated for a Judicial Inquiry
into the Helen Betty Osborne
murder.

16. Suspects Known to Police /May 1972
• Jim Houghton
• Lee Colgan
• Norman Manger
• Dwayne Johnston

17. 3 Phazes of the Investigation
• 1 Nov.13,71- Oct.72
• 2 1972 to 1983
• 3 1983 to trial in 1987 ( Constable Urbonski)

18. Const. Robert Urbanosk 1983
• Phaze 3/Urbonski conducted a review of the case
• The Inquiry was confident that had it not
been for his efforts the case might never
have been solved.
• Read the case 4/5 times
• Brought on 11 other officers/investigators
• 2 sets of wiretaps
• 7,000 man hours
• Posted a news article for information
• 4 more persons came forward

19. Charges Laid 1986
• Colgan is charged in Oct.3 1986
• Johnston is later charged Oct.27/1986
• Preliminary Hearing March 10,1987
• Lee Colgan through his lawyer requested immunity for
evidence against Johnston March 9,1987
• Granted by the Crown

20. 1987 Trial
• Dwayne Johnston successfully
charged
• Norman Manger- No Charges
• Jim Houghton -Acquitted
• Lee Colgan -Witness Immunity

21. Video
•Remind Paul to bring up
cbc Video
• http://obesitythunderbay.ning.com/video/aboriginals-and-justice

22. The R.C.M.P @ The Pas,Manitoba
• Community-based problem solving:
• Child Protection Team:
• Northern Gateway Community Chaplaincy Program:
• Restorative and alternative justice:
• Community Justice Program:
• Alternative Measures Program:
• Crime prevention:
• The Pas & Area Citizens on Patrol Program (COP)
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE):
• Neighborhood Watch:

23. R.C.M.P. @The Pas, Manitoba
• Crime prevention:
• The Pas & Area Citizens on Patrol Program (COP)
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE):
• Neighborhood Watch:
• Safe Grad: The high school in The Pas has chosen to participate in the Safe
Grad program. In order to assist in this process, a member from the local
detachment acts as a liaison between the school and the RCMP.
• Other Crime Prevention Programs include:
• Crime Stoppers
• Media Relations
• Impaired Driving
• Community Youth Round Table
• Police-community relations:
• School Liaison
• Youth & Parent Wellness Symposium
•

24. R.C.M.P
• Quality service through strategic partnerships:
• The community also benefits directly and indirectly
from strategic partnerships that the RCMP forms with
other law enforcement and governmental agencies
as well as with as with other community groups.
Several unique associations have been formed:
• Mayor and Council/Chief and Council
• Victim Services
• The Pas Chapter of the National Joint Committee of
Senior Criminal Justice Officials

25. Reference Page
• Reference Page
•
• Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission (n.a.) (2000) Retrieved from
• http://www.ajic.mb.ca/index.html
• (Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission2000)
• CBC Digital Archives.1991 Retrieved from
• http://www.cbc.ca/player/Digital+Archives/Society/Native+Issues/ID/1434997207/
• (CBC Digital Archives.1991)
• Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation (n.d.) (n.a.) Retrieved from
• http://www.helenbettyosbornefdtn.ca/
• (Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation)
• R.C.M.P The Pas, Manitoba (n.a.)(n.d.) Retrieved from
• http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/mb/detach/thepas-eng.htm