Originally Posted By avromark <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060302/wl_canada_afp/canadausdiplomacy_060302153614" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20 060302/wl_canada_afp/canadausdiplomacy_060302153614</a> "VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) - A US state has made an unusual admission that it failed to stop the mob lynching of a young Canadian boy 122 years ago, officials said. ADVERTISEMENT The Washington state senate and house of representatives passed a resolution Wednesday acknowledging that authorities failed to investigate the case and pledged "to ensure that such a tragedy will neither be forgotten nor repeated." "Its very unusual," said Brian Dirks, a spokesman for Washington state Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen. In a telephone interview, Dirks said Owen championed the resolutions "because he very much wanted to do something to help what he sees as an injustice."" Is this proof the court systems are slow? Or is this proof that American - Canadian relations are now strained?
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Is this proof the court systems are slow? Or is this proof that American - Canadian relations are now strained?<< False choice here. The reason it was brought up is in the article: >>The murder was publicized in recent years after Canadian historian Keith Carlson documented the case, with Albert (Sonny) McHalsie, cultural director of the Canadian Sto:lo Nation. Their research led to a documentary, "The Lynching of Louie Sam," by Vancouver filmmaker David McIlwraith. Last year Iona Campagnolo, British Columbia's Lieutenant Governor, asked [Washington state Lieutenant Governor] Owen to address the issue.<< So far from evidence that there is a strain in Canadian-US relations, this case was brought to the forefront by a Canadian historian, and resolved by an American official. Another detail I found of interest in the article: >>In addition to the resolutions, a healing ceremony was held in the states capital building with two Washington state Indian tribes. McHalsie, speaking for the Sto:lo Nation, said the Canadian aboriginal band accepts the American resolutions.<< And lest we think that the "aboriginal band" places all the blame on America: >>...the Sto:lo now want a similar acknowledgement from the British Columbia government for failing to press Sam's case.<<
