Voices of Injustice - Wrongful Conviction Day 2025

Join us as we mark Wrongful Conviction Day, raising awareness of the profound impact of wrongful convictions and the need for justice reform.

Wrongful Conviction Day is not just about acknowledging the mistakes of the past, but about honoring the resilience of those who have endured them—and recommitting ourselves to the pursuit of truth, accountability, and justice. We welcome guest speaker and exoneree, Brian Anderson—someone whose voice has become a powerful force in the movement for justice.

Voices of Injustice: Firsthand Accounts of the Wrongfully Convicted

In 1973, Ting Fong Chan was brutally murdered in Winnipeg. In the wake of the crime, two Indigenous men -- Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse -- were arrested and wrongfully charged. Both men were fluent in Saulteaux/Ojibway but hadlimited understanding of English. Under coercive interrogation and without access to proper legal or language support, they were forced to sign false confessions. Their trial, conducted before an all-white jury, resulted in their conviction for a crime they did not commit. In 1974, they were sentenced to life in prison.

Brian Anderson ultimately served nearly 13 years behind bars before being released on parole, all the while maintaining his innocence. Decades later, both men reached out to Innocence Canada, which helped bring their case to the Minister of Justice. After reviewing the evidence of their wrongful conviction, former Minister David Lametti quashed the original verdicts and ordered a new trial.
 
On July 18, 2023, after nearly 50 years of seeking justice, Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse were formally acquitted. Their exoneration stands as a powerful testament to resilience, the enduring impact of systemic injustice, and the strength of those who refuse to be silenced.
 
We are honoured to welcome Mr. Brian Anderson as our guest speaker -- a man whose courage, perseverance, and unwavering pursuit of justice continue to inspire.

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