John Joseph Harper
Canadian aboriginal leader from Wasagamack, Manitoba (1951–1988)
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John Joseph "J.J." Harper (December 30, 1951 – March 9, 1988) was a Canadian aboriginal leader from Wasagamack, Manitoba, who was shot and killed by Winnipeg police constable Constable Robert Cross on March 9, 1988.[1] That event, along with the murder of Helen Betty Osborne, sparked the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry.[2]
30 December 1951
John Joseph Harper | |
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| Born | John Joseph Harper 30 December 1951 Wasagamack, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | 9 March 1988 (aged 36) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Children | 3 |
During an altercation between Police and Harper, Cross shot and killed Harper. It was initially ruled an accident; however, a strong public outcry lead to the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (Name of Inquiry). The inquiry eventually concluded that Cross had used excessive force in the fatal confrontation.[3]
Personal life
Harper was a member of the Wasagamack First Nation. He was also executive director of the Island Lake Tribal Council and a leader in Manitoba's indigenous community. He and his wife Lois had three children together.[4] On August 2, 2008, over 20 years after Harper was killed,[5] his nephew Craig McDougall was also shot and killed by Winnipeg Police.[6]
Legacy
In 1994, Prairie Theatre Exchange produced William Harrar's play Inquest about the police response to the shooting.[7] Two years later, Layne Coleman and Sandra Oh appeared in a Factory Theatre production of Harrar's play.[8]
Harper's shooting was described in a 1999 book, Cowboys & Indians: The Killing of J.J. Harper, written by Winnipeg Free Press columnist Gordon Sinclair Jr., and later a 2003 television movie by the same name. It was directed by Norma Bailey and starred Adam Beach as Harper.[9]