NDP call out Manitoba education minister for comparing Wab Kinew to Indigenous actor
Speaker to rule on complaint after Wayne Ewasko says NDP leader is 'no Adam Beach'
The Manitoba NDP have lodged a complaint against the province's education minister for what it calls racially motivated and demeaning comments made about Opposition Leader Wab Kinew.
The incident happened during Tuesday's question period in the legislature, during an exchange between NDP MLA Nello Altomare and Education Minister Wayne Ewasko while debating Bill 35, also known as the Education Administration Amendment Act.
During one of his rebuttals, Ewasko made a comparison between NDP Leader Kinew and Manitoba-born Indigenous actor Adam Beach.
"I actually thought the member from Transcona [Altomare] was going to turn a leaf and maybe take, um, self-serving comments away from his leader of the Opposition who seems to stand in this house on a day-to-day basis pretending to be some kind of actor. He's no Adam Beach, Madam Speaker," Ewasko said.
NDP MLA Uzoma Asagwara brought the incident up Wednesday in the chamber as a matter of privilege.
"It's a deeply disrespectful and demeaning remark," Asagwara said. "It is an insult which is itself a violation of privilege This comment would not have been made about a non-Indigenous member. What's more it would not be tolerated in another workplace."
WATCH | Wayne Ewasko compare Wab Kinew to Adam Beach:
Asagwara said the comment was made to diminish and insult Kinew as an Indigenous member of the chamber. They added the influence the comments could have on the legislature is "chilling."
"It singles out the leader of the Official Opposition in a way that other members who are non-Indigenous do not have to contend with," the MLA said. "Comments of that nature are a detriment to all members of this house and all members should be aligned in knowing these types of comments have no place in any space anywhere."
Asagwara called not only for Ewasko to apologize but to "fully and unconditionally retract his remarks."
Instead, Ewasko confirmed he made the comment and said he made the comparison to Beach because he is a well-known Indigenous actor from "right here in this great province."
"I was pointing out the fact that [Kinew's] not a great actor like Adam Beach. I could have used multiple other actors," Ewasko said. "I will apologize for using Adam Beach's name."
Ewasko continued by stating he holds Beach in high regard.
"I could have said Denzel Washington but then the member would have gone and hammered me on that. I could have used Jim Carrey, Madam Speaker, but the member would have got up and countered me on that," he said. "But you know what Madam Speaker, actually Jim Carrey, he does have … a 1997 film called Liar Liar."
Ewasko said he meant no ill intent by pointing out that Kinew is not a great actor. "Manitobans are seeing it displayed here today as well as the member for Union Station [Asagwara] stands up and tries to smear me."
When asked about the incident by reporters, Kinew called the comments "offside."
"I think that it's unfortunate that he's continued to double down on [the comments] and run away," he said. "In his remarks in response to the matter of privilege, he confirmed that he chose Adam Beach because he's an Indigenous person. So clearly there's a racial dynamic to what's going on here."
Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard also weighed in on the matter and said the legislative chamber is an important venue for debating policies and ideas, but in the last few weeks and months it's become more focused on personal attacks.
"We're not here to denigrate others in this chamber. To try and cut them down. To try and imply, particularly when there are racial overtones, to try and make implications that somebody is less than somebody else," Gerrard told the chamber.
"I think that we need to stand up against personal attacks and this needs to be much more vigorous than it has been in few weeks and months and this is an example,' he added.
Since Ewasko did not make an unqualified apology, Speaker Myrna Driedger said she would return to the house later to make a ruling on the matter of privilege.