First Nations leaders decry mayoral candidate who blamed Indigenous men for violence against Indigenous women
AMC deputy grand chief suggests Don Woodstock not fit to be mayor; MKO grand chief urges him to bow out
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Two Manitoba grand chiefs think Don Woodstock isn't fit to lead, and one of the Winnipeg mayoral candidate's Indigenous competitors is decrying his comments suggesting Indigenous men are responsible for violence facing Indigenous women and girls.
At a mayoral forum Thursday night, organized by the Council of Winnipeg Women, Woodstock said "Aboriginal" men don't respect Indigenous women. He characterized that as the reason why Indigenous women face violence.
"In what I've seen and what I hear, Indigenous men and youths need to come to the table to solve this problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women. This is the link," Woodstock said.
"In most cases, if you talk to them and listen to them and listen how they view and value women, it's not the same as how I view and value women."
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs deputy Grand Chief Cornell McLean called the comments appalling and inaccurate.
He said Woodstock needs to take a cultural sensitivity course.
"If he's spreading false truth, he's not going to be a very good candidate for mayor," he said. "I think if he wants to run a smooth campaign he should focus on the votes of the people in Winnipeg."
McLean said the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls is systemic and rooted in the violent history of colonization, forced assimilation, and removal of First Nations children from their families and nations.
He suggested Woodstock's comments go against the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report's calls to action.
"He's not doing good for himself when we speak about truth and humility being a part of that report," he said.
WATCH | Don Woodstock accuses Indigenous men:
Woodstock also said at the forum that Indigenous men have too many sexual and romantic partners.
"Why do some youngsters see themselves as the only thing that is good for them is to have multiple wives, multiple sweethearts, multiple mothers, multiple families?" he said.
Several mayoral candidates present at the forum criticized Woodstock Thursday night.
The only Indigenous man and mayoral candidate on the panel, Robert-Falcon Ouellette, wasn't present when Woodstock made the remarks.
On Friday, Ouellette held a news conference to decry the revictimization of Indigenous people.
"I guess we could ask a question: Are all Black men violent? Are all white men racist? Or Asians? The list could go on," he said. "Obviously we know these things are not true. To categorize one people as entirely one thing is wrong."
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents dozens of First Nations communities in northern Manitoba, also weighed in.
"It is appalling that there are individuals out there that have the mindset that would isolate a certain group of people in terms of domestic violence, because domestic violence happens everywhere," MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said over the phone from The Pas Friday night.
"Most victims are victims because … someone they knew personally assaulted them or perpetrated violence toward them, so it has nothing to do with race," he said.
"I don't think a person that is seeking political office should have those kind of mindsets that [are] so outmoded."
Settee said on the path toward reconciliation, Indigenous people are trying to meet non-Indigenous people halfway and don't need someone like Woodstock spreading stereotypes.
"He should drop out of the race and work on his own personal life," said Settee.
"It's the responsible thing to do, and I think he should work on his own personal life. If he can't help himself he can't help anybody else, much less the city of Winnipeg."
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With files from Bartley Kives