Innu Chief Mike McKenzie accused of sexually assaulting minor
Chief of Uashat-Maliotenam said he was victim of 'deplorable smear campaign' during March band election
Mike McKenzie, the recently re-elected chief of the Innu community of Uashat-Maliotenam on Quebec's North Shore, has been arrested and is facing three charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of girl who was under the age of 14 at the time.
According to the arrest warrant issued in Sept-Îles on June 20, the alleged incidents took place over a period of nearly a year, between June 15, 2000, and May 20, 2001.
McKenzie is facing three charges:
- One count of sexual touching.
- One count of invitation to sexual touching.
- One count of sexual assault.
At his inauguration ceremony last April, shortly after his re-election as chief of Uashat-Maliotenam, McKenzie commented on what he called a "deplorable smear campaign" against him.
He denounced his detractors and accused them of sullying not just his reputation but the reputation of the entire Innu community of 3,000 located near Sept-Îles, about 640 kilometres northwest of Quebec City.
Some protesters were present at that ceremony, calling on McKenzie to step down from political office.
"I have never, under any circumstance, committed reprehensible acts against anyone," McKenzie said at that time. "My spirit and my conscience are perfectly clear."
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story said Mike McKenzie has been arrested and is facing three charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of a four-year-old girl. The girl was in fact under the age of 14 at the time.Jun 28, 2016 7:29 PM ET
with files from Radio-Canada