'I was not in the best place in my life': Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew confronts abuse allegations

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Despite a landslide victory that saw Wab Kinew become the first First Nations person to win the leadership of a major political party in Manitoba, the author, former CBC broadcaster, Indigenous rights activist and now the leader of the Manitoba NDP, has been dogged by allegations of domestic abuse. 

Wab Kinew, the new Manitoba NDP leader, spoke with The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti about the 14-year-old allegations. 

This transcript has been edited for clarity and length.

Anna Maria Tremonti:  Normally a leader is celebrating a win — you are fending off attacks. What are we supposed to make of that?

Wab Kinew:  I've always understood that as long as I put my name on a ballot that people are going to want to talk about my past, my political opponents especially, but also that there are legitimate questions that people have about the person that I was when I was 20, 21-years-old. I've been very open about the sorts of changes that I've made in my life to go from negative to positive. And the work that I put in on an individual level but also publicly to become a positive force in our community and a force for good. 

AMT: Well, let's talk a little bit about some of the things that have come up with your name on that ballot. You were charged in 2003 with two counts of assault on your then domestic partner. Those charges were stayed and yet your former partner Tara Hart and her mother have spoken to reporters in the last week and detailed the allegations. How do you respond?

I chose to put my name on a ballot and I do accept responsibility for those things that I did to contribute to their suffering.  And I am sorry for that.- Wab Kinew

WK: Well, first of all, I am working to be a better person every day. And one of the lessons that I've really taken to heart over the past week is that these sorts of stories are very damaging for people to hear about in the media, especially those who have experienced domestic violence or harassment or sexual assault — it's triggering. 

Wab Kinew says he got into politics because of his past

7 years ago

Duration 2:32

Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew speaks on CBC's Information Radio about how his historic win has been clouded by allegations of domestic assault and an attack-filled website from the Tories.

With respect to, you know, the people who have spoken to the media, this is a person, and this is a family that was very important to me at one time in my life and I have been very clear about that this was investigated and dropped. But it's also clear to me that things are unresolved between us. And in acknowledging that I was not in a good place in my life at the time, I also accept that I did things to hurt them emotionally, that I did things to lead to them suffering today.  This is now being brought out into view again because I chose to put my name on a ballot and I do accept responsibility for those things that I did to contribute to their suffering.  And I am sorry for that. 

AMT:  Are you saying you accept responsibility for the physical violence that is alleged?

WK: No, I haven't. I've been clear about that. That that did not happen. But at the same time, I also recognize that I must've hurt this family on an emotional level. I probably scared them. I was not in the best place in my life. And so I am, you know, thinking about these things and trying to find a way to move forward in a good way. 

I'm a public figure and people are going to have questions about my character and my ability to lead. And so I do think that there are legitimate questions being asked.- Wab Kinew

AMT: The incidents that we are talking about — what is alleged to have happened 14 years ago — the charges were stayed. Do you think it's fair that you are back confronting this? Or that this is confronting you?

WK: Well, I think that you know there is the legal question that this was dropped. But I do recognize that I'm a public figure and people are going to have questions about my character and my ability to lead. And so I do think that there are legitimate questions being asked.

'A man can heal,' supporter says of Wab Kinew

7 years ago

Duration 1:01

One of Wab Kinew's supporters said she understands from first-hand experience that "a man can heal" and change, despite having dark chapters in their past.

I also recognize that because this conversation is so emotionally charged that it's not going to be up to me to decide when it's over. And it is up to me to show up and to continue to try and be a part of these conversations that need to take place so that we can take our society to having a consent culture and to being free of violence and harassment and intimidation. And so I'll continue to be a part of those conversations. 

The Current did invite a number of Indigenous women to speak to the issues raised around Kinew and his leadership. None of them wanted to go on record but several recommended we speak Robert Innes, a member of the Cowessess First Nation and scholar on Indigenous Masculinity.

AMT: What did you just hear as you listened to Wab Kinew?

Robert Innes: There is a real attempt to, on the one hand, be forthright about his past and accept responsibility. But there seems to be a reluctance to be completely open and frank about a lot of his past.

We don't know what he's actually accepting responsibility for.- Robert Innes responding to Wab Kinew

And at the same time, it has to be recognized that he has done some significant turning around. There's no doubt about that. But when he says he accepted responsibility, no matter what the version of the events are, we don't know what he's actually accepting responsibility for. It's kind of a difficult situation to try to assess. 

AMT: What did you want to hear that you didn't hear from him?

RI: A couple of things. First of all, I think ... admitting that, at the very least, he's caused a lot of emotional turmoil to [Tara Hart] and her family. But it would have been nice for him to tell his supporters that she doesn't need to be attacked online and threatened — to really ask his supporters to respect her privacy. I think that would send a message ... I would have liked to have seen him tell his supporters, you know, don't attack women who come forward with complaints. 

AMT: This has become very political, very fraught. Several Indigenous women didn't want to give their opinions on the record. Why do you think that is?

RI: We live in a real culture of fear and silence. People who are friends or relatives of someone who has been accused will either defend someone and clearly attack others or people who make accusations or people ignore it. And so I can see why some women would be reluctant to come forward. I mean, they've all seen what happened to Tara Hart, they've seen what happens to other women who've come forward and, you know, why would they put themselves in a situation where they would now be the target of abuse. 

We also have to deal with the issue that for a lot of people they really kind of resent, or are really reluctant to talk about issues about violence committed by Indigenous men because for many, that really reinforces a negative stereotype that white people have of Indigenous men. And that is used as a tool to keep the silence.

Listen to the full segment near the top of this web post.

This segment was produced by The Current's Samira Mohyeddin, Pacinthe Mattar, Idella Sturino and Winnipeg network producer Suzanne Dufresne.