Trustee’s remarks ‘racist and discriminatory,’ chief says

BRANDON — Manitoba Grand Chief Cathy Merrick has accused a school trustee of making “racist and discriminatory remarks” at a board meeting in Dauphin Monday night.

Merrick, of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, is demanding the removal of Ward 2 trustee Paul Coffey from the Mountain View School Division board of trustees.

“Paul Coffey’s remarks demonstrate a deep ignorance that is counterproductive to the goals of reconciliation,” Merrick said Wednesday in a news release. “Continuing to provide a platform for someone with such profoundly racist beliefs is as irresponsible as it is violent, and this rhetoric has no place in any public education system.”

Coffey’s comments were part of an almost-30 minute presentation he gave to the board called “Racism/Anti-Racism” and subtitled “Nice Until It Isn’t” that dealt primarily with Indigenous issues and was critical of many government policies.

Arguing that “name changing is a form of erasure,” he said he would “continue to use the word ‘Indian’ in this presentation to acknowledge and honour the enduring heritage of the North American Indian.”

He also contended that “white privilege” is a racist concept, saying it was just as unacceptable as “red savage” and other racial slurs or stereotypes.

His presentation concluded with a projected image of his “favourite family photo,” depicting an Indigenous woman identified as He-Zan-Tan, or Jane Shiny Horn, who he said was “happy that 14 of her grandchildren attended residential school.”

Coffee, who said he has Assiniboine and Chippewa ancestry, said his father and grandfather attended residential school but “did not consider themselves survivors … because to be a survivor, that means you’re a victim.”

The assembly accused Coffey of making “several comments encouraging the use of derogatory language when describing First Nations people, referring to First Nations as ‘Indians’ or ‘red savages.’ Coffey also voiced his support of the residential school and day school systems, claiming these institutions were of great benefit to First Nations.”

The assembly said it expects apologies from Coffey and from the Mountain View division “for allowing and supporting this hateful presentation to go unchallenged.”

It is also demanding the Manitoba government provide First Nations-led anti-racism training to “all members of the provincial education system.”

“School board trustees play a significant role in the overall direction and policies for a school division,” Merrick said.

She added, “myself, and every First Nations person in the province of Manitoba and across Turtle Island deserves a public apology. Enough is enough. It is 2024, and First Nations people will no longer tolerate such ignorance. We demand accountability and respect and will not settle for anything less.”

On Tuesday, the Mountain View board of trustees posted a statement on its website, distancing itself from Coffey’s remarks.

“Mr. Coffey was speaking as an individual and his opinions and comments were his own and possibly those of other constituents in his ward. Mr. Coffey was not speaking on behalf of the board,” said the statement, signed by board chair Gabe Mercier.

— Brandon Sun