Members of Manitoba’s aboriginal community wish Gord Steeves had a stronger response to his wife’s Facebook comments.
The mayoral candidate spoke about his wife’s post about “drunken native guys” on Tuesday, days after they surfaced last Friday.
Steeves answered questions from the media, but largely ignored comments by other audience members.
“You know, I tried to talk to him there and he wouldn’t even address me,” said Althea Guiboche.
She hands out food to Winnipeg’s homeless with her organization, Got Bannock?
She invited Steeves to join her, but he didn’t respond.
Steeves said there’s a process in place if people want to meet with him.
“Our campaign has a protocol for meeting with everybody. If people contact our campaign and they wish to meet with us, we follow the protocol and I’m certain we will,” said Steeves.
Chief Jim Bear from Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is frustrated with Steeves’ response to his wife’s Facebook post.
“He should address it head on. And he should involve our people in the process as well. They have the answers,” said Bear.
Bear said the negative comments that Steeves faces reflect a small amount of what aboriginal people face daily, and hopes he learns from the situation.
That sentiment is echoed by Chief Betsy Kennedy from War Lake First Nation. Kennedy thinks this issue will inspire more aboriginal Winnipeggers to vote in the upcoming election.
“We are aboriginal people. We have many of our members who live in the city and will be voting,” said Kennedy.
Mayoral candidate Brian Bowman also weighed in on Steeves’ response.
“I think a lot more was deserved and quite frankly I didn’t think it was as respectful as it should have been,” said Bowman.
Bowman said Steeves’ response doesn’t reflect the inclusive tone he thinks is needed for a mayoral candidate in Winnipeg.
People who spoke to CTV News on Tuesday said they want to see Steeves working directly with aboriginal people in the community and want to see plans for programs that address homelessness.
