Manitoba trustee suspended over posts targeting LGBTQ2S+ community, division says

Francine Champagne, who represents Ward 1 in the Louis Riel School Division, was suspended during a board meeting on June 6, 2023. (Source: Louis Riel School Division)

A Manitoba school trustee has been suspended over social media posts the division says targeted the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Trustee Francine Champagne, who represents Ward 1 in the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD), has been suspended for three months, a division spokesperson confirmed.

"Her suspension is due to breaching the Board Code of Conduct, specific to social media use and disregarding Policy AC: Respect for Human Diversity," Emmalee Blackadar, the communications manager for the division, said in an email to CTV News.

"Trustee Champagne posted harmful comments on social media targeting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community."

Sandy Nemeth, the chair of the LRSD Board of Trustees, told CTV News she was concerned after finding out about the posts, saying they had a 'strong transphobic sentiment' and were disrespectful to the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Nemeth said she brought her concerns to the board.

"They are just not who we are in Louis Riel and certainly not who we are as a board," Nemeth said.

CTV News has not been able to view the posts in question, which appear to have since been deleted.

Champagne was one of two trustees elected in the ward during the most recent 2022 election. She received 2,817 votes.

Champagne's suspension will last for three months and is the strongest sanction possible under the Manitoba Public Schools Act. Nemeth said following the suspension, Champagne will resume her full duties.

However, part of a motion passed by the board Tuesday evening includes a commitment to professional learning for all members of the board.

"Over time we hope she's had a chance to reflect and think about how she's going to return to her duties and return to the community – and that is going to involve us having some conversations around respect for human diversity and what that looks like in Louis Riel," Nemeth said.

Nemeth said the board understood that whatever their decision was – it would send a message to the community.

"What we want everyone to take away is that we recognize the value of every student, staff member, teacher, administrator, community member to feel that when they are working and learning in LRSD, or enter one of our buildings, that they are welcomed, they are valued, they are respected, (and) we will care for them and support them," she said.

"It doesn't matter who they are or how they identify. They are people and human beings first."

CTV News has reached out to Champagne for comment, but has yet to hear back.