Woman suing former Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs leader for alleged sexual assault

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas speaks at a news conference on March 24, 2021. (CTV News Photo Ken Gabel)

WARNING: This story contains details that might be upsetting for some viewers.

The former grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is being sued by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by him on multiple occasions.

On Aug. 30, a civil lawsuit was filed in the Court of King’s Bench claiming Arlen Dumas assaulted the woman at least eight times while she worked with the AMC between January and March 2022. CTV News is not identifying the woman because of the sexual nature detailed in the claim.

None of the allegations against Dumas have been proven in court.

The claim states the woman was hired as the acting executive director of the AMC and reported directly to Dumas.

“The Defendant immediately created a hostile and inappropriate working environment for the Plaintiff,” the claim said.

The claim states Dumas would text the woman late at night and inappropriate comments and would also make “unwelcomed” comments about her appearance.

It is also alleged that Dumas would invite the woman to after-hour dinner meetings, which she would often make excuses as to why she couldn’t go as the dinners “made her uncomfortable.”

The lawsuit says the woman did meet with Dumas for dinner on one occasion to discuss business. After the dinner, the lawsuit says the woman was invited back to Dumas’ apartment to watch TV. She agreed to stay for a short time.

“When the episode ended, the Plaintiff told the Defendant that she needed to leave and walked to the door. The Defendant followed the Plaintiff to the door, grabbed her waist, and tried to kiss her on the mouth.”

Another incident detailed in the lawsuit says the woman drunk one night on a date and either texted or phoned Dumas to pick her up.

“The Plaintiff has very little memory of what happened after the Defendant picked her up from her date’s home. When she woke up in the morning sober, she realized that she was naked and in the Defendant’s bedroom.

“Once the Plaintiff was awake, the Defendant overpowered her, put her on her stomach on the bed, wrapped his arm tightly around her to restrain her, pushed her head and neck down into the bed, and forcibly sexually penetrated her.”

The lawsuit claims the woman almost lost consciousness because of the pressure being put on her neck.

It is also noted that the woman had sex with Dumas four times because “she felt could not say no because of the Defendant’s position of authority over her…The Plaintiff did not give consent to any sexual activity with the Defendant.”

In March 2022, the woman sent a letter to the AMC saying she was a victim of sexual assault and Dumas was suspended pending an investigation.

In August 2022, AMC voted to remove Dumas as grand chief after an independent investigation found Dumas had engaged in workplace sexual harassment.

The woman is seeking $426,000 in damages.

CTV News has reached out to Dumas’ lawyer for comment and has not heard back. CTV News also contacted Winnipeg police to see if Dumas is being investigated. Police wouldn’t say if there was a criminal investigation and said there were no other comments to provide.