Manitoba chiefs claim exclusion from mayor's summit on racism

The second day of Mayor Brian Bowman's summit on racism isunderway and there are more complaints of exclusion.

This time,Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Derek Nepinak says his group has been left out. In a statement released Friday, he said "it is baffling toconsider why we would be 'excluded' from a national discussion on 'racial inclusion.'"

Bowman organizedOne: The Mayor's National Summit on Racial Inclusion, which startedThursdayat the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, as a response to Maclean'smagazine calling Winnipeg the most racist city in Canada.

Nepinaksaid it is difficult to understand why he and others from the First Nations community would beinvited, at short notice, to stand in solidarity behind Bowman during a press conference to address the Maclean's article in January,but then be excluded from thesummit.

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"Despitehaving very little background about the intent of the mayor's press conference, I trusted the call in thespirit of building relations and stood with him and community leaders in the call for change," he said.

"It seemsquite the paradox that the AMC would be one of the ones on the short list to call in support of the mayor's office to challenge racism, and then be excluded when the actual work of 'racial inclusion'begins."

Others have also criticized the summit fornot being inclusive enough, for charging afee to attend, and forfavouringhigher-profile guests, including authorJosephBoydenandRev.GeraldDurley, acivil rights activist from the United States,overlocal community activists and organizers.

That prompted some activists to organize their own alternatesummit on Thursday evening, which attracted hundreds of participants.

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Statement from AMCGrand ChiefDerekNepinak

In recent months, the City of Winnipeg has been attemptingto take a leadership role in addressing matters pertaining to the racism that exists in Winnipeg, theprovince of Manitoba and beyond.

This is a monumental task and would require careful considerationsbe made about who should be 'included' in a National Summit on 'Racial Inclusion'. The Assembly ofManitoba Chiefs (AMC), Manitoba's largest Indigenous political advocacy & rights protectionorganization, was excluded from the invites to the Summit.

Although AMC has taken a concerted and focused approach on advocacy and rights protection over thepast 4 years, throughout our 28 years of political leadership in Manitoba, current and former leadershipof AMC have created several key connecting points for Manitoba's Indigenous peoples to access servicesand support throughout our ancestral lands.

Through our partnerships and businesses created over thepast several years, the AMC sees thousands of people from Indigenous families utilizing our servicesthrough the Eagle Urban Transition Centre, accessing employment & training programs through ourpartner organizations, advocacy support for parents and families and a multitude of other supports andservices for Indigenous peoples.

One of the greatest barriers that many Indigenous peoples face inaccessing services, programs and supports is racism, and we are very well aware of the many instancesof both explicit racism and the more subversive institutional racism that exists throughout society as wedeal with it everyday through AMC's network of businesses and services.On this basis, it is baffling toconsider why we would be 'excluded' from a national discussion on 'racial inclusion'.

Following the release of the Maclean's magazine article several months ago, myself and others from thecommunity were called to support a short notice press conference and stand with the mayor. Despitehaving very little background about the intent of the mayor's press conference, I trusted the call in thespirit of building relations and stood with him and community leaders in the call for change. It seemsquite the paradox that the AMC would be one of the ones on the short list to call in support of theMayor's office to challenge racism, and then be excluded when the actual work of 'Racial inclusion'begins.

Hearts must be changed

An American pastor who is also a renowned civil rights activist, speaking at Friday's summit,commendedBowmanfor tackling racism head-on.

Gerald Durley, who spoke to a crowd of about 450 on Friday morning, saidchanging attitudes and changing hearts starts at the top.

"The person who is in power has the right to change that system and a conference like this forces us to get involved with those who are [in positions of]leadership and change our attitudes so that the system will change," he said.

"The system keeps us in bondage and powerless."

Durley spoke about being the target of racism in the U.S., saying the black movement fought back and over time has changed attitudes.

Hebelieves the same can happen here with First Nations people.

"Differences are made not when laws are necessarily changed but when hearts are changed; when brains are challenged; when insights and attitudes reach another level,"Durley said. "And you in this room, it all starts with only a few people."

Durley believes the summit will give Winnipeggers a new perspective on how to break down stereotypes and make real change.

Theschedule of Friday's eventsis available on the summit'swebsite.