January 14, 2023

Treaty 1 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Métis Nation, Winnipeg MB— A number of Manitoba PC MLAs, including some cabinet ministers, were seen on Friday attending a speech by Pierre Poilievre hosted by the contentious organization Frontier Centre for Public Policy.  

“To see members of the PC government attend Frontier’s event is alarming, given what we know about that organization’s record of promoting dangerous and inaccurate ideas meant to divide people,” said NDP Critic for Indigenous Relations Ian Bushie. “The success of things like Orange Shirt Day proves Manitobans reject hateful narratives like the ones espoused by the Frontier Centre. Families want a government that works to make life better and more affordable for everyone. The Premier needs to answer for why her caucus supports Frontier’s lies.”  

The Frontier Centre is a right-wing organization that has made false claims intended to spread division and hate in published articles and paid advertising. It has denied the fact residential schools were intended to assimilate Indigenous children by eliminating their Indigenous identity and languages. The organization has posted articles seeking to devalue the generational trauma of residential schools on Indigenous families. It has also promoted   inaccuracies related to vaccines and has disputed the existence of climate change.  

Media coverage and social media confirms several PC MLAs attended yesterday’s event, including Minister of Justice Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage Andrew Smith, MLA Obby Khan and MLA James Teitsma.