Prominent Manitoba grand chief suspended following sexual assault allegation by colleague

A prominent Manitoba grand chief has been suspended while an allegation he sexually assaulted a colleague is investigated.

An outside party will lead the investigation into Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs confirmed in a news release on Friday.

A woman who works with AMC accused Dumas of harassment and sexual assault in a letter she sent Monday to AMC's executive council of chiefs. 

In the letter obtained by CBC News, the woman said she wanted to bring immediate attention to breaches of AMC's code of the conduct "based on my personal experiences of harassment, sexual harassment and sexualized violence." 

"I believe there should be urgency in this matter, as I suspect other women of AMC have or are experiencing the same thing."

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs identified her as a senior staff member.

Emergency meeting called

The assembly said it is hiring Tapper Cuddy LLP to lead the investigation, which AMC said would be "impartial, neutral and objective."

The executive council of chiefs held an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the allegations against Dumas.

It also announced AMC's personnel and finance committee would review and amend the existing workplace harassment policies. It would review the constitution as well and identify amendments that could be adopted.

In the letter, the woman alleges she's felt harassed by Dumas by phone, in person and virtually since her second day of employment with AMC, which advocates on behalf of 62 First Nations in Manitoba, including Anishnaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dene and Dakota peoples.

"My personal experience of harassment and sexual misconduct has created an unsafe work environment where I have been subjugated to gender-based violence," she wrote.

"I am unable to provide more details to this issue, as a formal complaint has been filed with the Winnipeg Police Service sex crimes unit, but I can confirm from my experience, I was sexually assaulted."

The police said on Friday that an incident number has been generated, but they could not confirm any of the individuals who are allegedly involved.

Dumas has not been formally charged by Winnipeg police.  He did not respond to a request for comment.

'Inappropriate' text messages in the past

The grand chief has been accused of misconduct before.

In 2019, it was alleged he sent "inappropriate" messages and texts to Bethany Maytwayashing, a 22-year-old woman. 

Dumas strongly denied accusations he was pursuing intimate relations with the woman, but admitted his behaviour hadn't always been the most professional. He took a brief leave of absence from his leadership role with the assembly to undergo counselling and professional sensitivity training to ensure his communications are more formal.

The woman recently told the Free Press the AMC has refused to explain how it investigated Dumas.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, the chair of the National Family and Survivors Circle, says she stands in solidarity with the women who have spoken out against Dumas, and questions how the assembly could go forward with Dumas at the helm. 

He was re-elected to the position last summer.

"When we look at AMC, from my perspective as an Indigenous woman who has experienced gender-based violence herself, I think what type of message does that send when there's repeated allegations and the said individual has been re-elected?

"I think that diminishes a lot of hope for Indigenous women and girls and two-spirited and gender-diverse people living within our communities and are looking for change, are looking for safety, are looking for a better tomorrow."

She wants AMC to make structural changes to ensure victims feel supported when they come forward.

The executive council of chiefs will meet again on Monday to appoint an acting grand chief.