AMC appoints acting grand chief

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This article was published 20/03/2022 (1011 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shamattawa First Nation Chief Eric Redhead has been appointed acting grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

The AMC’s personnel and finance committee made the decision to appoint Redhead during a meeting Monday, the advocate organization’s executive council stated in a news release, stating it would make no further comment.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas was suspended March 18, after a female co-worker (reportedly a senior staff member at AMC) accused him of sexually assault and harassment. The woman made a complaint to the Winnipeg Police Service and formally notified AMC last week in an email, writing she wanted the organization to take urgent action for fear other women have experienced similar treatment.

The woman wrote in her email Dumas allegedly harassed her by phone, in person and virtually since her second day on the job, and he sexually assaulted her.

“My personal experience of harassment and sexual misconduct has created an unsafe work environment where I have been subjected to gender-based violence,” the woman 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 WPS confirmed last week an incident case number had been generated, but gave no further details. No charges have been laid.

Dumas was first elected as grand chief in 2017, and re-elected for another three-year term last year. Partway through his first term, in 2019, he took a two-week leave of absence after a Winnipeg woman more than 20 years his junior accused him of sending inappropriate texts and Facebook messages to her.

He denied those allegations, saying someone had impersonated him.

Dumas has not publicly commented on the recent sexual assault allegation.