Winnipeg mayor calls for Senator Beyak to resign

Winnipeg mayor says a statement released by Conservative Senator Lynn Beyak is “deeply offensive”

Dennis Ward
APTN National News
The mayor of Winnipeg says a statement released by Conservative Senator Lynn Beyak is “deeply offensive” and “terribly damaging to reconciliation efforts.”

Brian Bowman was reacting to a statement Beyak posted on Sept. 1, where she defend her previous comments on residential schools, saying many people had shown support for her position.

She also called on First Nations to “trade your status card for a Canadian citizenship, with a fair and negotiated payout to each Indigenous man, woman, and child in Canada, to settle all the outstanding land claims and treaties, and move forward together just like the leaders already do in Ottawa.”

Earlier in the day, on Thursday, Bowman tweeted: “A Canadian Senator s/d know who Canadian Citizens are. #makeitawkward #resign”

When asked during a press conference later in the day if he believes Beyak should resign, Bowman said “of course.”

“I don’t remember a time where a Canadian senator, a member of the Canadian Senate has made comments as damaging to our reconciliation efforts like that,” he said.

“I mean they’re just, they’re terrible and she clearly needs to be better educated and I hope that she gets that education on who Canadian citizens are as well as matters pertaining to our Indigenous community.”

Beyak released another statement on Thursday, once again defending her previous comments.

“What we have been doing is obviously not working, spending billions of dollars annually, yet filthy water and inadequate housing is still a reality on too many reserves,” she said. 

Conservative Senate Chair Larry Smith said Wednesday Beyak’s comments don’t reflect the Conservative caucus. 

“Accordingly, we have taken additional steps to address Senator Beyak’s ongoing role within our Caucus,” said Smith in a statement.

Beyak has not returned phone calls or responded to emails from APTN.

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22 thoughts on “Winnipeg mayor calls for Senator Beyak to resign

  1. chezhank says:

    Is Senator Beyak not just repeating what the White Paper basically recommended in 1969 which was rejected?
    Can a person no longer express their opinion in this country?

  2. She should resign. She’s oblivious to the damage that was caused by the residential schools and also that treaties should be honoured.

  3. How can someone have no sympathy for the people who suffered and still suffer to day make comments like that. If Canada still benefits from the resources of the land than so shall First Nations people. It’s like say the Jewish people should forget what Hitler did to them.

  4. I strongly believe she should resign also, for her to be able to make such unempathetic remarks against an entire race that has suffered through a pretty harsh form of colonization, she is making a farce out of Canadian politics.

  5. This article and the comments here are so biased and hypocritical!!!!!. If the Senator must resign then bigots like Bellegarde and Bowman should resign too!!!

  6. This woman is very stupid. Harper appointing her to the Senate was just plain EVIL. She should be removed immediately. She is not suitable to any sort of position requiring intelligence. She is NOT fit.

  7. TWO STEPS FORWARD AND A THOUSAND BACK, WITH THAT STATEMENT from SENATOR LYNN BEYAK. DOES SHE EVEN KNOW what country she is in, and whom it’s first citizens are?

  8. TWO STEPS FORWARD AND A THOUSAND BACK WITH SENATOR LYNN BEYAK’S STATEMENT. DOES SHE EVEN KNOW WHAT COUNTRY SHE IS IN AND WHOM IT’S FIRST CITIZENS ARE?

  9. Since your so well educated “Poncho” Just which treaties are you quoting Poncho? (we all need “education” as you say) , Just which treaties does your quote “as long as the sun shines, The grass grows and the rivers flow” ,appear in?

  10. Good Job Mayor Bowman and yes this person should resign immediately. How dare this woman make such a horrible remark about us Indigenous People . Its obvious that Beyak is uneducated about the country that she lives in and that surely she must work or walk along side of many of us. OMG woman ,learn , listen and walk with others instead of acting like a racist uncaring bigot . You are living in Canada which is Native Land. What do you not understand or better yet do you even care too!
    I hope APTN continues to go after her uncalled for bull crap. And you can print this anywhere. Linda Campbell

  11. Section 91(24) of the (Constitution) is the federal status given to Indians and which removes the franchise or the right to vote in Canada and section 53 affirms this status and is again denied by Canada, the provinces and municipalities and school boards.
    Section “125. No Lands or Property belonging to Canada or any Province shall be liable to Taxation”, which affirms the non-taxation of governments such as school boards, municipalities, provinces, federal government and their corporations, including Indian Bands, tribal councils and their corporations based on the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Westbank First Nation v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 134, confirming the federal Court of Appeal decision in Otineka Development Corporation Limited and 72902 Manitoba Limited v. The Queen, 94 D.T.C. 1234, [1994] 1 C.T.C. 2424.
    Senator “Bayak”, which refers to the number one in Cree, is ignorant of Canadian history and the History of Indians with Canada, or else she would know the Canadian policy of extermination of Indians is aligned with the continued extermination efforts of the Canadian government with its policies of “Dispossession” of lands, status, and resources required for the development of social and economics including the financial dispossession by unlawful and wrongful taxation of Indian Band governments, their corporations and their Band Membership!
    To accomplish her proposal, Bayak must amend the Constitution and the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and I don’t believe she has any idea of this requirement!

  12. straight talk
    It looks like u need attention there girly, you need history lessons u never got in schools. I feel sorry for u and the numbers of backers who believe in your idiot comments. Treaties say AS LONG AS THE SUN SHINES THE GRASS GROWS AND RIVERS FLOW.

    1. She is trying to help Indigenous people by getting rid of the bureaucrats and giving that money directly to the people.

  13. Senator Beyak has done nothing to earn the trust of Indigenous people and should therefore stop trying to defend her damaging and racist comments. She also hasn’t earned the right to offer solutions that in this case, aren’t solutions at all but judgements coming from a place of privilege and total disconnection from the issues and the people who are affected. #Resign.

  14. Section 91(24) of the (Constitution) is the federal status given to Indians and which removes the franchise or the right to vote in Canada and section 53 affirms this status and is again denied by Canada, the provinces and municipalities and school boards. The section, (125. No Lands or Property belonging to Canada or any Province shall be liable to Taxation.) which affirms the non-taxation of governments such as school boards, municipalities, provinces, federal government and their corporations, including Indian Bands, tribal councils and their corporations based on the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Westbank First Nation v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 134, confirming the federal Court of Appeal decision in Otineka Development Corporation Limited and 72902 Manitoba Limited v. The Queen, 94 D.T.C. 1234, [1994] 1 C.T.C. 2424. Senator “Bayak”, which refers to the number “one” in Cree, is ignorant of Canadian history and the History of Indians with Canada, or else she would know the Canadian policy of extermination of Indians is aligned with the continued extermination efforts of the Canadian government with its policies of “Dispossession” of lands, status, and resources required for the development of social and economics including the financial dispossession by unlawful and wrongful taxation of Indian Band governments, their corporations and their Band Membership as per the Constitutional section “125. No Lands or Property belonging to Canada or any Province shall be liable to Taxation.”!
    To accomplish her proposal, Bayak must amend the Constitution and the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and I don;t believe she has any idea of this requirement!

  15. YES!! This woman does not have the best interest of the people. She is clearly racist and doesn’t know a thing about First Nations people and the generational trauma they suffer as the First People of Canada.

    1. Reconciliation Efforts ~ Isn’t a quick prescription to Canada’s Indigenous peoples ~We Have CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP as The Soveriegn People…A Payout …to settle past History isn’t gonna work…She is Jus One WOMAN person Political Rep. WHO ever she thinks she serves is doing more Harm than good…Her leadership role will come to an end soon…she doesn’t represent anyone but the deficit nor does she Think clean water and housing is the top priority that takes in 100 of Immigrants …Native people have GENERATIONAL TRAUMA…linked to Crime, Medical & Health issues and poverty…She can’t fix this issue..she causing Division And Strife which Aboriginal Leaders should not Tolerate…Her Role will become abolished….hopefully Political Leaders above her will Remove her…Racism at it’s Finest behind Discriminating Recommendations…

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