AMC bars news media from annual general meeting

APTN obtained a copy of the agenda of AMC’s annual general meeting.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is holding its annual general meeting behind closed doors this week.

The two-day meeting has been open to news organizations in the past.

But Wednesday a sign was taped to the door barring reporters from entering.

AMC spokesman Andrew Thunder denied an APTN News reporter entry to the meeting.

He said AMC would broadcast a livestream of the proceedings instead.

Then he followed up with an email saying a video of the event would be posted to AMC’s Youtube channel later.


Signs on the door outside AMC’s annual general meeting (Beverly Andrews/APTN)

The meeting is being held at South Beach Casino & Resort on the Brokenhead Ojibwe Nation, about 30 minutes drive northwest of Winnipeg.

The group, which represents 62 First Nations in the province, has been weathering a three-week scandal involving its Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.

Dumas denied allegations last month he sent inappropriate texts to a 20-year-old woman.

AMC said Dumas would take a leave of absence to undergo counselling and professional sensitivity training to change his communication style.

But a photo tweeted by AMC Wednesday morning appeared to show Dumas leading the grand entry parade at the meeting in Brokenhead.

Two provincial Indigenous politicians – Judy Klassen (Lib.) and Wab Kinew (NDP) – are also in the photo.

An agenda of the meeting, a copy of which was obtained by APTN, still lists Sheldon Kent as acting grand chief.

APTN requested an interview with Kent.

More to come.

With files from Beverly Andrews

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