Chiefs of Treaty 8 on Monday called on Premier Jason Kenney to fire his speech writer, Paul Bunner, over past racist writings..“Chiefs of the Sovereign Treaty Nations are amazed at the level of disrespect brandished by Premier Kenney who continues to employ an individual who has published anti-First Nation views that are harmful, divisive, dehumanizing and racist to say the least,” Grand Chief Arthur Noskey, said in a statement..Bunner wrote a 2013 article title The ‘Genocide’ That Failed in which he argued residential school survivors fabricated a “bogus genocide story” for their own financial gain. .“This article in its entirety is unconscionable. How can Premier Kenney know about this article and overlook the harm it continues to cause? The same way this government and its continued actions purposely ostracize the First Nation’s people! Premier Kenney’s acceptance of these articles demonstrates nothing but racism,” the chiefs wrote.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“The Chiefs of the Sovereign Treaty Nations call upon Premier Kenney to remove Mr. Bunner from his role as speechwriter and ensure that he is no longer associated with the government of Alberta moving forward.”.Chiefs of Treaty Six, the Blackfoot Confederacy, and the Assembly of First Nations regional chief for Alberta have all called on Kenney to fire Bunner..The NDP has been producing, almost daily, examples of what they say is Bunner’s history of writing and publishing racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic articles from the early 1990s to as recently as 2016..“It’s disgusting that Premier Kenney has defended his racist speechwriter,” said Richard Feehan, NDP Opposition Critic for Indigenous Relations..“Bunner has spread hatred and racism towards indigenous people and many others through his hateful writing. Kenney has known about this for more than a week. He must listen to the voices of indigenous leaders in Alberta and fire his racist speechwriter immediately.”.In response, Kenney’s issues manager Matt Wolf tweeted about NDP icon Tommy Douglas’ opposition to homosexuality..When asked about Bunner in the Legislature Monday, Minister of Indigenous Relations Rick Wilson replied the government was moving forward “with reconciliation.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
