The Nee Tahi Buhn First Nation in the Burns Lake area must pay a former band councillor $30,000 after its one-time long-standing chief councillor described her as a B次元官网网址渨hite bastardB次元官网网址� in several emails.
The award to Hayley Nielsen was ordered by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal following a complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission regarding the conduct of Raymond Morris.
After two days of hearings in November, the tribunal found that Nielsen, whose mother is a member of the First Nation and whose father is Caucasian, was discriminated against because of her racial origin.
Morris used the term B次元官网网址渨hite bastardB次元官网网址� in two 2016 emails, with one stating B次元官网网址淚 resign fB次元官网网址�-en white bastards run it.B次元官网网址�
Nielsen was elected in 2014, the same time Morris was re-elected as chief. He was defeated in 2018.
Her position of not practising a religion appears to have been the start of a deteriorating relationship with Morris, said a tribunal ruling recently posted online.
At a band assembly in 2016, Morris B次元官网网址渓oudly proclaimed that since Ms. Nielsen does not practise religion, she should not serve as councillor,B次元官网网址� the ruling said.
Nielsen remained in her post, but resigned in 2017 citing a developing toxic environment.
Another councillor, Charity Morris, also resigned because of MorrisB次元官网网址� harassment, according to the document, as did NielsenB次元官网网址檚 son, deputy chief Cody Reid.
READ MORE:
A representative from The Nee Tahi Buhn First Nation attended some of the hearings, but the nation did not enter any evidence nor offer a defence.
B次元官网网址淢s. Nielsen felt directly targeted by these vulgar words, which refer directly to her Caucasian origins,B次元官网网址� the tribunal wrote in a decision recently posted online.
B次元官网网址淪imilarly, Mr. Raymond MorrisB次元官网网址檚 vulgar comments, specifically the terms B次元官网网址榳hite bastard,B次元官网网址� are outrageous.B次元官网网址�
The $30,000 award was divided into two parts B次元官网网址� $5,000 for pain and suffering and $25,000 in lost wages from the time of her resignation in 2017 to the election date the following year. She was also awarded interest of $500.
Nielsen had also asked for a letter of apology to be published on the First NationB次元官网网址檚 Facebook page and in the Lakes District B次元官网网址, but the tribunal ruled that was not within its authority to order.
It did, however, order the nation to develop human rights and anti-harassment policies in consultation with the Canadian Human Rights Commission and hire an expert to train employees and councillors.
Like us on and follow us on
