BRANDON — The Mountain View School Division trustee whose anti-racism presentation landed the division in hot water said a governance review ordered by the education minister recommended the board be dissolved.
However, Education Minister Nello Altomare told the Brandon Sun the review hasn’t been completed.
Ward 2 trustee Paul Coffey went on Western Standard’s online Cory Morgan Show Thursday evening to discuss what the show called “cancel culture gagging open discourse on Indigenous issues.”
Mountain View School Division Ward 2 trustee Paul Coffey. (Colin Slark / The Brandon Sun files)
“This governance review came out and said that we should be dissolved, that’s what the minister says,” said Coffey, who asserted he was speaking personally and not on behalf of the board.
“Instead of dissolving our board, which doesn’t happen very often across Canada, (the minister) appointed four trustees to our board. They’re non- voting trustees and they’re going to be involved in our meetings and see if they can change our mind on how we behave or how we run the school division.”
Coffey’s April presentation defended the use of outdated terms to refer to Indigenous people, defended residential schools and said the idea of white privilege is racist. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and other organizations called for his removal or for the board to be dissolved.
The board fired superintendent Stephen Jaddock while three trustees resigned and the education minister ordered a governance review.
After ordering the review, Altomare appointed an oversight panel that includes Brandon School Division trustee Jim Murray to provide advice to the remaining trustees.
On Thursday, Altomare said the review is still ongoing and it will be informed by the advisory panel’s work.
“We had a meeting in my office and I said to them that they’re being put under review by the minister and that we were going to appoint an advisory panel,” Altomare said about whether he had told the board they should be dissolved.
Asked directly if Coffey’s assertion was incorrect, Altomare said he “needs to focus on being a trustee and then serving his community members.”
The minister said the board would return to work toward the end of August, though he did not say when the review would be completed.
“It’ll be informed by the work of the advisory panel,” Altomare said. “I want to give them ample time and I’m going to hear some good things. When we do that, we’ll be able to say some things more in public.”
After discussing the review, Coffey was asked by the host why his presentation questioned the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“Even the Truth and Reconciliation, with the land acknowledgements and stuff, it’s been said over and over again for the last nine years. It’s starting to cause more division than actual reconciliation,” Coffey said.
“Same with inclusiveness. In our schools, we have a rainbow sign at each office.”
Coffey said he pitched putting a picture of “Jesus with all these different coloured children” in schools instead, as he felt it would be more inclusive.
The Brandon Sun was unable to reach Coffey or board chair Gabe Mercier for comment.
— Brandon Sun