Broadcaster Charles Adler appeared to brush aside criticism of his Senate appointment and past comments Tuesday, while First Nations leaders repeated their call for Ottawa to reverse the decision.
Adler, who declined an interview request, wrote in a social media post he is expecting criticism throughout his stint in the Red Chamber.
“Getting criticized is nothing new. Happened every minute of every day for more than 30 yrs of Talk Radio,” the Free Press columnist wrote on X.
“Looks like it’ll be much the same for next 5 yrs as Senator. Politics is a contact sport. If you don’t want to the take the hits, do something else.”
Adler turns 70 on Aug. 25. Senators serve until they reach a mandatory retirement age of 75 or choose to step down.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday that Gov. Gen. Mary Simon appointed Adler to a vacant Manitoba seat in the 105-member Senate, prompting criticism from Winnipeg Liberal MP Dan Vandal and First Nations leaders.
The governor general appoints senators on the advice of the prime minister. Adler was recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, which reviewed submissions.
It was unclear who suggested Adler for the vacancy. The Prime Minister’s Office has not commented further. The Free Press has contacted Simon’s office and the Senate appointment advisory board — chaired by retired federal civil servant Huguette Labelle — for comment.
The board has two Manitoba representatives — lawyer Sofia Mirza and Mondetta Clothing CEO Ash Modha. Modha deferred comment to the Prime Minister’s Office, telling a reporter he is unable to comment on appointments. Mirza did not respond to a request for comment.
Appointees are nominated or apply on their own behalf. They must meet constitutional eligibility requirements and merit-based criteria established by the government.
The Liberal government overhauled the appointment process in 2016 — a move touted as a way to reduce partisanship and patronage appointments. Adler is one of 84 “independent” appointments made on the advice of Trudeau, the PMO’s news release said.
The Pierre Poilievre-led federal Conservatives criticized Adler’s appointment as partisan.
Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and Angela Levasseur, acting grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, again called on Trudeau and Simon to rescind Adler’s appointment.
The AMC cited past comments by Adler, then a CJOB radio show host, in 1999, including one in which he referred to Indigenous leaders as “boneheads.”
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council later dismissed a complaint filed by the AMC.
“How do you go from appointing a First Nations hero and role model like Judge Murray Sinclair to the complete antithesis of such an individual?”– Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
“They’re pretty derogatory comments when it comes to our people,” Merrick said at an unrelated event. “People forget that we are the first people of this country, and for comments like that to be made from someone that is going to be appointed into the Senate is not acceptable, because you carry those thoughts. You carry those thoughts with you, how you perceive a people.”
Levasseur said Adler made “derogatory and offensive comments” toward Indigenous Peoples.
“How do you go from appointing a First Nations hero and role model like Judge Murray Sinclair to the complete antithesis of such an individual?” she said. “You are rewarding discrimination, you are rewarding racism, you are rewarding stereotyping of First Nations and Indigenous people. And it’s very shameful, and it’s a dark day.”
Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said more First Nations people need to be appointed to the Senate.
She invited Adler to meet with and learn from First Nations elders.
“I know that it’s hurtful when people like that are appointed to positions of such high prominence in this country,” said Woodhouse Nepinak. “We have to come to a better way in this country. We look forward to working with Canadians, but at the same time, when things like that happen it sets us back just a little bit.”
On Monday, Liberal cabinet minister Vandal said in a statement there are many Manitobans “better suited” to represent the province than Adler.
Christopher Adams, adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba, wondered if the Prime Minister’s Office was aware of the 1999 comments that led to the complaint.
“My guess is they’re surprised by what’s come up,” he said. “It doesn’t help Justin Trudeau with local First Nations.”
— with files from Nicole Buffie
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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