As the Winnipeg police continue to investigate fires and acts of vandalism in the two MLA electoral offices in recent weeks, some political science experts concern that incidents deter indigenous women from looking for public office about security concerns.
On Tuesday, National Truth and Reconciliation Day – Nahanni Family Minister The Office of the Fontaine constituency in West Kildonan was hit by fire. The fire arrived just over a week after the office windows broke.
The North End, Bernadette Smith housing office office has seen four fires since August.
The main crimes unit of the Winnipeg police is investigating the fires in both offices. The authorities have not confirmed if they believe that the fires were intentionally established.
Kelly Saunders, professor of gender studies and political science at the University of Brandon, fears the recent fires and vandalism in the offices of Fontaine and Smith, the first two cabinet ministers of the first nations in the history of Manitoba, could have a “chilling effect” on the current and future representation in the legislature.
“When indigenous young women see their models to follow, people like Bernadette Smith, Nahanni Fontaine, be attacked, be harassed, be subjected to violence, see their circumscription offices directed in this way, makes the opposite of young people to see politics as a possible professional career,” Sa said, calling gender incidents “and violence of the race.”
Saunders says that such incidents send a message that “politics is only the domain of certain groups of people”, with marginalized groups, particularly the first indigenous nations and women, enormously underrepresented.
In Manitoba, Almost one in five residents are indigenousUnderlining the importance of the representation of the first nations, Metis and Inuit within the legislature, says Saunders.
“It is not just about bringing more indigenous women to politics because it is good for indigenous women. It is good for all of us to have that diversity of perspectives and opinions and experience lived within the cabinet, within the Caucus, within the legislative buildings,” he said. “It ends in a better policy and better programming and better laws.
“This should matter to everyone, regardless of our particular ethnic identity or community to which we belong.”
In an unrelated financing event on Thursday, Fontaine said that she and Smith were not intimidated from politics, emphasizing that “no amount of attacks will ever expel us from this.”
On Thursday, Smith described the fires and vandalism an “attack on democracy” that makes representatives less accessible to the constituents they serve. Fontaine said the incidents were an “attack against the community” that will continue to affect her for the rest of her life.
Lori Turnbull, a professor of Political Science at the University of Dalhouseie in Halifax, said that attacks against constituency offices are a type of double violence that harms politicians and the people they serve.
“The concept of the constituency is a public space, that is where the person meets their voters, it works on behalf of its voters. That is an act not only of violence against the person … but it is also an act of violence against the public,” Turnbull said.
She says that fires and vandalism make public members feel that the office of their local MLA is not sure to visit. With less access to their chosen representatives, the voices of the constituents can be unknown, she says.
Sarah Nickel, an associated professor at the President of Research of the University of Alberta and Canada in indigenous politics and gender, says the alleged attacks against the offices of the women of the first nations, MLA are “attacks on the representation itself.”
“These are intimidation patterns that indigenous leaders have faced, punished, harassed, threatened to take any type of political authority or have any type of political voice,” said Nickel, a member of the TK’emlúps te secwépemc near Kamloops.
“Fire and vandalism … It is not just damage to property. These are things that carry symbolic weight as acts that are destined to instill fear and remove indigenous women from public roles.”
Nickel says that indigenous women were excluded for a long time to occupy a public office, even in chief and council. That did not change until 1951 after the revisions of Indian law, he said.
This historical exclusion has “long roots” that made the fires and vandalism in the offices of Fontaine and Smith are not surprising to the nickel, she says.
Saunders says that it was also not surprised but disappointed by incidents, pointing out a growing sense of hostility within Canadian politics. She fears “situations of imitation” if the perpetrators of the alleged vandalism are not trapped.
“I think we have to be really clear about the drawing lines around what is appropriate freedom of expression and appropriate protest modes,” he said. Nothing that crosses specific violence in our country should be allowed. “
The cabinet ministers of the first nations of the first Nations of Manitoba say that the fires and vandalism that are investigated by the police have affected their staff, constituents and their own mental health. A professor of political science worries that incidents in their offices of the constituency can discourage indigenous young women to seek public office.
