RM Wood Buffalo mayor calls for councillor to resign over comments about Indigenous people

By Chris Chacon Global News
Updated February 5, 2022 

The mayor and council of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Fort McMurray are calling on council member Shafiq Dogar to resign. This comes after reports of derogatory comments aimed at Indigenous people were made during a council meeting Thursday. Chris Chacon reports.

There was an emotional meeting inside the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council chambers on Friday.

Councillor and after councillor called on one of their own to quit.

“I ask you to resign, will accept nothing else,” Ward 1 Councillor Ken Ball said.

“I also call on Dogar to resign immediately,” Ward 3 Councillor Stu Wigle said.

“Humbly, I request the resignation of Councillor Dogar,” Ward 1 Councillor Allan Grandison said.

The controversy is over a statement made during a debate on missing and murdered Indigenous women.

 Ward 1 councillor Shafiq Dogar.

 RMWB Website/Global News

According to the mayor, Councillor Shafiq Dogar said: “Indigenous people reside in the rural areas and only come to Fort McMurray to get drunk or fight or have other legal issues.”

In a statement, mayor Sandy Bowman apologized to Indigenous people on behalf of council. He also called for Dogar’s resignation, as are Indigenous groups in the area, saying they’re appalled.

“I could not believe that someone would be that disrespectful, thinking that you could say those words and not figure there’s going to be any kind of action against it,” CEO of the McMurray Métis Bill Loutitt said.
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On Friday, council reacted: “I walked out, I sat in my vehicle and I was in tears,” Ward 2 Councillor Loretta Waquan said.

In a Friday council meeting to address the issue, Dogar responded.

“I apologize, I take my words back,” he said.

But his apology came with a few additional jabs, calling this reaction a mob mentality.

“I would ask all 10 of you… were you people asleep yesterday?” Dogar said.

“This sort of attitude is just not understood, the ladies are weeping today, I respect my sisters but I don’t know about the men, how chicken-hearted they are behaving,” Dogar said.

Legally, council can’t remove Dogar. So instead, councillors voted to send the matter to the integrity commissioner for investigation, a course of action that could lead to sanctions.

“You need to think about what you’re saying. You can’t say these things. These are not nice things that you’re saying. I ask for your resignation and still you will not resign,” Ward 2 Councillor Kendrick Cardinal said.

Despite pressures to leave, Dogar did not submit his resignation.

The RM of Wood Buffalo is in northern Alberta, roughly 500 km northeast of Edmonton.