Press Statement from Grand Chief Arlen Dumas and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
July 12, 2019
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
July 12, 2019
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba
“The statement that I made on Wednesday, July 10th, 2019 is true. I never operated a fake Facebook account called Charles Forbes. This appears to be a manufactured political smear. This is not the first time false social media allegations have been made against me or many other First Nation leaders and Canadian politicians. It is unfortunate, but this likely won’t be the last time. I have reported this misrepresentation to Facebook and a third-party firm has been retained to complete a full assessment to try and determine who is responsible. In addition, AMC is undertaking a full review of our systems in order to lock down our security to prevent this from happening in the future.
These allegations are entirely false. I did not pursue a relationship of an intimate nature with this woman. I was asked by her for advice and guidance on her path forward. I provided assistance to the best of my professional ability. I messaged her to follow-up. I do this on a regular basis with numerous community members, students, and colleagues who often seek out my support. As the Grand Chief, every single day is filled with in-person meetings, phone calls, e-mail and text messages.