Premier sorry for his ‘misunderstanding’

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister apologized Tuesday for comments he made almost a month ago that angered Indigenous leaders and cost him a cabinet minister.

“I wish my words in speaking to Manitobans at this difficult time had been said differently so they could have been understood better,” Pallister said. “My words did not adequately convey all that I meant, which I sincerely regret.”

Pallister said he takes responsibility for having caused the misunderstanding July 7, when he denounced people who had toppled two statues on the legislature grounds in a protest over the deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools.

Pallister said people who came to Canada — before and after it was a country — did not come to destroy but to build communities, businesses and churches. Indigenous leaders have said the premier downplayed the harmful effects of colonialism, and Pallister initially stood by his comments. He said he meant to convey that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people often worked together to build Canada.

His Indigenous relations minister, Eileen Clarke, resigned from cabinet. Her replacement, Alan Lagimodiere, stirred up more controversy by defending some of the intentions behind residential schools. He later apologized.

On Tuesday, Pallister spoke to the media for the first time in almost three weeks and took back his remarks.

“I feel awful about the reaction and the misunderstanding I created with my comments,” he said during a news conference about COVID-19 restrictions.

Pallister also said his words were misrepresented as support for colonialism or residential schools.