Premier targets Khan over Asagwara remark

WINNIPEG — Premier Wab Kinew accused Tory Leader Obby Khan on Thursday of failing to acknowledge and take responsibility for a “dehumanizing” and “hateful” comment toward Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, who is non-binary.

Kinew and Khan, who denied making a hateful remark in the legislature last month, faced off for the first time in question period since Speaker Tom Lindsey reviewed audio recordings and reprimanded the Progressive Conservative leader Tuesday.

“He had the opportunity to accept responsibility for his hate spewing here in the chamber against a queer person,” Kinew said of Khan in response to a question from PC MLA Josh Guenter.

“And then (Khan) has the temerity, he has the audacity, he has the nerve to come in here and to try and invoke vulnerable Manitobans just so that he won’t have to face the wrath of an enraged, rightfully so I would say, government. You deserve to wallow in the shame that is your life.”

Khan returned to question period after missing Wednesday’s session. During his opening questions, he accused the NDP government of failures, while raising the recent homicide of an 18-year-old Winnipeg woman, who was in the child welfare system, and recent suicides reported by Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation.

Kinew responded with explanations of government actions or supports, and later took swipes at Khan with stronger language, while rising to field other questions from PC MLAs about the economy, trades, taxes, a sewage treatment plant in Winnipeg and health care.

Lindsey ruled Khan made a “dehumanizing” and “hateful” comment to Asagwara — Manitoba’s first non-binary MLA — during question period March 17. Asagwara uses “they/them” pronouns.

“On this recording, I can clearly hear the leader of the official Opposition say, ‘You are a terrible person, whatever you are,’” Lindsey told MLAs Tuesday.

Lindsey ruled the remark did not constitute a threat that violated parliamentary rules, which the NDP had argued.

Khan has acknowledged calling Asagwara a “terrible person,” but has insisted he did not make any comments intended to target or demean them or anyone else based on their background, identity or role.

He claimed he said, “Whatever you are saying, say it outside,” to Asagwara, as opposed to “whatever you are.”

Khan apologized in the chamber Tuesday immediately following the Speaker’s ruling, saying if that was Lindsey’s interpretation, he was sorry for “any harm those comments may have made.”

On Thursday, he said the Speaker heard a “fragment” of a sentence that was exchanged in the heat of the moment.

“I came out right after the ruling was done. There was no avoiding or hiding from this as the premier wants to say,” he told reporters.

“I was very open and honest with everyone here when I came out afterwards. I said, I’m sorry. For anyone offended by those comments, I sincerely apologize. It’s not who I am.”

The Tory leader dismissed Kinew’s suggestion that he brought up the homicide and suicides in the chamber to try to avoid questions about his conduct toward Asagwara.

Kinew challenged PC MLAs to denounce their leader’s conduct.

“When it comes to those who continue to stand by him, I ask them through you, the chair, how is it that they can continue to sit with him?” he told the chamber. “They heard the comments that were made. They heard his refusal to accept the truth.”

In a statement, the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties said Khan’s remarks were transphobic and violent, and his behaviour was unbefitting for public office.

The group called on him to publicly acknowledge his comments, issue a clear and unequivocal apology to Asagwara and the broader gender-diverse community, and resign as Tory leader.

“Public officials carry a responsibility to foster respect, dignity, and inclusion — not to perpetuate stigma or discrimination,” the statement said. “At a time when gender-diverse communities continue to face disproportionate levels of discrimination, harassment, and violence, rhetoric of this nature from a prominent political leader is particularly damaging.

“It undermines efforts toward equity and signals to marginalized communities that their identities are not respected in the public sphere.”

Khan said he will not resign.

Noreen Mian, executive director of Rainbow Resource Centre, a support organization for the LGBTTQ+ community, said she’d like to see Khan apologize publicly.

“He knew better,” she said. “I’ve met (with him). We’ve talked about trans folks in particular, and this is a really unfortunate example of childish and dehumanizing behaviour in the house.”

Khan revealed Thursday he apologized to the Manitoba College of Social Workers in a letter, after saying in the legislature March 26 that social workers do very important work, but they are not mental health professionals.

» Winnipeg Free Press

He made the comment while addressing the government’s plans for a mental health zone at the Health Sciences Centre.

The college sought an apology, while describing Khan’s remark as inaccurate, offensive and “deeply dismissive” of the social work field.

Khan said Thursday the college accepted his apology, and he will meet with representatives in person.

» Winnipeg Free Press