Women from a northern Alberta First Nation are holding a protest march to demand the resignation of their chief after he was charged with three counts of sexual assault.
“We can no longer tolerate this hypocrisy,” the Alexander Women Warriors said in a statement to Global News. “He makes a mockery of the issues that continue to harm indigenous women.”
Alexander First Nation Chief Kurt Burnstick is facing two charges of sexual assault and one charge of breaking and entering for attacks that allegedly happened in 1985. He has also been charged with sexual assault after an investigation that began in December 2015, according to Morinville RCMP.
RCMP told the St. Albert Gazette that another sexual harassment complaint was investigated, but no charges were laid.
"He makes a mockery of the issues that continue to harm indigenous women."
The Women Warriors are concerned that Burnstick is representing the community publicly, especially when it comes to issues of violence against women, Metro News reported.
"He needs to step down and deal with what he's dealing with, and send a message to other nations and other women that they do have a voice," group spokeswoman Janet Campbell told the Edmonton Journal.
The Women Warriors are planning a rally on the First Nation on Thursday morning. The group will wear red to represent missing and murdered indigenous women.
Alexander First Nation has just over 1,000 residents and is located north of Edmonton.
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