Wayne Ewasko became the first MLA ejected from the Manitoba legislature in over two years for comments deemed racist towards Premier Wab Kinew. The incident occurred early Tuesday during a chaotic spring sitting.
The Speaker of the House, Tom Lindsey, announced that Ewasko was removed after he failed to apologize for his remarks. Lindsey indicated that members could face ejection for using unparliamentary language.
Ewasko suggested that Kinew had been drinking, which Kinew labeled as a discriminatory comment playing on negative stereotypes about Anishinaabe people. NDP House leader Nahanni Fontaine condemned Ewasko’s remarks as anti-Indigenous racism.
In response to rising concerns about decorum, Lindsey introduced new rules banning specific terms such as “bigot,” “homophobe,” and “racist” in the chamber. He stated, “Members of the public are stopping me on the street and saying what they’re seeing going on in this chamber is terrible, and they’re begging me to do something about it.”
This ejection marks a significant moment in legislative conduct. Ewasko is the first politician to be ejected since 2021. The Speaker emphasized that while certain words are banned, it does not mean that such behavior is acceptable in any form.
Ewasko expressed regret, stating, “I unequivocally apologize for what I stated in the chamber, because it was not intended at all like the House leader had framed it.” Observers expect ongoing discussions about parliamentary privilege and how it relates to Indigenous issues in Manitoba.