UBCIC calls for Bob Zimmer to resign

Prince George – Peace River MP Bob Zimmer is facing calls from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs to to step down.

“We’ve received a number of calls and complaints from aboriginal women in regard to these remarks that were made at an all candidates forum a number of days ago.” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said “We were asked to issue a public statement, which we have done.”

The comments Zimmer made at a candidates forum in Fort Nelson pointed to a lack of employment as a driving factor behind the problem of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

In an exchange with NDP candidate Kathi Dickie, who is also a councillor and former chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation, Zimmer stated;

“I think our perspective, and we have tried to do things where we bring economic activity or jobs to reserve and different other legislation to see that through.”

“Ultimately, when people have a job they’re not in despair and they can stay on reserve and that’s where we want them to be, we want them to be happy where they live and go from there with their families”

“I know a lot of them don’t want to move off reserve they want to stay there and I support them there, we just want them to be able to live there happily and healthily.”

You can read the full transcript of the exchange here.

Zimmer has since clarified his statement to the CBC, saying he “absolutely cares about missing and murdered aboriginal women and wants to see it stop” and that his comments were taken out of context. “I don’t want that girl to have to go out onto the highway in the first place” he added

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip isn’t buying that.

“My sense is, like all politicians, when they step in it so to speak they immediately go into damage control.”

Phillip also took shot at the government’s refusal to open a national inquiry on the topic

“The Harper government is the only party that absolutely refuses to engage in that discussion. Mr Zimmer remarks are very reflective of that attitude, very condescending.”