OTTAWA – Senator Patrick Brazeau will be charged with sexual assault and domestic violence according to reports out of Ottawa. The controversial Conservative Senator has been in the media for the past several weeks. As a result of the reported criminal charges, Senator Brazeau has been kicked out of the Conservative Caucus as well.
Senator Patrick Brazeau Controversy
The Senator has been under fire from a number of Aboriginal groups in recent weeks over his behaviour toward Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence. “Never have First Nations encountered such disappointing behaviour from any representative of Canadian government as that of Senator Patrick Brazeau,” said NAN Grand Chief Harvey Yesno.
The Grand Chief was referring to the comments made by Senator Brazeau about the Chief at a Conservative fundraiser and in the media.
Over the past year, Senator Brazeau has been on a roller-coaster ride of drama. Between insulting tweets about an Ottawa reporter, a loss in a fight to Justin Trudeau that helped raise money for cancer research, and comments on Aboriginal issues that have outraged Aboriginal people and groups, the Senator has been an increasingly polarizing figure.
News broke earlier in the week over claims that the Senator used his father-in-law’s address for the purposes of claiming exemptions on taxes.
Senator Brazeau has been a member of Canada’s Senate since 2008, Senator Brazeau was the Deputy Chair of the Senate Committees on Aboriginal Peoples and Human Rights, he has been stripped of that position as a result of being removed from the Conservative caucus.
Background on Senator Brazeau
Born in Maniwaki, Quebec, Patrick Brazeau is a member of the community of Kitigan Zibi. A champion of the rights of Aboriginal peoples, Patrick worked with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) since 2001. He was elected as CAP’s National Chief in February 2006, and re-elected to a four-year term in November 2008.
Patrick was called to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in December 2008.
Patrick used his tenure in Aboriginal politics to promote the economic and social development of Aboriginal peoples, especially those who live off-reserve. Equally important to Patrick’s endeavours was the protection of Aboriginal and human rights.
As National Chief, Patrick was a vocal proponent of the repeal of section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which granted the same protective measures for human rights to citizens living under the Indian Act as all other Canadians had enjoyed since 1978.
Patrick is a vigorous advocate of accountability, responsibility and transparency in Aboriginal affairs. He is vocal proponent for the replacement of the Indian Act with more progressive legislation that aims to reconstitute true Indian Nations – such as the Mohawk, Cree, Algonquin and Ojibwa nations, to name but a few – and to reflect the tenets of modern-day governance.
website: patrickbrazeau.ca
