WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The Manitoba Inuit Association (MIA) has appointed an interim CEO, it announced late Friday afternoon.
It comes as a petition with more than 1,200 signatures circulates calling on the non-profit to look into allegations of sexual and physical abuse against its CEO, Nastania Mullin.
It’s part of a larger movement online that some are calling an #InuitMeToo grassroots campaign, with Inuit women and gender-diverse people across Canada sharing stories of alleged abuse by Mullin and other male Inuit leaders.
“The petition was a scream for justice,” said Crystal Martin, the petition’s organizer and an Inuk advocate who is not one of the alleged victims.
“There’s a shared understanding now that this is not just a moment, it’s a movement. And people are saying, ‘We’re ready to do better.’”
Meanwhile, an MIA board member has resigned, alleging her proposals to launch an independent investigation were met with “resistance.”
Mullin did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The MIA did not directly answer questions about his status or the current and historical allegations against him, instead sending an unsigned email that said it was appointing an interim CEO and wasn’t prepared to comment on “matters outside of our organization.”
CBC News has not been able to confirm Mullin’s status at the association or the interim CEO’s identity.
When alleged survivors began sharing stories about Mullin on social media, Joanie French, then MIA’s secretary-treasurer, commented on one of the posts that she was embarking on a fact-finding mission and would present her findings to her fellow MIA board members.
Then, in a special meeting last weekend, she resigned.
When contacted by CBC News, French said she couldn’t comment “while legal and oversight processes are still underway.”
She provided a statement about her resignation, writing that she had encouraged the board to seek external legal counsel, initiate a third-party investigation and ensure staff could speak without retaliation. However, she said, those efforts “were not supported.”
French also forwarded information about specific allegations to the appropriate authorities and oversight bodies, she said in the statement.
“I no longer believed I could fulfill my duties responsibly within those constraints, nor continue to serve in a structure that was failing to protect Inuit women, staff, and community members,” she wrote, adding that she was leaving under “considerable pressure and duress.”
The organization has previously been investigated over allegations of having a toxic workplace, though findings were inconclusive.
Over the last week, CBC News has tried repeatedly to reach Mullin and four other board members by email, phone and social media, for a response to the petition and allegations.
During a visit to the Winnipeg office, an unidentified official confirmed he had received the emails and would respond “in due course.”
On Oct. 22, MIA issued a statement on its Facebook account, saying it stands with Inuit women and gender-diverse Inuit, who face some of the highest rates of violence in Canada.
“We remain committed to advancing safety, respect, and inclusion for all Inuit” and to support the implementation of the National Inuit Action Plan on Missing and Murdered Inuit Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
Tanya Tagaq, an Inuk singer and activist, has been amplifying much of the #InuitMeToo conversations on her Facebook and Instagram accounts.
“I can do my best to be a megaphone because I know how scary it is to come forward,” she said, adding she considers her social media accounts a venue for discussing difficult topics.
“People don’t really seem to understand the isolation, because there isn’t a road to another community,” said Tagaq, who is from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. One person’s accusation can have a ripple effect, particularly if the accused is powerful.
“[The accuser] might not keep their jobs. They may be branded as a heretic and ousted from the community. They could be hurt. Their children might be hurt.”
She called on others to support the #InuitMeToo movement because “unless we stand up, no one will stand up. And unless you stand up with us, we’ll keep laying down. And I’m tired of it.”
Tara Qunngaataq Tootoo Fotheringham, president of the Amautiit Nunavut Inuit Women’s Association, says she has received messages from nearly two dozen people sharing what she called “sad” and “disgusting” stories of alleged abuse and harassment involving male Inuit leaders including Mullin.
Her group is helping make connections with the RCMP and trying to provide support. She says at least two have already contacted police.
“As silent as these women have felt over the years, now it’s so loud, it’s deafening,” she said. “We want to make sure that these women never feel like they have to be silenced again.”
Amautiit is working with Martin to start a fundraising campaign to provide legal support for survivors of sexual assault and harassment.
Groups including Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, an advocacy body for Inuit in Canada, and the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council have also come out with strong statements of support for women disclosing alleged abuse. None of the statements directly reference specific allegations or Mullin.
Nunavut Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell is also supporting the movement, saying she stands “firmly beside those calling for safety, accountability, and action.”
She told CBC News it’s time to speak out on behalf of people who “don’t have a voice,” partly because they feel intimidated in tight-knit communities.
“There will be people that don’t want you to rock the boat, make waves, you know: ‘Our community was just fine doing great until you opened your mouth,’” she said. “And that’s why most people don’t report it … because they have to carry that burden by themselves.”
Karetak-Lindell said the petition’s size is significant because the Inuit community is so small. The board will have to take action because the CEO’s appointment is its responsibility, she said.
“You cannot continue to keep sweeping things under the rug and you are compelled to investigate.”
Not only that, she said, any investigation must be independent.
The latest accusations against Mullin come after the Manitoba government previously investigated him and the MIA regarding allegations from some employees of inappropriate workplace behaviour and financial misconduct.
The province ruled against the MIA, but the association appealed, and the Manitoba Labour Board looked into the matter. The appeals were withdrawn and the hearing dates were cancelled, according to an officer with the board.
A third-party investigation also cleared the MIA of any wrongdoing.
If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database.
