A lawsuit filed in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench details sexual assault allegations against former Assembly of First Nations national chief Phil Fontaine.
Fontaine, who served as national chief from 1997-2000 and again from 2003-2009, is alleged to have sexually assaulted a student during a school field trip he led in co-ordination with the Sagkeeng Education Authority 55 years ago.
The lawsuit, filed against Fontaine as well as the school authority, claims the organization put Fontaine in a position of power and failed in its duty of care to protect the alleged victim.
The school authority filed a statement of defence denying the allegations, and saying that Fontaine — who was chief of Sagkeeng First Nation for two terms in 1973 prior to seeking higher office at the provincial and national level — was at no time an employee of the education authority. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Global News has reached out to both the Sagkeeng Education Authority and Fontaine for comment.
