'Disgusting things to say': Petition calls for removal of Indigenous veterans leader

This is getting real interesting....

Indigenous veterans president blames 'snowflakes' for move to oust him

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Fellow veterans call Richard Blackwolf's Facebook posts 'disgusting'

By Jason Warick, CBC News Posted: Aug 16, 2017

Richard Blackwolf is blaming a liberal conspiracy and overly sensitive "snowflakes" for the effort to remove him as president of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association.

The Saskatoon organizer of a petition, as well as a growing number of prominent Indigenous veterans, say he needs to step down after he made a number of controversial posts on social media.

His Facebook posts, now deleted, labelled the LGBT community as "mutations and deviations," Muslims as terrorists and pedophiles, and left-wing women as "exponentially" uglier than those on the right.

Blackwolf was reached by CBC News Wednesday.

"We appear to be under attack from a hate group — a liberal hate group," Blackwolf said.

"I guess there's got to be a first time for everything...They call it snowflakes. I don't know. I don't get involved in politics."

He declined to comment further, saying neither he nor the organization makes political comments.

"We're not in that business [of politics], so that's why I don't comment, particularly to CBC because they're just a political organ and we have no respect for that particular tax burden," he said.

Facebook posts

Blackwolf, who is in his mid-70s, served in the navy from 1959 to 1972 as a sonar and electronics expert. He spent time in submarines tracking Russian positions during the Cold War. Following his discharge he spent 25 years with the Department of National Defence.

On July 27, in reference to controversy surrounding uniformed police officers attending LGBT Pride parades, Blackwolf wrote on his Facebook page: "A parade of mutations and deviations, there should be no military or law enforcement officers taking part."

On July 9, Blackwolf posted a graphic titled "Let's discuss what Islam offers." Labels under black stick figures included pedophilia, rape, slavery, hostage-taking and burning people alive. "Where to start?...OK Clockwise … Beheading," Blackwolf wrote beneath the graphic.

On July 23, he agreed with another post that postulated right-wing women are better looking.

"The further left you go, the ugly index increases exponentially," Blackwolf wrote.

Beneath his comments, Blackwolf posted a photo of U.S. President Donald Trump's wife, Melania, and their daughter Ivanka as examples of "well-maintained" right-wing women.

'I'm just appalled'

Petition organizer and former Canadian Armed Forces reservist Jesse Donovan, Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association Grand Chief Steven Ross and others have said Blackwolf's Facebook posts were disgusting.


Veteran Randi Gage said Richard Blackwolf should be removed from his post as national Indigenous veterans president immediately. (submitted)

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Steven Ross, grand chief of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, agrees fellow veteran Richard Blackwolf should be removed as national veterans president for his "disgusting" Facebook posts. (Saskindian.com)

"He can blame whoever he wants. I blame it 100 per cent on him and his mouth," said veteran Randi Gage.

"I'm just appalled, disgusted and embarrassed. I can't comprehend this man's ignorance."

Gage, who lives in Winnipeg, and other veterans founded the organization Blackwolf leads 25 years ago.

She said he has disgraced his uniform and should resign. If he doesn't, she said his board should remove him for failing to live up to its code of conduct.

Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association Grand Chief Steven Ross said the comments go against everything veterans represent.

"It's totally disgusting. It's unacceptable for a veteran to speak in that manner, especially a First Nations veteran," Ross told CBC News in a telephone interview from his home on the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, approximately 250 kilometres north of Saskatoon.

Ross said Indigenous veterans have fought inequality abroad and at home for decades.

"In the armed forces, we are all equal. As veterans, we should all be equal," Ross said.

"We're trying to reach out to other groups — to everyone — to work together, to understand each other. We have to keep up that friendship, that unity."

Support for petition

Donovan said Wednesday he's received a lot of support from veterans, serving military members and other Indigenous people since he started the petition. In 48 hours, the petition has received 93 signatures out of the stated goal of 100.

On Donovan's Facebook page, veterans and others offer support for his efforts.

"You have my full support. Where can we find the petition link?" one wrote.

"This needs to stop immediately...Our ancestors welcomed all that [were] suffering," said another.

Veterans Affairs Canada official Nick Wells said in an emailed statement that the federal government commends Blackwolf for his military service and his efforts on behalf of veterans.

"We cannot, however, support or stand behind the public comments he made which lacked respect for his fellow Canadians," Wells said.

"His public remarks do not reflect the views of the Government of Canada, nor Canadians."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/bid-to-oust-indigenous-veterans-president-gains-momentum-1.4249649

Bid to oust Indigenous veterans president gains momentum

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Richard Blackwolf's Facebook posts 'disgusting': Top Sask. First Nations veteran

By Jason Warick, CBC News Posted: Aug 16, 2017 12:21 PM CT Last Updated: Aug 16, 2017 12:21 PM CT


Steven Ross, grand chief of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, agrees fellow veteran Richard Blackwolf should be removed as national veterans president for his "disgusting" Facebook posts. (Saskindian.com)

Saskatchewan's top First Nations veteran is throwing his support behind an effort to oust his national counterpart over a series of controversial social media posts.

A petition was launched this week against Richard Blackwolf, president of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association. His posts label the LGBT community as "mutations and deviations," Muslims as terrorists and pedophiles, and left-wing women as "exponentially" uglier than those on the right.

Steven Ross, grand chief of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, agrees Blackwolf should be removed. Ross says the comments go against everything veterans represent.


"It's totally disgusting. It's unacceptable for a veteran to speak in that manner, especially a First Nations veteran," Ross told CBC News in a telephone interview from his home on the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, approximately 250 kilometres north of Saskatoon.

Ross said Indigenous veterans have fought inequality abroad and at home for decades.

"In the armed forces, we are all equal. As veterans, we should all be equal," Ross said.

"We're trying to reach out to other groups — to everyone — to work together, to understand each other. We have to keep up that friendship, that unity."

The petition was initiated by Jesse Donovan, a Métis law student at the University of Saskatchewan and a former reservist. He also characterized the posts as "disgusting."

Served in the navy

Blackwolf, who is in his mid-70s, served in the navy from 1959 to 1972 as a sonar and electronics expert. He spent time in submarines tracking Russian positions during the Cold War. Following his discharge he spent 25 years with the Department of National Defence.

On July 27, the Calgary Sun newspaper published an editorial about the controversy surrounding uniformed police officers attending Gay Pride parades.

Blackwolf wrote on his Facebook page: "A parade of mutations and deviations, there should be no military or law enforcement officers taking part."


Richard Blackwolf, left, is being asked to step down from his post as president of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association for Facebook posts he made in July about women, Muslims and gay people. (Michael Fazio/CBC)

On July 9, Blackwolf posted a graphic titled "Let's discuss what Islam offers." Labels under black stick figures included pedophilia, rape, slavery, hostage-taking and burning people alive.

"Where to start?...OK Clockwise … Beheading," Blackwolf wrote beneath the graphic.


Jess Donovan, an Indigenous law student at the University of Saskatchewan, has started a petition calling for the removal of Richard Blackwolf, president of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association, over a series of social media posts. (submitted)

On July 23, he agreed with another post that postulated right-wing women are better looking.

"The further Left you go, the ugly index increases exponentially," Blackwolf wrote.

Beneath his comments, Blackwolf posted a photo of U.S. President Donald Trump's wife, Melania, and their daughter Ivanka as examples of "well-maintained" right-wing women.

Donovan said he's received a lot of support from veterans, serving military members and other Indigenous people since he started the petition.

Blackwolf could not be reached for comment.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/bid-to-oust-indigenous-veterans-president-gains-momentum-1.4249649

'Disgusting things to say': Petition calls for removal of Indigenous veterans leader

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Social media posts, since removed, maligned LGBT groups, Muslims and left-wing women

By Jason Warick, CBC News Posted: Aug 15, 2017 1:21 PM CT


A petition by a Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association member is demanding the removal of president Richard Blackwolf, left, over a series of social media posts

A petition launched this week by a Saskatoon man is calling for the removal of the head of Canada's Indigenous veterans because of what he called "digusting" social media posts.

The posts by Richard Blackwolf label the LGBT community as "mutations and deviations," Muslims as terrorists and pedophiles, and left-wing women as "exponentially" uglier than those on the right.

"These are disgusting things to say," said University of Saskatchewan law student Jesse Donovan.

Donovan, who is Métis, served as an army reservist from 2010-13 in the 15th Field Artillery Regiment when he lived in Vancouver. As a member of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association, Donovan said he was shocked to see the Facebook posts of longtime president, Blackwolf.

Blackwolf could not be reached for comment.


University of Saskatchewan law student Jess Donovan, a member of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association, has started a petition calling for the removal of president Richard Blackwolf over a series of social media posts.

Blackwolf, who is in his mid-70s, served in the navy from 1959 to 1972, followed by a 25-year career in the Department of National Defence, according to a CBC story. A sonar and electronics expert, he spent time in submarines tracking Russian positions during the Cold War.

Donovan said he admired Blackwolf's record of service, but these posts are another matter.

Donovan saved screen shots of Blackwolf's posts, all of which were posted in July of this year on Blackwolf's personal Facebook page. Donovan said Blackwolf deleted them when people began to ask questions.

Comments dehumanize groups, says member behind petition

On July 27, the Calgary Sun newspaper published an editorial about the controversy surrounding uniformed police officers attending Pride parades.

Blackwolf wrote on his Facebook page, "A Parade of mutations and deviations, there should be no Military or Law Enforcement Officers taking part."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/indigenous-veterans-leader-facebook-posts-petition-1.4247933