The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) as well as Mayor Sandy Bowman are calling for Ward 1 Councillor Shafiq Dogar to resign after racial comments were made during Thursday’s live streamed budget meeting.

During the meeting a motion was brought forward by Councillor Kendrick Cardinal that was to begin an initiative for the prevention and awareness to the murdered, missing and exploited indigenous women and people.

ATC and Mayor said that Dogar remarked that he did not support the motion because, “Indigenous people reside in the rural areas and only come to Fort McMurray to get drunk, or fight, or have other legal issues.”

Mayor Bowman released a statement that he regrettably didn’t catch what Dogar had said initially, or he would have commented sooner.

The ATC are asking that Councillor Dogar resign immediately, a formal apology on behalf of Mayor and Council, the entirety of Mayor Council take meaningful cultural awareness training, and the video be released to the public.

Mayor Bowman has also asked that Dogar resign and formally apologize.

“Our indigenous people deserve better and so does our region,” says Bowman.