A controversial comment from a Marathon, Ontario, municipal staff member during a January 26 draft budget meeting has sparked demands for accountability from two neighboring First Nations. The meeting, streamed online and available on the town’s YouTube channel, focused on funding for water infrastructure upgrades.

The Offending Remark

During the discussion, a town councillor inquired about the frequency of funding opportunities for such projects. Mayor Rick Dumas, who also serves as president of the Northern Ontario Municipal Association, replied that “they come up all the time.” An off-camera senior staff member then added, “yeah, we’re just the wrong colour.”

Nearby Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, also known as Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation, viewed the statement as a reference to skin color. Their success in securing funds for a full water system replacement—due to an outdated and overburdened infrastructure—prompted the backlash.

First Nations’ Outrage

Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Chief Duncan Michano issued a statement asserting that the funding was earned through dedicated efforts by political leaders and staff, not skin color. “Biigtigong Nishnaabeg staff and people believe that the rude, bigoted remark was made because Biigtigong had been successful,” the statement reads.

The video clip spread rapidly on social media, amplifying concerns. Michano criticized the town’s responses for lacking accountability: “Instead of holding the person(s) accountable… there appears to be an attempt to support the individual(s) by providing an escape route.” As a result, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg suspended support for joint projects pending a relationship reset.

The First Nation proposed adding a councillor position for a resident from their community and holding the staff member and supervisor accountable. They referenced key reconciliation efforts, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ 231 calls for justice, and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples’ 440 recommendations.

Town’s Clarification and Apology

On January 30, Mayor Dumas explained that the remark alluded to political challenges in securing funding, tied to “political ‘colours,’” not Indigenous identity. “We recognize that the wording could be misunderstood and we sincerely apologize,” Dumas stated.

The town’s senior administration followed with a statement emphasizing context: frustration over persistent municipal funding hurdles from higher governments. The circulating clip, they noted, lacked the full discussion.

Solidarity from Neighboring Community

Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg, formerly Pic Mobert First Nation, echoed the concerns in a statement from Chief Clyde Jacobs. They too suspended involvement in Marathon projects until remediation and trust restoration occur.

With fewer than 350 on-reserve residents, many Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg members live, work, and access services in Marathon, a town of about 3,100 located 300 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay. Jacobs stressed that such comments signal broader institutional issues. “Trust must be earned through action,” he concluded, committing to respectful partnerships once addressed.