Peter Crnogorac
Northern News Services
Friday, February 9, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Industry Canada has yet to come up with a decision on its Yellowknife general manager who was caught sending a racist and sexist e-mail from his office last week.

Michael Hurst sent 31 e-mails containing four pictures: three of nude blond models and one of an older aboriginal woman exposing her breasts. The message attached to the e-mail said "pick Miss Northwest Territories."

Andrew Hannan, communications officer for Industry Canada in Ottawa, said the investigation is still ongoing and no information will be released until it wraps up.

"We can't release anything right now because of the Privacy Act, and we don't have a date when we can," he said.

The Status of Women Council of the NWT and the Native Women's Association of the NWT sent a letter to Industry Canada Minister Maxime Bernier asking him to fire Hurst.

Sharon Thomas, executive director of the Status of Women Council of the NWT, said she was told that a hearing for Hurst took place on Tuesday in Edmonton.

Hannan would not confirm or deny the hearing. Premier Joe Handley sent out a press release expressing deep concern over the "extremely offensive e-mail," sent by Hurst.

Sandy Lee, MLA for Range Lake, said Hurst's actions were horrible and should not be taken lightly.

This is not the first time a government official in the NWT has been in trouble for sending offensive e-mails.

In November 2005, a staff member at the South Slave Divisional Education Council office in Fort Smith forwarded e-mail jokes making fun of aboriginal people, seniors and Catholics. Terry Villeneuve, president of the Native Women's Association of the NWT, was involved in the campaign to have that employee dismissed.

"(The person) was given a slap on the wrist," she said. "We hope it will be different for Hurst."