Shane Gottfriedson, Regional Chief for the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), has formally resigned after facing backlash over a social media post.
“In order to best move forward, the BCAFN board of directors and Shane Gottfriedson feel strongly that this decision is in the best interests of B.C. First Nations,” said the BCAFN in a statement last week.
“This decision was made after much reflection in the months following the social media controversy caused by a moment of misjudgement late last year,” Gottfriedson said last week. “I decided to resign to serve as an example of a First Nations politician who is able to accept responsibility for my behaviour in a time when so many politicians do not.”
Gottfriedson had already resigned from his role as head of the missing and murdered indigenous women portfolio last December and then taken an administrative leave.
The controversial photo, which he posted on Instagram last December, showed his legs with an emoji – googly eyes and red kissing lips – near his groin. After posting the photo, Gottfriedson offered a public apology during a chiefs meeting, saying that his post had “offended many people.”
“I stand before you today in a humble way; I make no excuses for this regrettable action and I have immediately apologized to our women’s council about the post that I ran on Instagram,” he said last December. “The post was incredibly insensitive; I can tell you right now this is not one of my greatest moments.”
Chief Maureen Chapman was the acting regional chief during Gottfriedson’s administrative leave. She will continue her role as the acting regional chief for the remaining term of office, which ends in 2018.
