14-07-2025
Manitoba minister to take part in deaf culture training following hot mic comments
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine is apologizing after being caught on a hot mic complaining about an ASL interpreter at an event.
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine is apologizing after being caught on a hot mic complaining about an ASL interpreter at an event.
Manitoba's families minister will be taking part in deaf culture training after video emerged of her complaining about sharing a stage with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.
In a video posted to Instagram on Sunday, Nahanni Fontaine outlined the steps that she and her team will be undergoing to take responsibility.
'I know words alone aren't enough. So, I want to be clear about the action I and my team are taking,' she said.
'My team and I will undergo deaf and deaf culture training to deepen our understanding, confront gaps and ensure our actions reflect true respect and inclusion, not just intention.'
Fontaine said she is committed to making every public event fully accessible and will work with ASL interpreters to ensure they have what they need to do their job. She added the government will also be hiring an ASL interpreter to support all departments.
'I will be appointing a deaf or hard of hearing matriarch to join us in the matriarch circle, so that lived expertise is also at the heart of our work,' she said.
'We are finalizing engagement on the last of Manitoba's accessibility standards -- Accessible Design of Outdoor Public Spaces -- and preparing to launch that process very soon.'
The minister's comments come just over two weeks after APTN National News captured a hot mic moment that followed Fontaine's speech at a grad ceremony where she was accompanied on stage by an ASL interpreter.
While preparing to speak to reporters after the speech, Fontaine told one of her staff members that she was thrown off by the interpreter's presence, adding that she shouldn't have been on stage. The staff member then asked if the interpreter's 'frantic hand movements' were distracting, with Fontaine replying, 'Yeah…Why did I have her stage?'
Premier Wab Kinew said he has discussed the matter with Fontaine, and she will stay on as minister responsible for services for people with disabilities.
