‘Extremely problematic:’ Projet Montréal candidate leaves caucus following TikTok comment about Indigenous people

A Verdun borough councillor is stepping down from the Projet Montréal caucus and will not seek re-election in the fall after making a disparaging social media comment towards Indigenous people.

Enrique Machado’s decision to withdraw from caucus was welcomed by the party, which called it “the right decision under the circumstances.”

The Venezuelan-born Machado made the comment on a sponsored TikTok video by popular Venezuelan influencer Sofia Saavedra in which she highlighted a new 3D ad screen in the country’s capital, Caracas.

The video shows several people in the street recording the giant screen on their phones, with Saavedra herself saying she was “super excited” about the high-tech display.

In a now-deleted comment on that video, Machado wrote, in Spanish: “Seriously? Are you surprised by that? Hahaha, Venezuelans are like Indigenous people. Give them some mirrors and shiny things and they’ll be amazed.”

That comment was highlighted by Saavedra in a subsequent video post, calling it “ethnophobic and racist” and “promoting hate against minorities like Indigenous people.”

@sognis Respuesta a @enriquemachado ♬ Manifestation - Perfect, so dystopian

Other online users denounced Machado’s comments. The bourough councillor has since changed the privacy settings on his TikTok account.

CityNews reached out to Machado by email and phone but did not immediately hear back.

A spokesperson for Projet Montréal says the borough councilor’s comment “contradicts the values of our party, our leader, and the mayor.”

“The values ​​of inclusion, respect, and the need to actively contribute to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples are at the heart of the principles that guide Projet Montréal’s mission. … As soon as we were informed of the situation, we immediately met with the elected official concerned to explain that his comments were unacceptable.”

‘When we speak our voice, then we are savages’

The executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, Nakuset, questions the accuracy of any existing Indigenous training within Projet Montréal, noting more needs to be done.

“Every institution should have cultural training. After the cultural training, they should be writing an exam. If they fail that exam, they’re gonna have to do the cultural training again,” Nakuset expressed. “Their final exam would be to speak in front of a group of Elders to tell them what they’ve learned, and the Elders will let you know whether or not you passed.

“If you knew what we went through, if you really understood what we went through, you would never say such a thing. People don’t know and feel it’s OK to just say derogatory things. But those Indigenous people that saw it and felt it, that’s hard.”

“The negative stereotypes, if you are not educated, will continue,” Nakuset continued.

“If we stand up as Indigenous people and we bring our concerns about whether it’s a negative play or film or baseball, football team or just a politician that is throwing out negative preconceptions of Indigenous people, the damage to us is so great. When we speak our voice, then we are savages.” 

Nakuset draws parallels to Quebec’s Robert Lepage, who received criticism for “Kanata,” a play that many advocates said lacked Indigenous performers about relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.

“This was someone who’s from Quebec, and this is someone that is supposed to do better and we literally had a meeting with the playwright, with the Indigenous community, with some of his people, and he would not do anything to change anything,” Nakuset said.

“The thing is that the types of harm from colonialism is huge, and it’s in every aspect.”

‘Harm from colonialism is huge’

After listing various historical atrocities from forced relocation, residential schools, racial profiling, and continuous discriminations, Nakuset says informed education is crucial.

“Why isn’t every Projet Montréal team member having Indigenous training?” she asked.

Projet Montréal has since removed Machado’s bio page from their website. He will serve as an independent until the Nov. 2 municipal election.

“If this is a city that says that they stand behind or stand with Indigenous people, then why wouldn’t they have vetted anyone who came into the party to be on the same wavelength as them?” Nakuset asked.

“It’s extremely problematic, but it’s easy to say, ‘oh, well, they’ve left the party, now everyone’s OK.'”