By Canadian Press

Canadian poet linked to killer of Indigenous woman cancels Regina lecture

Jan 3, 2020 | 12:25 PM

REGINA — A Canadian poet has cancelled a Regina lecture about Indigenous justice issues following criticism over his work with a man who killed an Indigenous woman in the city.

George Elliott Clarke says in a statement that he has decided to withdraw from the Jan. 23 event at the University of Regina.

Clarke, a former parliamentary poet laureate, says he never intended to cause anguish to the victim’s family and the Indigenous community.

There have been calls for the university to cancel the talk since it was revealed that Clark has edited poetry by Stephen Brown.

Brown, who changed his name from Steven Kummerfield, was convicted of manslaughter in the 1995 beating death of Pamela George.

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The university had said cancelling the lecture would go against its principles, and that Clarke had assured the school he wouldn’t be reading Brown’s work.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 3, 2020.

The Canadian Press