Senator Adler silent as he takes Senate seat

The Canadian Press / Adrian Wyld

A controversial radio commentator took his seat Tuesday as a Manitoba Senator despite pushback from Indigenous Canadians in his province. He previously called Indigenous constituents lazy “boneheads.” 

Senator Charles Adler took his seat after signing the roll and pledging allegiance to the King. Adler was sworn in along with three Liberal Party donors from Alberta and New Brunswick, reported Blacklock’s Reporter.

"An appointment to the Senate is made by summons from the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada effective from the date of the writ of summons," said Alison Korn, spokesperson for the Senate. The required legal notice takes two weeks from the issue of a news release.

No appointee can take a Senate seat without fulfilling both requirements.

WATCH: @EzraLevant is in Ottawa with our billboard truck pushing back against Trudeau's atrocious 'independent' Senate choices: fake conservative @CharlesAdler and trans extremist @KristopherWells.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment on August 17, claiming Adler "throughout his career has used his platform to champion human rights." Adler in an August 19 podcast Real Talk With Ryan Jespersen said as Senator he would be "talking about rights, human rights."

Senator Marc Gold, Government Representative in the Senate, repeated the claim. "Your fierce defence of human rights will be a great asset to the Senate," he said.

Indigenous leaders who filed CRTC complaints against Adler expressed disgust with the appointment. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and  Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. opposed his appointment.

"It’s appalling that someone who has such a disregard for the plight of our people is appointed to such a prestigious position," Acting Grand Chief Angela Levasseur of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak earlier told reporters. "The vile words and contempt he has spoken are so vicious and racist they could be considered hate crimes."

Broadcaster Charles Adler wants to meet with Indigenous leaders from Manitoba to clarify derogatory comments he made 25 years ago. However, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) still wants his appointment rescinded.

READ MORE: https://t.co/DcOeWn5rwc pic.twitter.com/3xnlNQBCAf

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Manitoba Chiefs said Adler had a "history of racist and derogatory remarks against First Nations people" that made him unfit to represent the province. "The appointment of Charles Adler to the Senate is a grave insult," they said.

Among the CRTC complaints include describing First Nations as uncivilized, unintelligent, and undeserving of respect. They "want a free ride through life, often get a ride that’s free and then complain when the ride isn’t rich enough," said Adler.

First Nations "haven’t got a clue" but "might get you a bullet" if criticized, he said. "If you want to behave in an uncivilized manner you don’t get any r-e-s-p-e-c-t," he told First Nations listeners, adding: "Get a job."

"I am just not interested in supporting boneheads and boneheaded arguments and it is absolutely boneheaded to respond to a legitimate argument by saying, 'Well, you must be racist otherwise you wouldn’t say that,'" said Adler.

Charles Adler throws conservative past by the wayside after Liberal Senate appointment

'What was it that caused Charles Adler to become more and more disconnected from his entire life's work?' asked @EzraLevant.

Ezra Levant discussed former conservative broadcaster Charles… pic.twitter.com/KcZaPbeAcc

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Acting Grand Chief Levasseur urged the federal government to "immediately" rescind Adler’s appointment. "His background states he is an award-winning broadcaster but that doesn’t begin to address the lengthy list of complaints he has compiled during that tenure," she said.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) did not comment on the matter. Staff did not clarify if a thorough background check had been performed on Adler.

The newly appointed Senator also repeated uncorroborated claims that First Nations paid members $75 to attend protests, acknowledging he did not verify its authenticity. "That is not a confirmed story," he said. "It’s a story that’s out there."

"If you want to get deep down into the bowels of the politics of reserves, who’s running the show, where’s the money going, what about responsibility, accountability and people being intimidated, that’s the kind of stuff that might get you an award in journalism," said Adler. "On the other hand, it might get you a bullet."