Manitoba chief accused of child sex assault attacked outside court, trial halted

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This article was published 07/04/2025 (355 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – Court has heard that the chief of a Manitoba First Nation was attacked outside a Winnipeg courthouse on what was supposed to be the second day of his trial on child sex assault charges.

The lawyer for Christopher Traverse asked for an adjournment on Monday, telling a provincial court judge that Traverse was assaulted before entering the court building and two people have been arrested.

“(Traverse) needs some time and isn’t in a physical position to be with us in court,” Candace Olson told Judge Stacy Cawley. 

“Going forward, we’re going to need some extra security measures in this courtroom.”

Olson declined to provide any additional details outside the courtroom.

Winnipeg police confirmed in an email they received a call of an assault outside the courts building, but did not say whether arrests had been made. 

“We are continuing to investigate the matter as all parties are being identified and spoken to,” said Const. Dani McKinnon. 

The Crown did not object to rescheduling the trial and told court the assault was connected to the case.

“We can’t proceed in the circumstances…my understanding is Mr. Traverse is injured and the assault’s connected to this matter,” said Boyd McGill. 

Traverse was the leader of Lake St. Martin First Nation when he was arrested last year.

He has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, sexual interference and child pornography offences.

He is accused of forcing an eight-year-old girl into a bathroom in his home, taking photos of her and sexually assaulting her in December 2023.

The complainant, who is now 10, attended the first day of the trial last week where a video statement she gave to a worker at a child advocacy centre was played. 

The girl described watching television at Traverse’s home when she said he took her into the bathroom where he took photos of her unclothed bottom half with his cellphone and the girl’s. Traverse then proceeded to sexually assault her, the girl said. 

The girl said Traverse quickly deleted the photos while the two were still in the bathroom but that a version remained archived on her phone.

Her mother later found the photo and reported the allegations to police. 

The photo became an issue of discussion last week when the trial was also halted when it was learned the existence of the photo and a portion of metadata linked to it was only disclosed to lawyers on both sides earlier in the day. 

Olson told court on Monday that she received the pertinent metadata that morning and also needed an adjournment to go over the information. 

The trial is set to continue on June 24. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.