Minister Alan Lagimodiere signing onto his new role on Thursday morning. (Screenshot: Government of Manitoba/YouTube) Article continues below advertisement ↴ Manitoba's Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations Minister is releasing a statement, apologizing for his false residential school comments. Minister Dr. Alan Lagamodiere began his appointment Thursday by responding to a residential school question, saying the system was designed to take Indigenous children and "give them the skills and abilities they would need to fit into society." He was immediately corrected by Manitoba's NPD Leader, Wab Kinew, who is an Honorary Witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. In a now-deleted tweet, the Manitoba PC Caucus called Kinew a bully. The account has since retweeted Lagamodiere's latest statement.