Northern Ontario college employee accused of Indigenous identity fraud

Cambrian College says it's developing an Indigenous-led ancestral verification process as an unnamed employee is on leave over potentially false claims.

A Cambrian College employee in Sudbury is under scrutiny after allegations of Indigenous identity fraud, prompting the school to develop a verification process amid growing calls to curb ’pretendian' exploitation.

Over the years, several high-profile Canadians have been exposed for fabricating or exaggerating their Indigenous backgrounds.

“Pretendians capitalize on the intergenerational trauma endured by generations of Indigenous people,” Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. said in an article about the issue.

“A common flaw in a pretendian’s backstory that ultimately brings them down is their vague, often shifting self-identification as descendants of a long-dead Indigenous person from a particular nation. However, the nation claimed does not claim them.”

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Allegations of Indigenous identity fraud

Recently, concerns came to light about a Cambrian College employee’s Indigenous identity.

“We take these concerns seriously and are looking into the matter,” Daniel Lessard, a spokesperson for the college, told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an email Friday afternoon.

“We also acknowledge the importance of ensuring respectful and accurate representation of Indigenous identities within our community.”

Lessard said the employee has been put on leave, but declined to comment on whether the leave is paid or unpaid.

Ghost Warrior Society received several reports from the community about the Cambrian employee over the last two years, founder Crystal Semaganis, of Little Pine First Nation, told CTV News in a phone interview Friday afternoon.

The society, run by a group of volunteers who track Indigenous exploitation, does not receive any funding and operates entirely on donations.

Its standard is four generations.

Beyond that, the subject has no lived experience, intergenerational trauma or genetic memory, the organization said on its website.

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“It’s great to have (Indigenous) relationships, but it is disingenuous if you’re using those terms to create a claim to (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) identity connection that simply does not exist,” Semaganis said in a post.

“It’s disingenuous if you just declare yourself ‘Indigenous’ just by proximity.”

It is part of Indigenous culture to ask questions like, “Where are you from? What’s your territory? Your First Nation,” but she said people have been discouraged from asking those questions in the workplace.

Developing a verification process

The school said it has already started an Indigenous-led discussion to develop a verification process of First Nations, Inuit and Metis identity when needed.

“This process will have respect and care at its core, and we remain committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities to ensure a thoughtful and accountable process,” said Lessard.

“Our priority remains supporting our students, staff, and faculty, while upholding our responsibility to Indigenous communities and fostering a learning environment built on trust and integrity.”

It’s a move that is crucial and should have already been in place, said Semaganis, who lives in Temagami.

“Any institution that accepts self-identification opens the door for exploitation,” she said.

“You need to have proof and a living connection to the community … It’s really upsetting when people check a box and no follow-up is done.”

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The top three places where Indigenous exploitation occurs most frequently, according to Semaganis, are post-secondary academics, housing and government positions.

Harm caused

According to Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., some of the harms caused by falsely claiming Indigenous identity include:

• Students of fraudsters in academia are particularly affected as they are left questioning everything they learned.
• Pretendians take up grants, scholarships, jobs and positions earmarked for Indigenous candidates.
• Pretendians steal the spotlight from genuine Indigenous artists and leaders.
• Pretendians capitalize on historical and ongoing trauma.
• Their actions further traumatize Indigenous people by cheapening their lived experience.

“The harm done by pretendians in academia is particularly insidious,” the B.C. company said on its website.

“The structural trickle-down of having non-Indigenous people with non-Indigenous community standpoints rising through the ranks to represent us and theorize Indigenous peoplehood, sovereignty, and (anti-)colonialism. These people become ‘thought leaders,’ institutional decision-makers and policy advisors to governmental leaders with regulatory and economic power over our peoples. They then shape academic and public discourse about who we allegedly are, what our lives allegedly look like and what they think should be done about and to us.”

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In addition to tracking exploitation, Ghost Warrior Society also helps support Indigenous people who have been impacted by false identity claims, helps trace genealogy and apply for Indian status.

“We don’t want people to feel isolated or like they have nowhere to turn,” Semaganis said.