Since Grey Owl a century ago, people of European descent have falsely claimed to be Indigenous for personal gain or a sense of absolution, but one Metis legal expert says it would take a psychiatrist to try to fully answer, 'why?' Lawyer Jean Teillet's report examined the harm caused by Indigenous identity fraud, outlined red flags for spotting potential deceit and suggested measures to prevent it.
Since Grey Owl a century ago, people of European descent have falsely claimed to be Indigenous for personal gain or a sense of absolution, but one Metis legal expert says it would take a psychiatrist to try to fully answer, "why?"
Teillet's report examined the harm caused by Indigenous identity fraud, outlined red flags for spotting potential deceit and suggested measures to prevent it. "I think there are people who use to make themselves not feel like the colonizer, so you're not the bad guy," said Teillet. Teillet said identity fraudsters play into stereotypes about Indigenous Peoples and get away with it in part because Canadians generally aren't educated about the diversity and complexity of Indigenous identity and culture across the country.
Teillet is confident therecent revelations of false identity are "just the tip of the iceberg" in Canadian universities, government and other institutions, she adds. "The minute people know that their claim to be Indigenous is going to be scrutinized...that alone is going to stop a lot of the fraud, I think."
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