Retired senator Lillian Dyck says she was \u0022stunned\u0022 to see reports last fall questioning the Indigenous heritage of Mary Ellen Turpel\u002DLafond
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Eight of the 10 schools the Indigenous Women’s Collective singled out have confirmed they’re taking steps to review the matter, while two have yet to respond to requests for comment sent Wednesday. The appropriation of Indigenous identity by so-called “pretendians” deprives Indigenous people of jobs and opportunities to make change for the better, Dyck said, adding that it also affects future generations of Indigenous children.
The statement was issued on Tuesday after Vancouver Island University announced Turpel-Lafond had returned a 2013 honorary doctorate of laws. The school had told her it was under review due to requests from the collective and members of the university community.Article content Turpel-Lafond served as British Columbia’s representative for children and youth and, until last month, she was a tenured law professor at the University of B.C.
“It would have been so easy for her to prove her identity. If she’s claiming to be a treaty Cree Indian, all she had to do was pull out her treaty card.”
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