Close X
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
ADVT 
National

Turpel-Lafond 'satisfied' with identity, past work

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Mar, 2023 11:32 AM
  • Turpel-Lafond 'satisfied' with identity, past work

VANCOUVER - Former judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says she's satisfied in her "past work, identity and self-worth," after the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association revoked an award because its board members believed she falsified her claims of Indigenous identity.

In her most expansive recent remarks since a CBC investigation last fall raised questions about her claim of Cree heritage, Turpel-Lafond said it's "liberating" to be freed of honours because it permits her to "focus on what really matters" in her life.

She has "no emotional attachment to titles, honours or accolades," she said Thursday by email in response to a request for comment by The Canadian Press.

But Turpel-Lafond said she was surprised the association rescinded the 2020 Reg Robson Award without "basic fairness," such as allowing her an opportunity to be heard.

"Trial by media is rampant, can be unbalanced and cause harm," said the former law professor and B.C. representative for children and youth.

"This is precisely how wrongful convictions and injustice happens — take a position based on what someone else suggests while never delving deeper into matters to determine the truth."

She used an Indigenous name, aki-kwe, in her email signature, as well as her English name.

The civil liberties association issued a statement Thursday saying its board had believed Turpel-Lafond's representations about her heritage when granting the award.

Indeed, they believed her ancestry "played an essential role in informing her professional roles, her position in the community, and her work to advance human rights on behalf of Indigenous Peoples and advocacy organizations," it said.

But information had come to light demonstrating that, in its board's view, Turpel-Lafond had falsified her claim of Cree heritage, while certain professional and academic accomplishments had also been disproven or called into question.

Her professional integrity has been eroded, it said, adding Turpel-Lafond had yet to publicly account for the allegations about her heritage and other claims, including that she was recognized with a Queen's counsel designation in Saskatchewan.

Her actions have taken opportunities and recognition away from Indigenous women and played a part in "gravely undermining" public confidence in the legal profession, it said.

The association must follow the lead of Indigenous scholars, leaders and organizations, including the Indigenous Women's Collective, which is demanding that all honorary degrees and awards conferred on her be revoked, it said.

McGill University, Carleton University and the University of Regina each rescinded honorary degrees awarded to Turpel-Lafond last month, and she has returned degrees conferred by two B.C. post-secondary institutions after the schools initiated reviews in response to questions and concerns about her claims.

Others have confirmed they are looking into honorary degrees awarded to her, including Brock, Mount Saint Vincent and St. Thomas universities.

In conferring its own award, the civil liberties association recognizes it "contributed to amplifying … Turpel-Lafond's claims and position of influence," it said.

Her actions added to a "widespread pattern of Indigenous identity fraud, and the severe harms" it causes, it said.

"Indigenous identity fraud perpetuates colonial violence and assimilation practices, allowing settlers to shape the future for Indigenous communities while marginalizing Indigenous voices and weakening self-determination," it said.

Turpel-Lafond was also appointed to the Order of Canada in 2021.

She previously told the CBC that while she was growing up she didn't question the biological parentage of her father, who she has said was Cree.

"He was Cree, spoke Cree and lived the values of a Cree person," she said in a statement posted to her Twitter account last October. Her father's non-Indigenous grandparents had adopted her father, "who they knew to be a Cree child," she said.

Turpel-Lafond served as British Columbia's representative for children and youth and, until last December, she was a tenured law professor at the University of B.C.

Until last year, she also served as the academic director of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the university.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. money laundering report gets extension

B.C. money laundering report gets extension
The B.C. government says in a statement the report's submission had previously been due May 20, but the extension is a result of several members of the Cullen Commission inquiry team contracting COVID-19.

B.C. money laundering report gets extension

April jobless rate falls to another new low

April jobless rate falls to another new low
The unemployment rate came in at 5.2 per cent for April compared with the previous record low of 5.3 per cent set in March. Bank of Montreal chief economist Doug Porter said the moderate gain in employment is a sign of much more normal conditions, but also one where the supply of new workers may be beginning to be the binding constraint on growth.

April jobless rate falls to another new low

PHAC tries to get idea of how many have long COVID

PHAC tries to get idea of how many have long COVID
The Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada have launched a survey to try to get a broad idea of how common it is for people to feel lingering effects after COVID-19 infection, which can be difficult to identify and even harder to track.

PHAC tries to get idea of how many have long COVID

Man dies following police-involved shooting: VPD

Man dies following police-involved shooting: VPD
VPD officers were responding to reports of an assault with a weapon inside the Patricia Hotel, at East Hastings and Dunlevy Avenue, just after 4 p.m. Thursday, when they were confronted by a man. An altercation ensued and shots were fired.

Man dies following police-involved shooting: VPD

14 year old girl dead after collision in Burnaby

14 year old girl dead after collision in Burnaby
The driver of the dump truck and trailer unit stayed at the scene and police say impairment is not believed to have been a factor. Burnaby RCMP’s criminal collision investigation team is leading the case.    

14 year old girl dead after collision in Burnaby

Woman physically assaulted by man in underground parking lot: Surrey RCMP

Woman physically assaulted by man in underground parking lot: Surrey RCMP
On Thursday, May 5, 2022, at 2:24 a.m., Surrey RCMP received a report of a woman screaming and a fire alarm ringing in the 13500-block of Old Yale Road. Officers attended the area and located a woman who had been physically assaulted by a man in the staircase of an underground parking lot. The man had fled the area prior to police being called.

Woman physically assaulted by man in underground parking lot: Surrey RCMP