Buffy Sainte-Marie’s honorary degree revoked after investigation finds singer is not American Indian
by Juliet La Sala · The Washington TimesThe University of Toronto rescinded singer Buffy Sainte-Marie’s honorary Doctor of Laws degree after an investigation confirmed she is not an American Indian.
The decision, made by a governing council vote, went into full effect this week.
This follows a 2023 investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that uncovered a birth certificate showing she was born in Massachusetts to Italian-American parents, directly contradicting her longstanding identification as Algonquin, Mi’kmaw, and Cree.
Ms. Sainte-Marie denied the allegations and said the investigation included fabricated evidence. In 2023, she posted a video on Facebook saying she was adopted and explaining the controversy.
Her appointment to the Order of Canada was terminated earlier this year, and seven Juno Awards were stripped in March 2025.
In 2018, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, also stripped her of a degree it awarded her after a Mi’kmaw student raised concerns about the ethics of keeping the honour.
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Juliet La Sala
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