Carleton, McGill rescind honorary doctorates awarded to Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond

Two more postsecondary institutions – McGill University and Carleton University – have rescinded honorary doctorates given to Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond. At McGill, a subcommittee completed a review process and found evidence calling into question the validity of Turpel-Lafond’s academic credentials, accomplishments, and claims to being a Treaty Indian. Carleton also completed a review and chose to revoke the honorary doctorate awarded Turpel-Lafond in 2019. “The evidence that emerged about disputed claims to both Indigenous identity and academic credentials/accolades was deemed to outweigh the accomplishments that originally warranted granting the degree,” read a statement from Carleton.