SK judge orders $70K in damages for defamatory “pretendian” allegations

Judge DE Labach of the Court of King’s Bench in Saskatchewan has awarded $70K in damages to University of Regina Associate Professor Michelle Coupal after ruling that she was defamed. Coupal sued University of Ottawa Associate Professor Darryl Leroux—who CBC says is an Indigenous identity scholar—for defamation over statements made in 2021 and 2022 about Coupal’s claims to Indigenous identity. In his decision, Labach explained that the defamation occurred when Leroux alleged that Coupal had intentionally committed fraud, pretended to be Indigenous, and relied on forged documents. Leroux’s lawyer told CBC that he intends to appeal.