UManitoba announces plans for Indigenous identity policy

The University of Manitoba has announced that it is planning to implement a new Indigenous identity policy this Fall. CBC reports that the institution is considering using a tiered process of formal and alternative methods for verifying the cultural identity of individuals who are applying for Indigenous-specific opportunities. UManitoba VP (Indigenous) Catherine Cook said that the community wants the policy to be inclusive of Indigenous peoples who have been disconnected from their cultures or communities, who are non-status, or do not believe in verifying their heritage through formal documentation. “The challenges that have occurred nationally with Indigenous identity fraud have certainly supported our need to be able to better support our Indigenous colleagues,” said Cook. “It will be an evolving process. We’ll learn as we go and we’ll adjust.”