A complaint filed Oct. 14 with the Law Society of Ontario requests that disciplinary action be taken against a Toronto lawyer who has built a notable career as an Anishinaabe woman specializing in Indigenous law, alleging she has no evidence that she is Indigenous at all.
The complaint is against Promise Holmes Skinner, who identifies as Anishiaabe-Scandinavian.
Holmes Skinner has a private law practice and teaches Indigenous law at the prestigious University of Toronto. She served as a senior manager at Toronto’s Aboriginal Legal Services before opening her own law firm.
Her LinkedIn profile cites working ‘in Indigenous traditions’ as an “Anishinaabe-Scandinavian lawyer.”
The complaint alleges she has “no First Nations, Inuit bloodline to speak of.”
Holmes Skinner declined an interview request, but said in a statement to Global News that while she has no documentary proof of Indigenous ancestry, she has a “cherished understanding that my grandmother was Anishinaabe” from Cape Croker First Nation in Ontario. “However,” she added, “without documentary evidence to verify that, I have learned culture in other ways.”
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Holmes Skinner says she has been “transparent about not being a rights-bearing individual” and that she has not taken any benefits or positions reserved for those individuals.
She says her family is from Cape Croker First Nation, but she does not claim to be from there herself.
She also said her “legal education and practice are about contributing skills, not taking space I am not invited to take.”
Her lawyer Andrea Gonsalves challenges “that Indigenous identity can validly exist only through proven blood connections to a rights-bearing community.”
Kim Tallbear, one of the world’s leading academic experts on people who questionably claim to be Indigenous, takes issue with that.
“If she can’t verify her grandmother is Anishinaabe, don’t be speaking as an Anishinaabe person,” says Tallbear, a citizen of the Sisseton–Wahpeton Oyate.
“You can be speaking as a friend or an ally to the people that you have made relationships with. We have all kinds of non-Indigenous people that do that, and they don’t claim to be us.”
The complaint was filed by Crystal Semaganis, who heads a grassroots group that tracks and exposes suspected cases of Indigenous identity fraud.
The complaint asks the Law Society of Ontario to apologize for allegedly allowing a member to take roles intended for First Nations, Inuit and Metis lawyers and to “formulate and implement a First Nations, Inuit and Metis Authentication Policy… to go beyond simple declarations of self-identification.”
It also requests disciplinary action against Holmes Skinner.
Semaganis has testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates regarding non-Indigenous people claiming to be Indigenous to access lucrative procurement contracts under Ottawa’s Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business.
Semaganis is being sued by a family of women over allegations she made that they’ve faked an Indigenous identity, a matter that remains before a Yukon court.
Many universities have implemented policies to verify indigeneity after several high-profile academics’ ancestry claims were challenged.
When asked in September how they verified Holmes Skinner’s indigeneity, the University of Toronto refused to say, citing privacy. Then it removed a page outlining its verification process from its website.
On Oct. 20, the university announced the launch of its Indigenous substantiation process. It requires genealogical evidence and membership with a rights-bearing nation.
The university tells Global News it “does not apply retroactively, it will be initiated for current faculty members who identify as Indigenous when they engage with new opportunities, such as promotions, research funding competitions and awards.”
The Law Society of Ontario spokesperson Amy Lewis says when a complaint is made, they “consider the potential risk to the public, the public’s confidence in the legal professions and the Law Society, and the administration of justice.”
They won’t comment on complaints or investigations until they’re complete.
Gonsalves says they cannot comment on the complaint itself but “anyone can put anything in a complaint” and “the fact of making the complaint doesn’t say anything about its merit.”
Really only relevant because of the preferential and discriminatory hiring policies so, ya know, stop that.
I’m white, woman, and a Canadian citizen of European descent.
According to today’s standards (or complete lack of!), I could identify as a man, a cat, a diaper wearing pervert, or even black or indigenous. All that without a single strand of DNA that would prove my bogus claim.
I could pretend to be someone or something I’m not for various reasons – free stuff from the government, open doors to a better job, or toothless sentence (“Gladue report”) if I commit a crime.
This is today’s Canada. Zero standards, zero accountability, and if you call the spade a spade you’ll be labeled a racist.
Seems the indigenous (or the pretend ones) can make any claim, and we’re supposed to just shut up and accept it as truth, for the sake of “reconciliation”.
Neither I nor my family had anything to do with the alleged – still zero proof – mass graves but the truth doesn’t seem to matter as long as the money flows their way, right?
Long story short – prove it or it didn’t happen.
Does it matter. I read an article in ab where it was just fine for a India lawyer did not need to pledge allegiance to the king what’s the difference.
If a man can say he’s a woman and everybody has to believe him well then she has every right to say cease indigenous and that’s just how it is so yeah it’s good for the goose good for the gander right
The indigenous for 1% of the population sure make a lot of noise. That expression the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Well our Canadian indigenous get 10 Billion plus a year. What a scam! Paying no tax and complaining none stop doesn’t get you any friends. Unless your a Liberal, right “Ben” ?
What about Metis people who were victims of the 60s scoop, and have no access to any records due to closed adoptions?
Our only recourse is a DNA test, which isn’t enough, apparently.
Who cares Natives make up less than 1 percent of the population and 99 percent of them dont work,cut off their welfare they will tow the line.
Ben @10:19pm.
“We are what we say” Ben, that is one on the stupidest things I have heard you ever say. The media give the 1% of the population who claim to be identify as cats, trannies, aliens and other odd titles the attention they seek, but don’t be fooled, the normal 99% of the population see the 1% as entertainment. Not normal people. Ben your a bleeding heart. You go and support the 1% no problem.
Take a DNA test…tada.
Maybe next week I will identify as a tree.
FYI, my pronouns are “God/ God like”.
Well, I am white Canadian right now. But I might identify as a cat tomorrow. I mean if I can get geetus from the government.
well if all is truthfully stated 80% of Native indigenous ppl r not truly FULL NATIVE BLOOD! These ppl dont want DNA DONE either. I lived by very close to SASK CDA NATIVE BAND. We had about 2dozen teens and kids come to school in our town. They were ALL PURE 100% NATIVE@ AND WE KNOW WHO IS FILL NATIVE BY LOOKING AT THE PERSON!! THERE R MO BLONDE LADIES OR WHITE SKIN FULL BLOOD NATIVE PPL…. I Believe WITH the financial cost to cda. And so few. 100,% pure native blood ppl in cda. There will be changes to govt funding to bands due to alot of band leaders adding pure white ppl with 1/2 drop of native blood in them. Remember the story about BUFFY ST MARIE,? SHE IS NOT NATIVE….BUT ITALIAN
How on earth is this a story at all, let alone the top story in the list on Global’s website? Next March will there be a flurry of reports about people claiming to be part Irish on St. Patrick’s Day? Shame on Global for amplifying the grift and the grifters.
So, we can have folks say they identify as anything they want except white Canadian. That gets deleted. Why, I’m not sure. I’m white, I’m Canadian, thats what I identify as. Not gay, not indigenous, not as a woman or man when I’m not, Not as a cat or a dog, all those are ok with media. Just dont identify as a white Canadian. You get deleted and called a r*cist.
So let me see if I have this correct, it’s NOT okay for her to IDENTIFY as NATIVE … BUT it’s OKAY for MEN to IDENTIFY as WOMEN and WOMEN to IDENTIFY as MEN and both can become TRANSMUTANTS and PERVERT the minds of CHILDREN ?????
WHAT IN THE NAME OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS WORLD ???? This is SICKENING, I’ll be very glad to leave this world and all it’s PERVERSION behind when God calls me home !!!
I am from Mars. fell on earth during night hours in a rain storm.
Patrilineal or Matrlineal?
Not apply retroactively…..”oh I’ve .been a Professor for 10 years – i just never did my Phd… “
….but, but, but…an elder told me I was!
Indigenous groups are very much opposed to DNA testing and for good reason. If tested, you’d find that the majority their group have roughly the same amount of indigenous genetics as your average non-identifying Canadian. Even funnier is that the majority of their leaders and activists are comparable to Elizabeth Warren.
Hi, I’m Ben your liberal AI Chatbot. Ask me anything and I’ll side with the liberals.
Another indigenous money grab. Even the accusation does not have anything to do with her claim of not being Indian, the accusation is over riding the verbal claim of not being indigenous.”I don’t know if my grandmother is indigenous” she did not claim her grandmother was infact Indian. Dismissed…
I see submit DNA: not good enough these days for gender identity so we can’t have that. ‘Submit proof’. Why in today’s world all we need is self identification. We are what we say. Either we have to have objective tests of evidence for all these identity issues or we must have none. What do you think an HR tribunal will decide since they aren’t shackled with hundreds of years of precedent bases law? They’ll fall back on the subjective reality of critical theory. Spin that roulette wheel of subjective ‘truth’ and see what happens. That’s Canada these days. Built on principles or decayed rotten ice.
But how does she FEEL?
The most important thing of our time.
Poca hontas
A DNA test is conclusive and inclusive. No paperwork required.
Such a pathetic childish witch hunt – ironically, to support indigenous racism.
Natives are not mixed… the bastardized mixed breeds came after the fact white people were here. THEY CANE AFTER THE FACT 100’S OF RACES WERE ALREADY HERE!!!! The white settlers are more native to these lands than a bastardized mixed whatever… that aint even a Métis. A random m.u. t .t mixed breed is not native. Some bastardized mix with no name and no history books? Someone who is 10% this 10% that 5% that 5% that 20% this 20% that ect… 2026 now.
Pocahontas
We live in a world where men can pretend to be women and women can pretend to be men. Why can’t someone “identify” as indigenous.
I love genetic racism, it’s the logical outcome. Welcome to Canada
Ever wonder why there’s so much toxic fighting over who is “authentically” Indigenous in Canada right now?
It’s not an accident. It is a highly coordinated form of state propaganda—driven by academic gatekeepers—designed to keep people divided so the government can maintain control over land and resources.The cracks in this entire academic system are officially showing. Here is exactly how this “divide and conquer” trap works to benefit the settler state:
1. The Ultimate Academic Irony (Circe Sturm):
The entire framework used by Canadian academics like Darryl Leroux and Kim TallBear (who base their careers off of Sturm’s work) to label people “pretendians” or “race-shifters” was imported from the U.S. and built on the work of anthropologist Circe Sturm. In a massive twist of irony, Sturm was exposed by the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds for having no verifiable Indigenous ancestry herself. The very person who pioneered the blueprint used to police other people’s identity turned out to be a fraud. By applying this flawed American template to Canada, academics are misdiagnosing complex histories—like French-Indigenous alliances, Acadian displacement, and non-status populations—as mere identity theft.
2. Civic Gatekeeping as a Colonial Tool (Erin Hoekstra)
This aligns perfectly with the work of American sociologist Erin Hoekstra on how institutions use “belonging” to protect social hierarchies. Hoekstra’s research shows how dominant groups use arbitrary, state-sanctioned definitions of “community belonging” to act as gatekeepers. In Canada, academics have weaponized this exact kind of gatekeeping. By setting narrow, impossible standards of who “belongs,” they invalidate non-status and Eastern histories, shutting marginalized communities out of their own heritage.
3. The Result: The Settler State Wins the Land:
This academic gatekeeping serves a massive political purpose for the government. When communities are locked in endless horizontal warfare over who is “legitimate,” the entire legal process stalls. While people spend decades and millions of dollars fighting over identity politics in court, the government wins by default. The Crown retains ultimate jurisdictional control over the territory, allowing resource extraction and corporate contracts to continue completely uninterrupted.
Identity politics is being used as a tool of colonial governance. When academics police belonging based on hypocritical frameworks, they aren’t protecting sovereignty—they are helping the settler state keep the land.
We see all you paid trolls! 😂
#IdentityPolitics #LandBack #ResourceExtraction #CirceSturm #DecolonizeAcademia #CanadianPolitics #distortedlerouxcrew
Michelle Cameron AKA Crystal Semaganis is a fraud, she is always wrong when she calls real Indigenous People’s fake. She steals money from the public in all kinds of scams and Melissa ridgen seems to be okay holding this abuser up in Public. She is currently being Sued by 4 Indigenous Women right now for the same behavior. If this lawyers Grandmother is Indigenous, that makes her Indigenous 🙄 Crystal has zero Authority over Indigenous Identity, neither does Melissa ridgen or Kim Tallbear from the States that has zero lived experience of an Indian Act. She can walk back over that medicine line and shove her fake Society where the sun dont shine.
Semaganis has accused me of having no FNMI blood and i have documented prove of my Indigenous bloodlines..
Semaganis isca non status Indian who can not prove her own Indigenous ties. She has attacked status people with wring information. She also lies about being a 60 scoop ..
She looks like a scammer. Take her law licence away
Raj @ 2:42pm
Because she most likely got her job, by way of DEI, claiming to be Indigenous.
Raj @2:42pm
Because she most likely got her job, by DEI , claiming to be Indigenous
How can you verify yourself and your grandmother when there’s no documents by either,,scammer
why are people defending someone that is committing misrepresentation and fraud to gain access and recognition? Why is it ok to fake an identity as long as it’s only Indigenous? Would these people that defend her not mind if she claimed to be black? Would it be ok for her to tell people she has a grandmother that she thinks might be a member of the royal family and everyone should believe that if she can’t prove it? By claiming to be Indigenous she gains access to spaces like using it as a marketing tool.
Submit DNA. Otherwise identify yourself as whatever you want.
If it’s acceptable to identify as a different gender why is it wrong to identify as anything else as long as you are not breaking the law or claiming benefits you aren’t entitled to.
it’s always a grandmother and they have no idea about their ancestry. Yet they claim to be Indigenous and get offended when you ask for proof. If you can’t prove it, it doesn’t exist.
The only reason anyone would admit to being an indian is for free stuff.
Aren’t requests for evidence, no matter how well-founded, considered racist now?
Why does this lady not mind her own business this woman has not taken any benefits whatsoever that are reserved only for the indigenous women then what is the problem. If anything she has educated herself and is teaching at the university of Toronto due to her own hard work and skills. If this loyal has not claimed any government benefits any money which should only go to indigenous women then she should not be harassed or prosecuted. If anything this two called whistleblower needs to be investigated totally I think she is overstepping and creating a governing and prosecutoral Role for herself which completely sounds like bullying. This other so-called investigative woman should mind her own business and should be prosecuted for harassment and bullying. Police should investigate who are the other victims of her who she has bullied and harassed in similar manner
I thought we were all about letting people identify how the see themselves?
Get a DNA test done
Ben. Your historical wrongs argument recursively allows blame from a moth flapping its wings at a dinosaur epochs ago. Its a deranged way to see ‘justice’ when you won’t hold to personal accountability. If you agree to this ‘collective oppression’ then you better be prepared to accepts ‘collective judgement’. So entire peoples must be on trial when one individual is accused. You really think that’s a good idea?
Funny how the crowd obsessed by identity won’t recognize an argument that the person of their ire identifies a certain way. Identity must be accompanied by a political purity test .
Greg @ 12:14pm
Don’t forget.
Vianne Timmons, the former president of Memorial University of Newfoundland who previously served as president of the University of Regina, faced intense public scrutiny and was removed from her role after questions arose regarding her claims of Mi’kmaw ancestry tied to Nova Scotia.
Canada’s Indians are worthless pretend victims that are just looking for massive paydays. They do nothing to build this country or help us make any progress.
I’m done listening to your sob stories. Either chip in or shut up.
@On the side lines 1118am. Respectfully, I agree that employment rates is lower for Indigenous peoples. But I guess I would argue these outcomes exist BECAUSE of history. If I may be so bold, I would assume you argue that government policies have caused long term dependence by Indigenous peoples on the government, resulting in lower employment rates. It’s not racist for you to say that. I would agree with you low employment rates for Indigenous peoples are partially the result of dependence. But I would argue that low employment rates are MOSTLY the result of family trauma passed down through generations-because of how Canada treated them. We differ why there are lower employment rates. There is nothing wrong with your arguement though.
“Prestigious University of Toronto”. I stopped reading it right there.
Welcome to liberal Canada, where they can claim to be something they’re not!
“Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive”
William Shakespeare.
The alphabets have set the “identification,” precedent…
!diots
Speaking of fake First Nations people, we haven’t heard much from Buffy Saint Marie for a while…she went completely off radar after being outed as a Pretendian…
She can identify as whatever she wants. Isnt that what we are allowing people to do now? Why is this any different?
There are a lot of fake Aboriginals in Canada — all for benefits. Money, money, money!! Grey Owl started quite a phony trend!
another fake indian
haha @11:21am.
So what’s your proud lineage? Does it involve unemployment, alcoholic parents, food kitchens and welfare? Perhaps on a reserve ?
@On The Side Lines. Its like how white inbreds havent contributed anything to Canada while the immigrants do all the work. The white trash are just homeless junkies
It is comical how white trash inbreds from Europe are so desperate to pretend that they are natives. The entire world knows where these pasty hicks came from
Lawyer, liar, in many cases there is very little difference.
Ben @9:54am
The indigenous for decades have not contributed anything to Canada. Most don’t work, are on welfare ( don”t pay taxes) yes the Liberals created a permanent welfare state with no incentive to work, so it’s not their fault. Yet during that time period they have received approx 10 billion $$$$ each year and have nothing to show for it. They have not fixed reserve roads nor fixed their clean water supply. Canadians are tired of their constant complaining with nothing to offer…this is not racism but facts.
If she can’t choose to identify as indigenous then why do they give the right to choose identity in other areas like gender or if you feel you are an animal? You can’t have it but ways. The left likes to pick and choose what suits their agenda.
so there is a benefit to being a “native” , “aboriginal” Indian, first nations and all other connections for “positions reserved for…..” . NO discrimination there is there?
Just a thought, why not treat all people the same regardless of their ancestry? This would immediately remove the largest reason people fake who they are. This would also remove the burden from me of having to pay for the historical sins of others and also allow indigenous people the opportunity to recover and thrive in this century.
Virtue signalling always looks better when coming from an “oppressed” individual, which is a big reason why all the downtown intellectuals just want to be indigenous so badly (along with it being trendy with the downtown set). It’s good for their branding.
Thank you for uncovering another fraudulent university professor. This is another example of why I’m against DEI hirings.
Our society is crumbling. The left say biology doesn’t matter, and that you’re gender or ethnicity is more important than merit. So a male can affirm as a female, but a caucasian lady, can’t be indigenous? I’ll enjoy watching the left eat itself.
Gotta love all the Pretendians crawling out of their closets. Mandatory DNA tests for any who try to claim to be a five percent. It will wind up being less than 2 percent.
Did any of you read the article? She openly states that she has no proof and because of that she has taken none of the benefits of being indigenous. Taxes, positions, or grants.
Guess a few of you are probably bots, but the rest of you, take 2 minutes and read.
What some people will do to get out of paying their fair share of taxes.
What I do have antipathy for is the racism displayed on other stories towards the Indigenous peoples. My feelings aren’t hurt. Rather, I’m trying to be mindful about the feelings of Indigenous peoples given the history of this country. This isn’t about me, not sure why some commenters make everything personal here. Just debate the facts and try-if you can-to avoid comments that are personal in nature. If you are incapable of doing so, that’s great, I just won’t engage with you.
Canadian pockohauntus . Ingenious 🤔 sign me up . I like to get stoned and gamble.
Ben the world does not circle around you and your feelings. If you feel wronged go have a good cry, tighten your belt and come back when your ready to read and share new comments….everything will be alright.
I think we should censor Ben. He clearly has antipathy towards freedom of speech
This shouldn’t be a problem in the university context. They teach that one could identify as whatever they want to.
It would be bigoted of them to decide when and with whom this ideology is applied.
I don’t quite agree with comments being open here given that some commenters on other stories have a clear antipathy towards indigenous peoples.
Does she identify as indigenous to avoid paying tax ? … I would like to identify as that too… or is just for sympathy and attention ?
Sounds like she is supporting the culture, what does it matter if her bloodline doesn’t lead back directly. In an age where we are letting folks identify as a gender they aren’t born as we need to care less about this women’s ancestry of which she’s doesn’t even claim to be.
My experiance with complaints against members of the law society just found the whole prosses to be a cheap judges school for lawyers trying to become judges. Funny thing is complaints brought by the public have NEVER gotten any kind of centure let alone disiplinary action against a lawyer.
If she, by her own admission, can’t validate her own claim then there really isn’t much to support a suggestion that the complaint isn’t based in facts.
Why not simply get rid of the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business. Most companies or people who take advantage of that are fraudulent.
Example: an oil patch company forms a subsidiary, and ‘gives’ 51% to a native reserve. This is with the understanding that 10% of the profit will go to the band. The company now qualifies as native, and will bid 20% higher than competition. The parent company gets contracts that it would not normally qualify for so they are happy. The natives get their graft so they are happy. The oil and gas companies pass on the extra costs to us users. And no or token natives are employed. – how does this benefit Canada?