"It is not only individual theft, but it is also community theft," Trudeau-appointed Senator for Manitoba Mary Jane McCallum testified during a debate on a proposed motion to investigate false claims of indigenous ancestry.

“The Cherokee Nation had three communities. Today, they have 200.”

Senators complain fake Indigenous claims like Buffy Sainte-Marie's have "sprung up almost overnight," seek committee investigation of "identity fraud" involving First Nations, Metis & Inuit.  https://t.co/IM1ertanFp #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/MRyLUSbTxx

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) February 8, 2024

Proposed motion 96 asks the Senate to authorize a committee to investigate "the misrepresentation of Indigenous ancestry, inadequate self-identification standards and profound effects such identity fraud has on further marginalizing Indigenous people.”

Several notable cases of people faking indigenous ancestry have been uncovered recently, including acclaimed "Canadian Indigenous" musician Buffy Sainte-Marie, who was born to an Italian family in Maine as Beverly Santa Maria.

@CBC "spent extensive time and resources to research Turpel-Lafond and Buffy Sainte-Marie’s family history but have not been able to review Nina Green’s findings nor to do an expose on the ‘mass graves’ mythology."- Michelle Stirling https://t.co/VHsPxbwpWJ

— Barbara Kay (@BarbaraRKay) November 6, 2023

The problem of fake indigeneity for the Liberals may come from inside their own party.

Nickel Belt Liberal MP Marc Serré has said he's a current Mattawa/North Bay Algonquin First Nation member.

However, Serré's claim of this tie was questioned in a CBC article criticizing several federal candidates in the 2019 general election.

Darryl Leroux, an associate professor of social justice and communities studies at Saint Mary's University, accused the candidate of "identity appropriation."

Serre previously served as co-chair of the Indigenous Caucus with MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette until he was quietly scrubbed from the role.