Buffy Sainte-Marie Stripped of Order of Canada Amid Heritage Controversy

The Governor General of Canada has officially revoked the appointment of renowned singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie from the Order of Canada. The decision, which was formally recorded in the Canada Gazette, was enacted through an ordinance signed by Governor General Mary Simon on January 3, 2024.

This development follows a 2023 investigative report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that cast doubt on Sainte-Marie’s long-standing claims of Indigenous heritage. The CBC report uncovered a birth certificate indicating that she was born in 1941 in Massachusetts, USA. Additionally, family members in the United States stated that she was not adopted and does not have Indigenous ancestry.

Sainte-Marie, whose career took off in the 1960s, built a strong identity around Indigenous culture, often incorporating it into her music and activism. She has received numerous accolades, including multiple Juno Awards and the prestigious Polaris Music Prize in 2015.

Her official website previously stated that she was “believed to have been born in 1941 on the Piapot First Nation reserve in Saskatchewan” and that she was separated from her biological parents as an infant. Over the years, she has consistently identified as Indigenous, and as an adult, she was ceremonially adopted into a Cree family after oral histories linked her to the Piapot First Nation.

Following the CBC investigation, Sainte-Marie refuted claims that she had been dishonest about her background. She asserted that the report contained errors and omissions, maintaining that she has always shared her identity based on the information available to her.

The revocation of the Order of Canada, one of the nation’s highest honors, marks a significant turn in Sainte-Marie’s legacy, prompting discussions about identity, heritage, and cultural representation in Canada.