(Media advisory – May 13, 2024)

On Tuesday, May 14, and Wednesday, May 15, 2024, the Indigenous Identity Fraud Summit will take place at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg.

The two-day summit is being co-hosted by the Chiefs of Ontario and the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), the National Government of the Red River Métis. The summit marks an unprecedented gathering of First Nations, Inuit and Red River Métis Leadership from across Canada who share concerns about the wholesale theft of their respective identities by those seeking to use them for their own purposes or gains.

The first day of the summit will feature opening remarks from MMF President David Chartrand and Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare. This will be followed by sessions by Dr. Pam Palmater and Dr. Darren O’Toole who will share academic research and insights on collective and individual Indigenous identity theft. Day one of the summit will conclude with each co-host discussing pressing identity theft matters in their respective territories, including Bill C-53.

Day two will begin with presentations from Nunatsiavut Government President Johannes Lampe and the Innu Nation’s Grand Chief Simon Pokue, who will discuss in detail their joint opposition to organizations asserting illegitimate and shifting claims to indigeneity in their regions. This will be followed by presentations by Jacques Watso, Conseil des Abénakis d’Odanak; and President Dave Lamouche, Métis Settlements General Council, who will discuss the effects of identity fraud in Québec and Alberta, respectively.

Resolutions will be adopted throughout the two-day summit. The summit will conclude with a press conference at on Wednesday, May 15, at 3:30 p.m. CDT.

Following their statements, Leadership will be available to answer questions from the media.

Members of the media are cordially invited to attend as follows:

Date:              Tuesday-Wednesday, May 14-15, 2024

Time:              Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. (CDT)

Location:       Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0R3

Media accreditation is required.

There is no cost for accredited media to attend. The summit and the press conference will be live streamed on the MMF and COO YouTube channels. There will be a separate Zoom link sent to reporters who have pre-registered and wish to ask questions.

Learn more about the Summit and Indigenous identity fraud here: https://indigenousidentityfraud.org/summit/

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Media Contacts:
Kat Patenaude
Media Relations Advisor
Manitoba Métis Federation
Kat.Patenaude@mmf.mb.ca
204-801-7710

Isak Vaillancourt
Communications Manager
Chiefs of Ontario
Isak.Vaillancourt@coo.org
416-819-8184

Declan Keogh
Communications Officer
Chiefs of Ontario
declan.keogh@coo.org
416-522-4518