Mayor appoints Winnipeg Coun. Rollins to Indigenous advisory circle
Bartley Kives | CBC | Posted: November 28, 2018 9:07 PM | Last Updated: November 29, 2018
Move comes days after rookie councillor's Huron-Wendat claim came under scrutiny
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman has appointed Coun. Sherri Rollins to his Indigenous advisory council, days after the newly elected councillor declared she's not a member of the Huron-Wendat nation with whom she identifies.
"I do believe she will make a positive contribution on the Indigenous advisory circle," Bowman said Wednesday, adding Rollins has done more to support Winnipeg's reconciliation efforts than most in the community.
During her campaign for the Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry council seat, Rollins identified herself on her website as "a proud Huron-Wendat woman" and described herself as Huron-Wendat in her Twitter biography.
On Friday, she said she's not a member of Canada's only Huron-Wendat nation in Quebec, has no connection to a modern Huron or Wyandot community and does not have Indigenous status. She said she believes she has Huron-Wendat roots and identified a Miami nation ancestor who was born in the 18th century.
Winnipeg elder Chickadee Richard and Washington genealogist Gail Morin said this does not give Rollins the basis for claiming Indigenous identity.
On Wednesday, Bowman appointed both Rollins and fellow rookie Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo) — who identifies as Ontario Métis — to his 20-member Indigenous advisory circle, which also includes elders, businesspeople and professionals.
Bowman said Rollins's Indigeneity has no bearing on her appointment and refused repeated requests to offer his opinion about her claim of being Huron-Wendat.
"I do not ask for proof one's racial or religious backgrounds and I believe every member of council has the ability to lead," Bowman said following the first executive policy committee of the new council term.
RoIlins said via email she looks forward to working with the committee.
Jessica Dumas, a professional trainer who is a member of the mayor's Indigenous circle, said Rollins will be scrutinized.
"If she shares any insights on any experiential story, or anything she wants to bring in, I think that's always going to be questioned, because her identity is questioned," Dumas said in a telephone interview.
"I think the community is going to hold her accountable to who she is."
Fellow Indigenous circle member Damon Johnston, president of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, said he's in no position to question how someone identifies.
"Mixed blood with Indigenous people goes back a long time. There are many Canadians, if they took the time to take a DNA test, they would find they're of Indigenous heritage," said Johnston, who said he supported Rollins's council campaign.
Bowman questioned why reporters would pursue the Rollins story and said he did not follow the story of Joseph Boyden, an author whose claims of Indigeneity were placed under scrutiny.
"I actually didn't follow that as closely as I'm sure members of CBC did," said Bowman, referring to a story initially reported by APTN in 2016.
- Author Joseph Boyden defends Indigenous heritage after investigation
- Full interview: Joseph Boyden on his heritage
Boyden spoke at a summit on racism organized by the mayor's office in 2015, before the author's claims came under scrutiny.