Cambrian College employee on leave following 'pretendian' allegations
The Sudbury, Ont., college says it's working on a process to verify Indigenous identity
Cambrian College, in Sudbury, Ont., alerted all of its employees in an email sent on Thursday night that an employee is on leave following allegations they are a "pretendian."
A pretendian is a person who falsely claims Indigenous identity.
"We take these concerns seriously and are looking into the matter," Cambrian College spokesperson Dan Lessard said in an email to CBC News.
"We also acknowledge the importance of ensuring respectful and accurate representation of Indigenous identities within our community."
Lessard said the college has started Indigenous-led discussions to develop a verification process for Indigenous identity.
"This process will have respect and care at its core, and we remain committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities to ensure a thoughtful and accountable process," he said in the email.
Cambrian says its top priority is to support students and staff following the allegations.
Cambrian has not released the employee's name and Lessard said the college cannot share further details at this time out of respect for the privacy of those involved.
In an all-staff email obtained by CBC, Cambrian College president Kristine Morrissey acknowledged that the "process of Indigenous verification is very new to the college sector in Ontario."
"A provincial-level exercise is underway," she wrote.
"We do expect that work to inform our efforts."