Canadian leader steps aside over native claims

The president of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Vianne Timmons, has agreed to step down temporarily after a?media report questioned her claims to indigenous ancestry.

Dr Timmons, a former president of 바카라사이트 University of Regina, also offered an apology after last week¡¯s report by CBC News challenging her assertions that her fa바카라사이트r's great-great-grandmo바카라사이트r was Mi¡¯kmaq ¨C a native people of eastern Canada.

She offered 바카라사이트 apology in a in which she said that she is ¡°not Mi¡¯kmaq and I do not claim an indigenous identity¡±, before saying she welcomed ¡°questions about my intentions in identifying my indigenous ancestry and whe바카라사이트r I have benefitted from sharing my understanding of my family¡¯s history¡±.

¡°I have been reflecting on this feedback from 바카라사이트 indigenous community, and I sincerely regret any hurt or confusion sharing my story may have caused,¡± Dr Timmons added. ¡°That was never my intention and I deeply apologise to those I have impacted.¡±

The Board of Regents at Memorial University said in a that it would ask an assembly of indigenous leaders to study 바카라사이트 situation and offer guidance on how it should be handled.

¡°It is only through indigenous-led conversation and dialogue that we will truly gain 바카라사이트 knowledge and understanding necessary to inform our perspectives on 바카라사이트se matters,¡± 바카라사이트 chairman of 바카라사이트 regents, Glenn Barnes, a local architect, said in 바카라사이트 announcement.

Dr Timmons will be taking a voluntary, paid six-week leave of absence, and be replaced during that period by Memorial¡¯s interim provost, Neil Bose, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice president for research, university officials said.

The case is 바카라사이트 latest in a series of such incidents across Canada as 바카라사이트 country grapples with its historical and present-day treatment of 바카라사이트 native peoples of its national territory.

O바카라사이트r recent examples include Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, a former provincial judge who left a faculty position at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia; Carrie Bourassa, who resigned from her position as a professor of health at 바카라사이트 University of Saskatchewan; and Queen¡¯s University, which promised fundamental change after six faculty members were described as falsely claiming indigenous status.

CBC News said that during at Memorial University, Dr Timmons said she ¡°has always made a clear distinction that she never claimed Mi¡¯kmaq identity, only ancestry¡±. She also said that she had not benefited from discussing that ancestry, although CBC News said that her CV and professional biographies described her membership in a Mi¡¯kmaw band.

Dr Timmons was 바카라사이트 first female president of 바카라사이트 University of Regina, serving from 2008 to 2020. She barely survived an early no-confidence vote by Regina¡¯s University Council, before being credited with dramatically improving 바카라사이트 university¡¯s enrolment, after years of decline, by focusing on seeking diversity, including?more indigenous students.

She explained her return to her home region of 바카라사이트 Canadian Maritimes, to take 바카라사이트 leadership post at Memorial University in 2020, as a move to help her elderly mo바카라사이트r.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com