FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2021

Dr. Carrie Bourassa responds to the investigation of her cultural identity

Manācihitowin: a Cree/Michif phrase that translates to ‘let us respect each other’

REGINA, SK - Dr. Carrie Bourassa asserts and claims the right to self-identify as an
Indigenous Person, within the greater family of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Canada's Legislation Bill C-15:
the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act confirms and legally
supports her to Self- identify as an Indigenous Person. Combined, the International UNDRIP
standard and now Canadian Law provides her Métis Heritage, Culture, Status and Citizenry
the necessary legal coverage. In spite of flawless work performance, Dr. Carrie Bourassa was
previously investigated for alleged misconduct, instigated by a colleague who has been
persistent in her attempts to defame Dr. Bourassa. Carrie was cleared on all 5 counts of the
baseless complaints and is now being subjected to another investigation by the University of
Saskatchewan. She is a valued and respected academic and community health researcher
and she is entitled to due-process.

As a result, many people now question the U of S’ ability to protect faculty members whose
credibility is challenged and called into question by their peers. It should be noted that the
institution did not exercise any form of internal resolution or protections for Dr. Bourassa and
as a result, the internal issue has been degraded to a public spectacle led by journalists and
not by Indigenous people.

The current investigation has become a national issue of debate and the discussion appears
to be setting precedence for quantum criteria for Nationhood, challenging the communities
right to claim and custom adopt. This poses multiple and multidimensional threats to ALL
Indigenous persons globally, as public debate surrounding Indigenous identity seeks to
eradicate decades of work of global Indigenous leaders who fought and won sovereignty over
the ability to determine who is, and who is not, Indigenous. Determining Indigeneity is not
within the purview of the U of S or any other non-Indigenous led institution. Currently, the only
jurisdiction for Institutions/workplaces, etc. is self-declaration. Furthermore, Dr. Bourassa’s
employment is not determined by nationhood and she is not in an Indigenous designated role
within the U of S, but rather is an Indigenous health leader from within the faculty of
Community Health and Epidemiology in the College of Medicine as a tenured professor.

Dr. Carrie Bourassa has not falsely identified as Indigenous nor taken space away from
Indigenous peoples, either in the form of student funding, grants or career advancements. She
has earned her professional status and merit through hard work, self-funding and sheer
determination. She is a catalyst for determining indigeneity in Indigenous communities,
grassroots and globally. Officially claimed by traditional medicine people and her Métis people,
long before being Métis had any benefits.

NOTE: This statement was prepared by an Indigenous collective who chose anonymity at this time, to
minimize additional backlash and punitive action in the forms of lateral violence towards themselves and
Dr. Bourassa. ​Lateral violence is a learned behaviour as a result of internalised colonialism and patriarchal
methods of governing and developing a society.

All inquiries and media requests can be made to: teamcbourassa@gmail.com