Lawyer Accused of Falsely Claiming Indigenous Heritage Faces Scrutiny

A progressive lawyer who publicly identified as having Indigenous heritage has been accused of misrepresenting her background. Promise Holmes Skinner, a Canadian lawyer, faces a complaint filed with the Law Society of Ontario, alleging she has no First Nations, Inuit, or Métis bloodline.

Crystal Semaganis, leader of the Ghost Warrior Society, filed the complaint last Wednesday, asserting that Holmes Skinner lacks any demonstrable Indigenous ancestry. Semaganis's complaint, viewed by the Daily Mail, requested disciplinary action against Holmes Skinner, including an acknowledgment of the harm caused.

Holmes Skinner, whose LinkedIn profile described her as an 'Anishinaabe-Scandinavian lawyer' focused on 'indigenous legal traditions,' acknowledged to Global News that she does not possess documentary proof of her claimed ancestry. She stated that while she has a 'cherished understanding that my grandmother was Anishinaabe' from the Cape Croker First Nation in Ontario, she has 'learned culture in other ways' without such verification.

She further clarified that she has been 'transparent about not being a rights-bearing individual' and has not accepted any benefits or positions designated for Indigenous people. Holmes Skinner added that her legal work is intended to contribute skills rather than occupy spaces she hasn't been invited to.

Andrea Gonsalves, Holmes Skinner's lawyer, countered the assertion that Indigenous identity can solely be proven through blood connections. Gonsalves dismissed the complaint's merit, stating that "anyone can put anything in a complaint."

The Law Society of Ontario indicated that it considers potential risks to the public, confidence in the legal professions, and the administration of justice when reviewing complaints. However, a spokesperson for the society declined to comment on ongoing investigations.

Semaganis's complaint also urged the Law Society of Ontario to apologize for allegedly allowing a member to assume roles intended for Indigenous lawyers. She called for the implementation of an Indigenous authentication policy that extends beyond self-identification.

Holmes Skinner has operated her private law practice since 2023, specializing in matters where Indigenous legal traditions intersect with Canadian law. She has also served as an adjunct law professor at the University of Toronto since 2019.

The University of Toronto, when previously asked by Global News to explain its verification process for Holmes Skinner's background, cited privacy reasons and removed a webpage detailing its verification methods. On Tuesday, the university announced a new 'indigenous substantiation process,' requiring formal evidence such as a certificate of Indian status or written confirmation of membership from a rights-bearing nation for new opportunities like promotions and funding competitions. The university will also support students disconnected from their communities due to colonialism by allowing personal declarations, provided they include family documentation or genealogical evidence, though this will not be applied retroactively.

Separately, Semaganis is facing a lawsuit from four women in the Supreme Court of Yukon who allege her research into their Indigenous backgrounds was insufficient and improper, seeking public retractions.