Ashley Callingbull, Miss Universe Canada 2024 and a member of the Enoch Cree Nation, publicly criticized the 2026 Miss Universe Canada pageant for allowing contestants to wear costumes she deemed as cultural appropriation. Callingbull interrupted the final portion of the competition on Saturday before the top 20 contestants were announced, expressing her disappointment with what she described as "hurtful" Indigenous-inspired outfits.
Two contestants, Karisa Haverkamp and Jasleen Kaily, appeared in outfits that drew Callingbull's criticism. Haverkamp wore a feathered headdress with a red handprint on her cheek, intended to represent the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement. Kaily wore an Arctic-inspired costume with fringe and fur, resembling traditional Inuit attire, paired with a maple leaf cutout.
Callingbull stated that while the costume portion is meant to represent Canada's heritage, certain traditional or sacred elements should not be used as costumes. "My jaw just dropped to the floor. This cannot be real. I just couldn't get over that this was happening. Who allowed this on stage? Who approved this?" she said, according to CBC.
She spoke with pageant director Sonny Borrelli immediately after witnessing the costumes. "It's 2026, we should know better," Callingbull told the crowd. "More importantly, a part of reconciliation is that we educate and learn and understand and move on from these things in a good way."
Both Haverkamp and Kaily issued apologies on Instagram. Haverkamp acknowledged that her outfit caused hurt and offense to the Indigenous community and stated her commitment to speaking up for women affected by violence and trauma. Kaily expressed that her intention was not to disrespect Indigenous culture but to "recognize and celebrate one of the First Peoples of Canada."
Borrelli addressed the contestants and audience, stating that the pageant did not intend to offend anyone and would take full responsibility, learn from the incident, and make improvements. He also announced that the pageant has invited Callingbull to serve as a cultural liaison for the costume competition in the upcoming year, though her acceptance of the role remains undecided.
Callingbull explained that her decision to speak out was driven by her grandfather's advice to speak up to enact change. "I felt like I was educating them and giving them hell at the same time, because I needed them to understand how bad this was and how much it affects other people," she told CTV News.
The Miss Universe Canada organization stated that the costume segment aims to celebrate creativity, heritage, and identity. In response to the controversy, the organization is developing a comprehensive costume guide for future contestants to prevent similar issues. "We deeply appreciate our community holding us accountable, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful platform for everyone involved," the organization said in a statement.
Conversations surrounding cultural appropriation have become increasingly common, with debates focusing on whether such uses honor traditions or exploit sacred elements for costumes. The pageant organization has reached out to the involved parties for comment.