By David P. Ball
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Could Canada get a law to protect Indigenous identity from people making false claims?

That's what Haida filmmaker Tamara Bell wants to see, and explained her campaign for such legislation in an interview with The Pulse on CFRO. The controversy exploded in December (the latest scandal involving such issues) after award-winning filmmaker Michelle Latimer was accused of falsely claiming to be Algonquin, Metis and from Kitigan Zibi First Nation in Quebec.

Haida filmmaker Tamara Bell is proposing an Indigenous Identities Act for Canada, similar to a U.S. law, to prevent people benefiting from fraudulent claims to be First Nations, Metis or Inuit.

She said it's deeply painful to the community of Indigenous filmmakers and artists who have had to struggle against many barriers — including racism, intergenerational trauma and industry discrimination — to see non-Indigenous people climb the ladder and garner acclaim without ever facing such barriers.

She said Indigenous identity isn't just about carrying a government-issued status card, but could also be proven by having a specific Indigenous community that "claims" you, recognizing you as a member or relative.