TORONTO — The University of Toronto has revoked the honorary degree awarded to musician Buffy Sainte-Marie, following a review process initiated after questions were raised about her claims of indigenous identity.The university confirmed Sainte-Marie’s honorary Doctor of Laws degree, awarded in 2019, has been rescinded. A university spokesperson said the decision followed a confidential review process that concluded with approval from the institution’s governing council.At the time the degree was granted, the university cited Sainte-Marie’s contributions to music and the arts, as well as her advocacy for “the rights and dignity of all people.”The decision comes nearly three years after a 2023 CBC Fifth Estate investigation challenged Sainte-Marie’s longstanding claims of indigenous ancestry. The report cited a birth certificate showing Sainte-Marie was born in Massachusetts to Italian-American parents, conflicting with previous public descriptions identifying her as Algonquin, Mi’kmaw and later Cree.In response to questions raised following the investigation, Sainte-Marie told The Canadian Press in 2025 that she is an American citizen who was adopted as a young adult by a Cree family in Saskatchewan.Representatives for Sainte-Marie did not respond to media requests for comment before publication.The University of Toronto said Sainte-Marie’s degree is one of only two honorary degrees rescinded since the institution established its Standing Committee on Recognition in 2023.The other revocation involved Duncan Campbell Scott, whose honorary degree was rescinded in 2025. Scott received the honour in 1921 for his literary work as a poet, but he also served for decades in the federal Department of Indian Affairs, including 19 years as deputy superintendent. He was a central architect of Canada’s residential school system and assimilation policies targeting indigenous peoples.
