Buffy Sainte-Marie has been stripped of her Canadian music awards.
Both the Juno Awards and the Polaris Music Award announced on Friday that the honors that Sainte-Marie had received over the years, after the 84-year-old musician returned his order from Canada earlier this week, saying that he is an American citizen and that he had “made completely clear” that he is not Canadian.
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Faces), which runs the Junos, said he made the decision according to his eligibility requirements, following Sainte-Marie’s statements about not being Canadian.
Sainte-Marie had collected seven Juno Carrera Awards.
“This decision is not a reflection of the artistic contributions of Mrs. Sainte-Marie, but ensures that Caras celebrates and honors the artists who meet the criteria. While this decision is aligned with the long-standing criteria, we recognize the impact it can have,” Caras in his statement said.
“Buffy Sainte-Marie has been a firm defender and defender of Canadian music, and we recognize the past contributions he has made to our organization. However, the mandate of faces is to educate, develop, celebrate and honor Canadian artists.”
Polaris gave the same reason, saying that, according to Sainte-Marie’s statement, “it does not comply with the rules and regulations of the Polaris Music Award.”
Sainte-Marie had won the 2015 Polaris Music Award for the album Blood powerThat he came with a $ 50,000 cash award and received a designation of Polaris Heritage awards in 2020 for his 1964 album It’s my way.
A Polaris spokesman told CBC in an email: “At this time, Polaris will not take measures to claim the money from the reward.”
Sainte-Marie’s profile was eliminated from an exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg in December, and Rideau Hall finished his order from Canada earlier this year, but did not give a reason to do so.
The CBC report questioned the singer’s descent statements
This occurs after an October investigation by CBC Fifth property That questioned the statements of Sainte-Marie of indigenous descent, revealing a birth certificate that indicated that he was born in 1941 in Massachusetts.
After returning the order of Canada, the singer and composer told The Canadian Press in a statement on Tuesday that he is an American citizen and has an American passport, but a family of CREE adopted her as a young adult in Saskatchewan.
She said she had “made it completely clear” that he was not Canadian to Rideau Hall.
In the statement, Sainte-Marie also expressed “love and gratitude to Canada” and said she was “overwhelmingly grateful to have been able to make my contribution.”
Since the first days of his career in the 1960s, Sainte-Marie has claimed to be a woman believes, born in the first Piapot nation in Saskatchewan and adopted by a Massachusetts couple.
She has said that she met with her Piapot relatives as a young adult and adopted the community.
CBC reports revealed documentation and conversations with family members contradicting this narrative.
Sainte-Marie has said that she has “lived with uncertainty” about his fatherhood and said that the investigation built a “false narrative” about his life.
