A genealogist who has been looking into whether Tamara Lich’s claims of being Métis says more information is needed before knowing.
Lich, who was charged with mischief in Ottawa as a leader of the truckers convoy that clogged the streets of Ottawa for more than three weeks, says she is.
“As far as I can remember I always identified as [I]ndigenous spiritually,” Lich says in bail documents filed in court. “I have attended smudging and sweat lodge ceremonies and retreats from time to time to nourish my [I]ndigenous spiritual growth.”
But genealogist Gail Morin says she couldn’t find any information to tie Lich back to a community.
“Tamara didn’t grow up in a Métis community, neither did her parents, or neither did her grandparents.”
Questions about Lich’s Indigenous identity and screenshots of her genealogy have been circulating online.
In court documents, Lich is unequivocal about her identity.
“I am a card-carrying member of the Métis Nation of Alberta,” she says.
The documents state that she is originally from Saskatoon – adopted by a white family.
She says her biological maternal grandmother was Cree – and her grandfather was Métis.
The Métis Nation of Alberta wouldn’t confirm – or deny – that Lich holds a membership card citing privacy laws.
If the court accepts Lich’s Indigeneity, she could ask for a Gladue report, a detailed biography of her life that would have to be considered by a judge when it comes time for sentencing.
Morin said she wouldn’t be able to confirm Lich is Métis without knowing the name of her grandparents.
APTN reached out to Lich’s lawyer but didn’t receive a response back.
Lich is currently on bail and banned from coming back to Ottawa to protest.
Editors Note: The court documents referenced in the story spell Indigenous with a lower case i. Generally court documents are presented as written, but APTN News has replaced the lower case i with [I] in keeping with our policy to capitalize Indigenous.
