Gill twins with dog
A new statement from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. sheds further light on the claims of Inuit identity from Amira and Nadya Gill of Ontario.
A joint statement from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) said the Iqaluit Community Enrolment Committee met on April 6 and decided to remove Amira and Nadya Gill from the Inuit Enrolment List.
APTN News has previously reported the adult twins did not appear to identify as Inuit prior to 2017 when Amira Gill received a bursary from Indspire, an Indigenous-led organization that gives money to Indigenous students to help pay for post-secondary school.
Neither of the sisters has responded to numerous requests for comment from APTN News.
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According to NTI and QIA, the Inuit advocacy organizations have asked the RCMP to investigate the actions of the Gill sisters and their mother, Karima Manji.
“The three women applied for enrolment under the Nunavut Agreement in 2016 (Gills) and 2018 (Manji),” said the statement emailed APTN News.
“In 2016, the Iqaluit Community Enrolment Committee reviewed and approved the applications of Amira and Nadya, relying on information provided in their application that they had an Inuk birth mother. The application had been made by Karima Manji who claimed to be their adoptive mother.”
The statement further reads:
“During its internal investigation, the QIA identified a 2018 application for enrolment from Karima Manji in which she (allegedly) stated falsely that she had been adopted by two named Inuit from Iqaluit.
This application was denied by the Iqaluit Community Enrolment Committee based on their knowledge of the community and the lack of supporting documentation.”
APTN has reached out to Karima Manji for comment.
According to NTI, the Gill sisters were asked “to provide evidence that they have an Inuk birth parent as claimed in their application. No response was received.”
Law society complaints
Nadya, who is an articling law student after graduating from Queen’s University, is currently suspended pending an investigation by her current employer, Durant Barristers. The law firm confirmed to APTN that it notified the complaints and licensing officer for the Law Society of Ontario.
“The firm is not prepared to comment in detail at this time as our own investigation is underway,” said Erin Durant, owner of Durant Barristers in an emailed statement.
“We advised our investigator of this new information today. We also provided the Law Society of Ontario’s licensing and complaints departments with this new information and we continue to wait for their response to this situation,” said Durant.
The Law Society confirmed to APTN it “was aware of these concerns” in relation to Nadya Gill.
“However information about specific complaints made to the Law Society of Ontario and investigations by the Law Society of Ontario are confidential, until or unless they result in regulatory proceedings, which would be public,” said the emailed statement.
The law society further said there is a requirement for lawyers and paralegals to be of “good character” to practice in Ontario.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comments from Erin Durant
