The University of Toronto has revoked the honorary Doctor of Laws degree awarded to musician Buffy Sainte-Marie in 2019, following a petition and an investigation by CBC’s The Fifth Estate. The investigation revealed that Sainte-Marie was born in Massachusetts to Italian-American parents, which contradicted her claims of Indigenous identity as Algonquin, Mi’kmaw, and Cree. The university's decision, effective Wednesday, comes after a confidential review process by its governing council. This revocation is part of a broader effort by the university, which also rescinded an honorary degree from Duncan Campbell Scott in 2022 due to his role in promoting assimilation policies against Indigenous peoples. Audra Simpson, a professor at Columbia University and a member of the Kanien’kehá:ka community, described the decision as a long-overdue consequence for both Sainte-Marie and Scott, emphasizing the need to address the legacies of settler colonialism. Sainte-Marie had previously lost another honorary degree from Dalhousie University in January 2023 after ethical concerns were raised by a Mi’kmaw student.