Discredited Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond voluntarily returns another honorary degree

FREDERICTON — Former judge and law professor Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, whose claims of Indigenous ancestry have been discredited, has returned another honorary degree.

A statement from Kim Fenwick, acting president and vice-chancellor of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, says the former B.C. representative for children and youth “voluntarily relinquished” the honorary degree.

The statement says a university committee reviewed documents related to questions about misrepresentation of Turpel-Lafond’s academic resume and Indigenous heritage and contacted her to offer the opportunity to respond.

Fenwick’s statement says she opted to return the degree, a decision St. Thomas University has accepted.

Turpel-Lafond has already returned degrees from a number of universities in B.C. and Ontario, while McGill University, Carleton University and the University of Regina have rescinded awards granted to her.