First Nations Woman Faces $500,000 Lawsuit Over ‘Pretendian’ Claims

A First Nations woman, Michelle Christine Cameron, known as Crystal Semaganis, is facing a lawsuit for alleging that four women are ‘pretendians’—individuals falsely claiming Indigenous identity. The plaintiffs, seeking over $500,000 in damages, contend that Semaganis’s comments have severely harmed their reputations and livelihoods. This legal action was filed in July in the Supreme Court of Yukon.

The plaintiffs include Amanda Buffalo, Krista Reid, Amaris Manderschied, and their mother Louise Darroch. They assert that Semaganis conducted a targeted social media campaign against them after researching their backgrounds and concluding they are of Ukrainian descent rather than Indigenous. Court documents indicate that Semaganis has labeled them as “grifters,” “liars,” and “racists,” claiming they exploit a falsely claimed Indigenous heritage for personal gain.

According to the lawsuit, this campaign began in late October 2024, causing the plaintiffs to experience significant damage to their personal and professional reputations, psychological distress, and financial losses. Three of the women hold positions within Indigenous communities, further emphasizing the stakes involved in this case.

The legal complaint highlights that Darroch was adopted by a non-Indigenous couple and later learned of her Indigenous heritage. Semaganis reportedly reached out to her for information and subsequently disseminated findings that she claims prove Darroch’s Ukrainian roots. The plaintiffs consider these assertions defamatory and demand their removal from Semaganis’s social media platforms.

While the Canadian Press has not verified Semaganis’s research, she maintains that she has not yet been formally served with the lawsuit. She has received correspondence from the plaintiffs’ lawyer but has chosen not to respond. Semaganis, a Sixties Scoop survivor, stated that such lawsuits do not deter her from advocating for Indigenous communities.

“If we are constantly bombarded by people with nefarious intent and with constant inauthenticity that comes with ‘pretendianism,’ then that puts our communities at risk,” Semaganis explained.

The term “Sixties Scoop” refers to a period from 1951 to 1991 during which Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed with non-Indigenous families, resulting in a significant loss of cultural identity. Semaganis argues that false claims of Indigenous identity not only undermine the authenticity of Indigenous voices but also complicate efforts for genuine community reintegration.

She points to high-profile cases involving notable figures like Buffy Sainte-Marie and Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, whose Indigenous identities have been scrutinized, leading to growing distrust within Indigenous communities regarding identity claims.

Semaganis has established the Ghost Warrior Society, which adopts a broader standard for identifying Indigenous identity compared to the federal government’s two-generation rule for issuing Indian Status cards. Her organization includes criteria for recognizing Indigenous ancestry within the last four generations.

In 2022, the Manitoba Métis Federation and the Chiefs of Ontario issued a declaration condemning individuals who falsely claim Indigenous identity for personal gain. This declaration asserts that such actions further marginalize First Nations, Inuit, and Red River Métis voices.

Despite the backlash, Semaganis remains committed to her mission. “Every time a pretendian gets removed from their stolen spaces, then maybe Sixties Scoop survivors or Indian residential school survivors, or other people who were displaced and set aside for pretendians, can step into those roles they should have had in the first place,” she stated.

As the case unfolds, the implications extend beyond the individuals involved, touching on broader issues of identity, representation, and the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous communities. This report first appeared in the Canadian Press on August 26, 2025.