Indigenous Identity

Updated: August 2025

Wilfrid Laurier University offers a variety of designated opportunities for Indigenous people including staff positions, faculty appointments, student awards and bursaries, and opportunities for community members. The Indigenous Identity Verification process is used to ensure that these designated opportunities are awarded to Indigenous people from North America (First Nations, Inuit, Métis).

Why is this Process Needed?

This process is not about an individual’s claim to Indigeneity but also about which Indigenous community would claim the individual, in addition to their lived experiences of Indigeneity. The Indigenous Identity Verification process will help mitigate Indigenous identity fraud and ensure opportunities designated for Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) are awarded to the people for whom they are intended.

The Indigenous Identity Verification process does not rely on individuals having only official documentation of citizenship, enrollment, or membership. Historic colonial practices have created lasting barriers for Indigenous people to access and be connected to their communities. This verification process is not intended to impose additional work, or barriers for Indigenous people but to provide secured opportunities in spaces where Indigenous people have been historically excluded or not considered. To recognize the challenges of obtaining official recognized documentation this process provides a secondary option to write and submit a Personal Written Statement. This statement provides the option for each individual to include specific information about the First Nation, Inuit, or Métis community that they are connected to in addition to their own personal lived experiences as an Indigenous person and their ongoing relationship to their community/Nation.

Voluntary Indigenous self-identification is also an option for all Laurier Indigenous students. Voluntary self-identification will automatically add you to the Indigenous Student Services email list to stay informed about programs and services available to you! Staff and faculty interested in completing a voluntary Indigenous self-identification can do so through the You Count at Laurier Survey.

How to Complete the Indigenous Identity Verification Process

The Indigenous Identity Verification Process requires supporting documentation:

1. Official Recognized Documentation.
2. Individual Written Declaration (if no Official Recognized Documentation is available).

When to Complete the Process

Any Indigenous individual within the Laurier community can complete the Indigenous Identity Verification process at any time. If you have not yet completed the Indigenous Identity Verification Process, you may be encouraged to complete it within your first semester as a student, to determine your eligibility for a designated opportunity, or as a new staff member.

Once you’ve completed the verification process once, you will not need to complete it again!

As an Indigenous student, completing the Indigenous Identity Verification process early will help ensure timely access to Indigenous-specific supports, including student employment opportunities, awards and bursaries, and admissions assistance.

False Claims of Indigenous Identity

All steps will be taken to fully verify an Individual’s claim to Indigenous identity through this process and under review of submitted documentation. In a situation where the Indigenous Identity of an individual cannot be verified to the satisfaction of the University, they will be ineligible for Indigenous designated opportunities at Laurier.

If an individual is later proven to have falsely claimed an Indigenous identity, their opportunity will be immediately terminated in accordance with the applicable laws, collective agreements, and policies.

Note on Privacy

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Wilfrid Laurier University Act and privacy policies to administer the university-student relationship and for university operations. Personal information will be securely stored and retained in accordance with university records management policies and protocols. For questions about how this information is used, please contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at IndigenousID@wlu.ca.

Contact and self-identification information will be used to contact you about Indigenous initiatives, programs, and opportunities for Indigenous students. Indigenous identity verification information must be provided to be considered for opportunities where Indigenous identity is required, such as bursaries, awards, facilitated admissions programs, and to meet conditions of candidacy for employment opportunities.

Further information about how your personal information is collected, used and disclosed can be found in Laurier’s Notice of Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information. If you have questions, please contact the Privacy Office at privacy@wlu.ca or visit wlu.ca/privacy.