The vice-president of the Waceya Métis Society is publicly questioning Liberal candidate Madison Fleischerѻýs claimed Métis identity.
Callum Robinson, VP for Waceya, whose office is located in Cloverdale, issued a that said the society was ѻýdisappointedѻý Fleischer was unable to ѻýprovide any evidence to substantiate her Métis heritage.ѻý
Fleischer is running as the Liberal Party candidate in the upcoming byelection for the riding of Cloverdale-Langley City. Fleischer has identified, publicly, as Métis.
According to the statement, at a meeting held Nov. 23, Fleischer ѻýwas unable to substantiate her claims with any documentation or historical connections to Métis communities.ѻý
Robinson told the Cloverdale Reporter, ѻýthere were many inconsistencies in her story.ѻý These included: ѻýclaimed correspondence with our president, which didn't exist; and ѻýstated her great-grandmother from North Dakota as proof of Métis heritage.ѻý
He said the society is "distancing" itself from her claims of Métis identity.
ѻýWe ask that (Fleischer) take the necessary steps to properly research and verify her Indigenous heritage before making any further public assertions," the statement continues. "The integrity of Métis identity is not to be taken lightly, especially in public office, where the representation of our community must be accurate, respectful, and legitimate.ѻý
In an emailed statement to the Reporter, Fleischer said she self-identifies as Métis because of what she knows about her great-grandmotherѻýs heritage.
ѻýI am currently collecting the necessary documentation to go through the application process to receive Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) citizenship,ѻý she wrote. ѻýI have always been vocal about not yet holding MNBC citizenship, and I removed Métis from my social media bios to ensure there was no confusion in my identification.ѻý