‘Tsunami’ of Indigenous Identity Fraud Cases Heading to Courts, Warns BC Judge

A person walks past the Provincial Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., on Jan. 16, 2024. The Canadian Press/Ethan Cairns

A British Columbia judge is warning that what he calls a “tsunami” of Indigenous identity fraud cases is coming to Canadian courts.

Provincial Court Judge David Patterson says that’s driven by the “desire” of non-Indigenous people to access what they deem to be benefits of identifying as Indigenous.