Standing Against MUN's
Discriminatory Verification Policy
LATEST NEWS
ABOUT THE POLICY
Memorial University’s draft Indigenous Verification Policy excludes NunatuKavut Inuit – and it was developed without engaging the very people it impacts most.
This policy is rooted in colonial thinking, shaped by a flawed and biased process, and designed to erase a recognized Indigenous people from the academic, social, and cultural spaces of Newfoundland and Labrador’s only university.
WHY THIS MATTERS
“Memorial University has a choice: to lead with courage and integrity, or to deepen harm and division. We are here to offer a path forward – built on truth, on reconciliation, and on respect.”
President Todd Russell
IMPACT ON NCC STUDENTS & FACULTY
As it stands, this policy poses significant harm to NunatuKavut Inuit students, faculty, and staff. It disregards their identity, erases their lived experiences, and denies them access to the opportunities, supports, and spaces that Indigenous Peoples deserve.
Read More…IMPACT ON NCC COMMUNITY
The effects of this policy resonate far beyond the university. Besides creating barriers to education and employment, it sends a damaging message to our community that we do not belong, that our history is invalid, and that our future in Indigenous spaces – even on our own land – is up for debate.
Read More…IMPACT ON NCC ELDERS
This policy also deeply disrespects the lived experiences and knowledge of our NunatuKavut Inuit Elders, many of whom have carried the burden and pain of suppression and exclusion for decades. Their stories, languages, and resilience form the foundation of our community, and to overlook them is to erase the very heart of our people.
Read More…LATEST NEWS
LEGAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
NunatuKavut Inuit are the Indigenous people of south and central Labrador. In 1765, the British Crown entered into a treaty with Inuit leaders at Chateau Bay — a nation-to-nation agreement that affirmed our rights to our land, self-governance, traditional harvests, and favourable trade. Those terms were recorded and submitted to the British Privy Council in 1769, offering one of the earliest legal recognitions of Inuit presence in this region.
Today, our people are engaged in a formal rights-based negotiation process with the Government of Canada, affirmed through a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU recognizes the NunatuKavut Inuit as an Indigenous collective capable of holding Section 35 Aboriginal rights under the Canadian Constitution, and was upheld by the Federal Court in 2024.
It’s worth noting that Memorial University itself has recognized our people in the constitution of its Labrador Campus. Despite all this, their draft Indigenous Verification Policy excludes NunatuKavut Inuit voices and identity – relying on narrow, colonial definitions that erase lived experience, legal standing, and the history that continues to shape our communities.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT’S AT STAKE
At the heart of the controversy is not just territory, but the broader question of who gets to decide who is Indigenous. Critics argue that the Federal Government has failed to adequately consult other Indigenous nations before entering into this agreement. Our supporters point out that it is part of Canada’s Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination (RIRSD) framework, a process designed to move away from rigid, colonial definitions of Indigeneity and toward a more inclusive, community-led model.
The result? A political and legal stand-off that exposes the lasting damage of colonization on Indigenous Peoples – where we are forced to defend our identity not only to the Crown, but to one another.
TAKE ACTION
We know this policy hurts. For some, even reading about it is difficult. But together, we can stop it.
Not sure how to help? You’ve got options. Sign the petition, write your own letter, or submit a templated one if writing feels too hard. Every action – no matter how small – helps show Memorial University that this policy doesn’t reflect the values of truth, inclusion, or reconciliation.
Click the letter to the right to send a letter to the President of Memorial University, or to write your own message.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
SHARE
Use Hashtag on Social Media
#RecognizeNunatukavut
ATTEND
Attend local rallies,
locations to be announced
