Junos head says org faces ‘complicated’ questions around Buffy Sainte-Marie’s awards

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This article was published 11/02/2025 (576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – The head of the Juno Awards says he’s not rushing to decide the fate of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s many honours with the music organization, even after it was confirmed last week that she was stripped of her Order of Canada.

Allan Reid, the CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, said internal discussions are ongoing with the Indigenous Music Advisory Committee at the Junos, but that coming to a decision has proven to be “complicated.”

“We said from the very beginning that as much as CARAS will make a decision, it needs to be fully informed by the Indigenous music community,” Reid told The Canadian Press in an interview Tuesday.

“We have to consider what other effects it may have,” he added.

The Junos are among several Canadian arts organizations that confirmed they are taking another look at Sainte-Marie’s high-profile accolades.

Junos organizers first said they would look into how to handle Sainte-Marie’s five Juno wins in 2023, after a CBC report questioned the singer-songwriter’s Indigenous heritage, saying it found a birth certificate that indicated she was born in 1941 in Massachusetts.

Family members in the United States told CBC that Sainte-Marie was not adopted and doesn’t have Indigenous ancestry.

Sainte-Marie has said the CBC report contained mistakes and omissions, and that she has never lied about her identity. Attempts to reach Sainte-Marie through Paquin Entertainment, the management company listed on her website, were not answered.

Last week, the government gave notice that Sainte-Marie’s Order of Canada appointment was terminated by an ordinance signed by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon on Jan. 3.

A representative for the office of the Governor General confirmed it was the ninth termination in the history of the honour, but said the office does not comment on the specifics of termination cases.

The conversation around Sainte-Marie’s history has divided many people, none more so than Indigenous leaders and musicians who once cited her as a major influence. She was often considered a leading advocate for Indigenous rights issues, though some have questioned her motivations in light of the CBC report.

“There are different points of view on this,” Reid said.

“We want to make sure that we’re aligned with our music community as we make this determination. Some of that is people’s perspective has changed over time.”

Reid pointed out that other organizations have taken their time to reach a decision.

“Even with the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s determination to terminate Buffy, it’s been a year in the process,” he said.

“These are internal discussions we have to have before we go out and let everybody know what we’re doing. So I’d probably have to leave it at that for now.”

Reid added that he isn’t tying the decision to a deadline.

Several other notable arts organizations say they’re considering the status of past awards given to Sainte-Marie, including the 2010 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement.

Jess Milton, executive director of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, said the organization is consulting with its board of directors and “fully evaluating all perspectives” before making any decisions.

Similar conversations are being had behind the scenes at the Polaris Music Prize, which named Sainte-Marie’s 2015 album “Power in the Blood” the winner of its $50,000 award that year.

“The Polaris board is aware of the ongoing conversation around Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Canadian status. We have and continue to follow as new information is shared,” Polaris representative Aaron Brophy said in a statement.

The Junos leadership faces perhaps the most complicated of the scenarios.

Four of Sainte-Marie’s five Junos were won in Indigenous categories. She also received the humanitarian award and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The Junos website also credits her as being “instrumental” in the creation of the first Indigenous category, originally called the “best music of Aboriginal Canada recording.”

Reid downplayed her involvement in the category’s creation, adding that it was done with the participation of a music advisory committee and trailblazing musicians Elaine Bomberry and Shingoose.

The Junos have only revoked a single artist’s award in its 54-year history. 

It happened in 1990 after pop duo Milli Vanilli were discovered to have not sung on any of the songs from their breakthrough album. The Junos stripped them of their international album of the year prize.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2025.