Get the latest gossip

Buffy Sainte-Marie loses top Canadian music honours including Junos, Polaris and Hall of Fame induction

TORONTO — Buffy Sainte-Marie's has lost her Juno awards, Polaris Music Prize honours and her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame — a continued unwinding of her legacy as arts organizations respond to a statement from the singer saying she

In its decision to pull Sainte-Marie's prizes, the Polaris organization said eligibility for the award "requires all nominees to be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with proof of status provided through government-issued documentation." "We understand that not all Indigenous people have access to government-issued paperwork, and we acknowledge that this does not diminish their identity or connection to their communities and should not impact their ability to be nominated for the Polaris Music Prize," it added. Sainte-Marie rose to fame as a folk performer in Toronto's Yorkville music scene, penning the war protest anthem "Universal Soldier" and later winning an Oscar as one of the songwriters on "Up Where We Belong," the ballad from the 1982 film "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Get the Android app