Karima Manji buys 3 years for fraud on Inuit

Karima Manji, who is not Indigenous, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000, after her twin daughters used fake Inuit status to receive benefits. Manji defrauded the territory’s Inuit by stealing their identity and victimizing the family of an elderly Inuk woman, who has since died. The judge, rejecting the crown’s bid for 2 years, said Manji’s actions are an egregious example of the exploitation of Indigenous Peoples and the punishment must fit the crime. That is 3 years in the pen.

Amira Gill, left, and her twin sister, Nadya Gill.

The Gills were approved for Inuit enrolment after Manji, claiming to be their adoptive mother, submitted an application on their behalf. She claimed that the sisters’ Inuit heritage came through the Noah and Hughes family of Iqaluit. Noah Noah, Hughes’ son, said his family has no relation to the Gills, and that his mother, Kitty Noah, was a victim of fraud.

The Gills brought controversy when their Inuit heritage was challenged in response to a 2021 CTV news report about a business they had started. Kanata Trade Co., sold products such as COVID-19 face masks and T-shirts with Indigenous artwork on them. It was a listed member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses and promised to donate profits of the sale to Indigenous organizations.