Vianne Timmons

Vianne Timmons, OC (born 1958) is a board member of VIA Rail Canada. She was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019.[1] She was president and vice chancellor of the University of Regina,[2] from 2008 to 2019, and is also the former president and vice-chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland.[3]

Professional life

She was president and vice-chancellor of the University of Regina,[4] a public university in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, from 2008 to 2019. In 2013, university faculty expressed concerns that non-academic jobs and costs had risen at the expense of academic priorities since her appointment.[5]

Timmons is a researcher, author, and lecturer in the area of educational inclusion.[6] Prior to her appointment at the University of Regina, Timmons served as a professor and vice-president at the University of Prince Edward Island.[7] She was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada (OC) in the Government House List of 29 December 2017.

In 2018, Timmons was appointed to the independent advisory board for Senate appointments;[8] official documents naming Timmons as a Saskatchewan representative to the board stated she was a member of the Bras d’Or Mi’kmaq First Nation.[9]

In March 2019, she was appointed as a board member of VIA Rail Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.[10]

Timmons became president and vice chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland on April 1, 2020.[3] She was removed from that post by the university's board of regents on April 6, 2023.[11] A public report made by the Auditor General following her leave from office noted "expenses considered to be excessive," including $1,792 paid for custom-made chocolates.[12]

False Claims of Indigeneity

Timmons was a recipient of the 2019 Indspire Award, and was described as one of "Twelve Indigenous people honoured for their extraordinary work across Canada."[13]

In 2019 Timmons told media "I wasn't raised in the Mi'kmaq culture but my great, great grandmother was a Mi'kmaq woman from Conne River.... So I am of Mi'kmaq heritage."[14] In 2021 she told media "I’m of Mi’kmaq ancestry."[15] A March 8, 2023 CBC investigation was published with evidence that she is not Indigenous, and that she has claimed to be Indigenous in the past.[16] Timmons released a statement acknowledging that she is not Indigenous.[17] On March 13, Timmons went on a 6-week paid leave while Memorial University began a consultation process with the Indigenous community to discuss the issue.[8][18] Following this announcement, an Indigenous faculty member stated they had raised concerns about claims to Indigeneity and Memorial's response to identity verification the previous year.[19]

References
  1. "Organization Profile - VIA Rail Canada Inc".
  2. "Biography of Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor | Office of the President, University of Regina". www.uregina.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  3. "Returning To Her Roots". MUN Gazette. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  4. "Biography of Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor | Office of the President, University of Regina". www.uregina.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  5. Bradshaw, James (27 September 2013). "University of Regina's leadership is narrowly affirmed". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. "WXN Award Winners | Women Executives | Executive". Financial Post. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  7. "Vianne Timmons: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  8. Kelland, Ariana (March 13, 2023). "MUN president Vianne Timmons apologizes, takes temporary leave, as Mi'kmaw claims scrutinized". CBC News. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  9. Hopper, Tristan (15 March 2023). "Memorial University president steps aside in latest 'pretendian' Indigenous controversy". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  10. "Organization Profile - VIA Rail Canada Inc".
  11. Contributed. "VIANNE TIMMONS: 'These have been very difficult weeks' — former Memorial University president speaks out about firing | SaltWire". www.saltwire.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  12. Sheppard, Noah. "Chocolates, Limos and Oil Changes; AG Report Scrutinizes Former MUN President's Spending". VOCM. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  13. Bell, Kiley. "Meet the winners of the 2019 Indspire Awards: Twelve Indigenous people honoured for their extraordinary work across Canada". Canadian Geographic. pp. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  14. "Coming home: Vianne Timmons named as new MUN president". CBC News. 12 Dec 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  15. Baxter-Smith, Charlotte (7 March 2021). "Reflections on Dr. Timmons' First Year". The Muse. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  16. "Walking the Line". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  17. "Indigenous identity is complex". www.gazette.mun.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  18. Bowden, Olivia (15 March 2023). "Canada: university president to take leave amid controversy over Indigenous ancestry claim". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  19. Kelland, Ariana (16 March 2023). "Inuk professor says he raised identity concerns with MUN months ago". CBC News. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
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