When Louis Côté became suspicious of a Toronto-based laboratory that tests people's DNA to determine their ancestry, he decided to try an experiment by submitting a sample from his girlfriend's dog for analysis.



According to the results, Côté shares more than a friendship with Snoopy the chihuahua; they share the exact same Indigenous ancestry.

"I thought it was a joke," Côté said. "The company is fooling people … the tests are no good."

A subsequent CBC News investigation has found there are not only concerns about the accuracy of the DNA tests but also about the possible fraudulent use of cards resembling certificates of Indian status to secure tax exemptions the holders aren't entitled to.

Côté, from Mascouche, Que., says he first became skeptical of the results produced by DNA testing company Viaguard Accu-Metrics last summer while working with a group called the Confederation of Aboriginal People of Canada (CAPC).

The group says it was established to support the interests of off-reserve Indigenous people, but it's not recognized by the national Assembly of First Nations or the Canadian government.

A number of CAPC's members aren't part of any First Nations community and don't have Canadian government-issued Indian status. (Those with official Indian status can use their status cards to obtain tax exemptions for things such as on-reserve retail purchases and income tax, and to get access to health care, social programs and education. Some provinces also allow exemptions to the provincial portion of sales taxes for off-reserve purchases.)

Instead, CAPC members rely on the results of DNA testing for proof of their Indigenous ancestry.

Louis Côté sent in the DNA of his girlfriend's chihuahua, Snoopy, to Viaguard because he was having doubts about the veracity of the lab's DNA results on Indigenous ancestry. (CBC) Post image on Pinterest: Louis Côté sent in the DNA of his girlfriend's chihuahua, Snoopy, to Viaguard because he was having doubts about the veracity of the lab's DNA results on Indigenous ancestry. (CBC)

Louis Côté sent in the DNA of his girlfriend's chihuahua, Snoopy, to Viaguard because he was having doubts about the veracity of the lab's DNA results on Indigenous ancestry. (CBC)

For $250, CAPC will arrange the DNA test and collect the samples from prospective members. The test itself is done by Viaguard.

If the test confirms a person has at least one per cent Indigenous ancestry, it's another $80 for membership in the group and a CAPC card.

Côté says it was his job to collect the DNA samples for CAPC. But he started to have doubts.

"I heard some things that were not straight with these tests," he said.

So Côté says he bought three DNA test kits directly from Viaguard in July last year. He took three different samples, which he says he sent back to the company's lab.

Two of the samples contained swabs of his inner cheek. He says he labelled one with his name and the other with his father's name. For the third sample, Côté says, he swabbed inside Snoopy's mouth and then wrote his adopted son's name on the label.

Viaguard's DNA testing determined Snoopy has 20 per cent Indigenous ancestry — 12 per cent Abenaki and eight per cent Mohawk. (Louis Côté) Post image on Pinterest: Viaguard's DNA testing determined Snoopy has 20 per cent Indigenous ancestry — 12 per cent Abenaki and eight per cent Mohawk. (Louis Côté)

Viaguard's DNA testing determined Snoopy has 20 per cent Indigenous ancestry — 12 per cent Abenaki and eight per cent Mohawk. (Louis Côté)

On Aug. 26, 2017, he received three separate emails from Viaguard, each containing a link to a PDF. The test results, which he provided to CBC News, were identical — both Côté and Snoopy had 20 per cent Native American ancestry: 12 per cent Abenaki and eight per cent Mohawk.

"I don't feel very good for the people who paid for these tests," Côté said. "They may have paid for nothing."