STOP THE MUSIC

Miss Universe Canada Halts Pageant Over Shocking Costume Controversy

Miss Universe Canada shocked viewers and contestants with her unplanned announcement.

Miss Universe Canada 2024 titleholder stopped the 2026 competition mid-show.

Ashley Callingbull, who was the first First Nations winner of the Miss Universe Canada competition, was one of the two hosts of this year’s Miss Universe Canada. She is Plains Cree from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta.

On August 8, she asked for the music to be turned down just as her co-host, the Miss Universe Canada director Sonny Borelli, was preparing to read the names of the top 20 contestants on stage.

“I wanted to acknowledge something,” the 36-year-old said to the microphone in a clip she reposted on Instagram. “During the national competition, the costume competition, there was cultural appropriation that was done towards Indigenous peoples.”

Callingbull said that she was not present in person for the round on August 4, but saw these outfits in videos.

She did not specify which outfits she was referring to, but two contestants issued statements on Instagram addressing their outfits.

Karisa Haverkamp, who wore a feathered headdress and painted a red hand on her cheek, wrote in her post, “I acknowledge and recognize that my outfit for the national costume caused hurt and offense to people in the Indigenous community.”

Headdresses are a sacred item in First Nations culture.

A red hand painted on the face is often seen as a symbol for solidarity with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Indigenous Peoples movement.

Another contestant, Jasleen Kaily, wore a fur jacket with a fur hood and a fur miniskirt paired with mukluks, or fur boots. She also styled her hair in two braids.

In her statement, she wrote, “My intention was never to disrespect or misrepresent Indigenous culture.”

“Anything traditional or sacred should not be allowed,” Callingbull told CBC Indigenous on Friday. “I was very, very upset.”

On stage, Callingbull said she called Borelli after seeing the videos, and was pleased to say that he and the organization “immediately” listened to her and issued a statement.

In the statement, the organization wrote, ”We have recently received feedback regarding some of the national costumes featured in our competition. We want to address this directly and sincerely: if any costume caused offense, hurt, or misunderstanding, please know that it was never our intention.”

Adding, “​To ensure this does not happen again, we are actively implementing a comprehensive Costume Guide.”

Callingbull continued, “It’s 2026. We should know better, but most importantly, a part of reconciliation is that we educate and learn and understand and move on from these things in a good way.”

She then addressed Borelli: “As an indigenous woman, I feel that it’s my responsibility to also give you an opportunity to say something to the indigenous community because yes, there was a statement but an ‘I’m sorry,’ it goes so far.”

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He responded, “On behalf of all of us at Miss Universe Canada, it was not our intent to offend anybody and if we did, we take full responsibility, we will learn from it.”

Borelli also invited Callingbull to be “the official liaison to the costume competition moving forward.”

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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