Miss Universe Canada contestants apologize over cultural appropriation backlash
Costumes featuring a feathered headdress, fur and a red handprint sparked criticism during the Aug. 4 segment, leading pageant organizers to promise clearer guidelines
Jasleen Kaily, a Miss Universe Canada contestant, apologized after her national costume drew cultural appropriation criticism during the 2026 Miss Universe Canada competition’s Aug. 4 segment in Windsor, Ontario, according to reporting from ¡HOLA!. The segment was meant to celebrate Canadian national identity. Kaily wore a fur jacket and skirt, fur boots described as mukluks, two braids and a large maple leaf.
Fellow contestant Karisa Haverkamp wore a feathered headdress and a red handprint associated with awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ashley Callingbull, a Plains Cree woman from Enoch Cree Nation, was quoted as saying, “We should know better.” Kaily said the disrespect was never her intention, and Haverkamp apologized for “hurt and offence.” Miss Universe Canada says it plans to have clearer guidelines for future national costumes.
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