Two people charged after missing person in Kenora, Ont., confirmed dead
Provincial police say two suspects have been arrested in the death of a missing Kenora, Ont., resident, and one of them is facing a murder charge. Police say Mekhi Pelly of Grassy Narrows First Nation was reported missing on Oct. 26. They say the 21-year-old has since been confirmed dead. A 24-year-old suspect has been charged with first-degree murder and a 43-year-old suspect was charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Both suspects from Kenora remain in custody and are scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 4. Police say their efforts to find the victim’s remains are ongoing in collaboration with Grassy Narrows First Nation and Washagamis Bay First Nation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2025. ...
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Kinew weighs in on killer’s release from prison, reaches out to prime minister
By Brittany Hobson Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and First Nations organizations are calling for a review of the justice system after learning a man who killed two Indigenous women is being released from prison. Shawn Lamb pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2012 deaths of Carolyn Sinclair and Lorna Blacksmith and was sentenced to 20 years the following year. By law, most federal inmates are automatically released after serving two-thirds of their sentence, which is known as statutory release. Offenders serving life or indeterminate sentences are not eligible. Kinew told reporters Thursday that he was drafting a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney after learning Lamb had been granted statutory release. He said he didn’t plan on asking to discuss Lamb’s case with Carney but would touch on concerns about...
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Inukjuak band’s 2nd album hits the right notes with contest judges
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Inukjuak-based band Qimutjuit brought home the award for album of the year Indigenous languages from the 2025 Premier Gala de L’ADISQ. The 46th edition of l’Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la video — or Québec Association for the Recording, Concert and Video Industries — celebrated the best of Quebec’s music and art at a ceremony Nov. 5 at Montréal’s Théâtre Wilfrid-Pelletier. The self-titled album Qimutjuit, the band’s second album, was released last December. It’s available on Spotify and Apple Music. The band, including singer and guitarist Charlie Iqaluk, singer and drummer Eric Atagotaaluk, keyboardist Pauloosie Kasudluak and bass player Jobie Oweetaluktuk, was formed in 1990. “We were pretty much dumbfounded. We were genuinely not expecting to...
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The path to responsible mining in northern Ontario starts with Indigenous consent
By Tamara Krawchenko, Associate Professor, School of Public Administration, University of Victoria; and Darren Godwell, CEO, Stronger Smarter Institute Canada and Ontario are accelerating efforts to attract global investment and speed up approvals for new mining projects. Ontario’s government has introduced new policies aimed at attracting investors and accelerate project timelines. Central to this strategy are laws like Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, and Bill 71, the Building More Mines Act. The surge in global demand for “critical minerals” such as nickel, lithium and cobalt — essential inputs for electric vehicles and clean energy technologies — has positioned mining as a cornerstone of energy transition strategies. Northern Ontario, endowed with vast mineral resources, has become a focal point in Canada’s emerging green economy. Yet this...
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Speeches, music mark James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement’s 50th anniversary
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News As Remembrance Day events were being held across Canada, Nunavik commemorated its own historic moment Tuesday. On Nov. 11, 1975, the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement was signed by the governments of Quebec and Canada, alongside representatives of Inuit of Nunavik and the Crees of Eeyou Istchee. The agreement is considered the first modern Indigenous treaty and led to the creation of institutions in Nunavik such as a school board, a regional government and health-care system. Makivvik Corp. — which itself was formed as a result of the agreement, to administer the $90-million treaty settlement and manage economic development — organized a day-long event in Kuujjuaq Tuesday to commemorate the anniversary. The event began at the Katittavik Theatre with an...
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LNG project, mines, hydro dam, power lines among latest major project referrals
By Nono Shen The federal government announced Thursday the latest list of major building projects to be considered for fast-track approval under legislation passed in June — a list focused entirely on critical minerals and energy. Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement in Terrace, B.C., a community that will be connected to the North Coast Transmissions Line, which was one of the projects put forward for possible fast-tracking. It is intended to power local communities and projects like the Ksi Lisims LNG project, which was also on the list. That project would feature a floating LNG facility and marine terminal, with a pipeline to move the product from northeast B.C. The proposal, which received federal environmental approval in September, has faced opposition from some First Nations groups which have...
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A look at the second batch of projects being weighed by the Major Projects Office
By Lauren Krugel Prime Minister Mark Carney has revealed the second batch of potentially “nation-building” infrastructure projects to be reviewed on expedited timelines, making good on his promise to make the announcement before the Grey Cup football championship this weekend. The projects being referred to the new Major Projects Office include an LNG export terminal and electrical transmission line in northwestern British Columbia within a proposed infrastructure corridor stretching from that region into Yukon. Also on the list are critical minerals mines in Ontario, Quebec and new Brunswick, and a hydro project in Nunavut. None of the investments being considered by the Major Projects Office have yet received a national-interest designation that would confer special treatment in permitting and approvals. All told, the federal government says projects for consideration announced...
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You can end a shutdown overnight – but you can’t reopen a government that fast
By Deepti Hajela NEW YORK (AP) — The longest government shutdown in U.S. historyis over — on paper, at least. But the American public isn’t done with it yet: Getting everything back up and running doesn’t happen all at once. The disruption of the closure, clocking in at 43 days, varied in its impact. Some people, like unpaid federal workers, were immediately and directly affected. Others included recipients of federal funding through programs like Head Start and food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As the shutdown progressed, effects rippled. Delays and flight cancellations started racking up for passengers as the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut back on flights because of air traffic controller shortages. There were closures at Smithsonian museum sites and the National Zoo (although...
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Alberta’s Smith supportive of new major projects, says pipeline negotiation ongoing
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s on board with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s second batch of key major projects picked for potential fast-track approval. Smith says she’s encouraged that many are resource-based and primed for generating royalties and tax revenue. “This is going to be good for the country,” she told reporters in Calgary. Carney announced Thursday that the seven additional energy and infrastructure projects are being referred to his government’s major projects office. An initial list of five was announced in September. The additions include a nickel mine in northern Ontario, a hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, and a transmission line and an LNG project that are both in northwest British Columbia. Two mineral mines, located in Quebec and New Brunswick, are also on this list. Not on the list...
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Alberta’s Smith supportive of new major projects, says pipeline negotiation ongoing
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s on board with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s second batch of key major projects picked for potential fast-track approval. Smith says she’s encouraged that many are resource-based and primed for generating royalties and tax revenue. “This is going to be good for the country,” she told reporters in Calgary. Carney announced Thursday that the seven additional energy and infrastructure projects are being referred to his government’s major projects office. An initial list of five was announced in September. The additions include a nickel mine in northern Ontario, a hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, and a transmission line and an LNG project that are both in northwest British Columbia. Two mineral mines, located in Quebec and New Brunswick, are also on this list. Not on the list...
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Through the years: How Gitxsan women fought to assert child welfare jurisdiction away from MCFD
By Amy Romer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews This is the second story in a three-part series about child welfare jurisdiction in Gitanmaax. You can read the first part here. Ayawasw (Audrey Woods) sits at the end of a large grey table in the boardroom of Wila Dildilsdi’m — the new Gitanmaax family services department. She reflects on how, back in the 1980s, she, her aunt Charlotte Sullivan, and then-chief councillor Marjorie McRae made a decision that would change the way child welfare unfolded in their community. On their own time — without pay or formal recognition — the three Gitxsan women put themselves on call for every home visit the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) made. Day or night, they showed up. “It was just an impromptu...
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New major projects list has some Indigenous buy-in, Carney says OKs still needed
By Alessia Passafiume After an initial round of referrals to the new Major Projects Office that saw no Indigenous-led projects chosen, the second list of referrals includes some with Indigenous support, ownership or backing — including a liquefied natural gas project. The list of projects earmarked for fast-track approval includes the Crawford nickel mine in Ontario, the Ksi Lisims LNG project on B.C.’s northwest coast, and the North Coast Transmission Line to power projects in the region, including the Ksi Lisims LNG facility. Also up for fast-track consideration is a hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, the Nouveau Monde graphite mine in Quebec and the Sisson tungsten mine in New Brunswick. Speaking in Terrace, B.C., on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said these latest projects represent $56 billion in new investment. The...
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A shaky coalition and ‘near-death’ election put Eby under scrutiny at NDP convention
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia Premier David Eby received approval from more than 93 per cent of delegates at the NDP’s convention two years ago, and he’s hoping for another “healthy majority” at this weekend’s convention in Victoria. But since 2023, the NDP eked out a majority with just one seat to spare in last year’s provincial election, and Eby’s government has been shedding support from First Nations and its union base. “Obviously, I want a healthy majority — obviously, I want 100 per cent — but a healthy majority and support for the hard work going ahead,” Eby said at an unrelated news conference on Thursday. The New Democrats took 47 seats in the 2025 election, the BC Conservatives 44 and the Green Party won two seats. Eby said...
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Indigenous Gross Domestic Income increased at faster pace than rest of Canadian economy, says StatCan rep
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Various surveys and the Canadian census have long collected information on Indigenous peoples, but it has only been in recent years that comprehensive data has been compiled on how much Indigenous peoples contribute to the Canadian economy. Some of those details were shared Nov. 5 during a webinar titled The contribution of Indigenous Peoples to the Canadian Economy: A Macroeconomic Perspective. The event was hosted by Statistics Canada’s Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships (CISP). Kathleen Crowe, an advisor for CISP’s Indigenous Liaison Program, served as the moderator for the webinar. She said CISP was established in 2019. Its goal is to assist Indigenous communities and organizations to build greater statistical capacity. “Engagement and collaboration are essential to data collection and research...
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Man charged with impaired driving at RIDE program
BRANT, ON -A Six Nations of the Grand River man is facing impaired driving charges after Brant County OPP conducted a stationary ride program at Cockshut Road, South of Oxbow, in the County of Brant Nov., 12, 2025 . OPP stopped a pickup truck during the program and while speaking to a male driver, police administered an approved roadside screening device test which resulted in a “fail”. Following a police investigation, Christopher Montour, 39, of Six Nations of the Grand, was taken into custody and charged with the following offences: Operation While Impaired – Alcohol and Drugs Operation While Impaired – Blood Alcohol Concentration Over 80 The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brantford in the near future. The OPP continues...
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A walk in her shoes marks November’s Family Violence Prevention Month
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald Blood Tribe First Responders along with other community members traded their everyday footwear for a dazzling pair of heels to bring awareness to domestic violence. November is recognized as Family Violence Prevention Month across Alberta. For the last 12 years, Kainai Women’s Wellness Lodge has hosted the Walk in Her Shoes event to bring awareness about how domestic violence is affecting the community. Statistics Canada says in a 2018 report that forty-four per cent of Indigenous women have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime, which is almost double the number of non-Indigenous women. According to the Blood Tribe Police, in the last 12 months they received 19 domestic violence reports, with 11 of the 19 files receiving criminal charges. Shayla...
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Iqaluit hydroelectric dam to be fast-tracked by federal Major Projects Office
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Construction of an Iqaluit hydroelectric dam will get referred to the federal Major Projects Office to get fast-tracked, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday in Terrace, B.C. The Major Projects Office is responsible for prioritizing future infrastructure development by granting project approvals. “Today we’re referring the Iqaluit-Nukkiksautiit hydroelectric project to the Major Projects Office. This is a breakthrough. This is a breakthrough for Arctic sovereignty and sustainability,” Carney said. “It will be a 100 per cent Inuit-owned hydro energy project,” the prime minister added. “It will save $1.9 billion in diesel costs over the next 50 years while providing affordable, reliable, emissions-free power in the Arctic.” Carney stressed that the infrastructure development projects his government is fast-tracking are being built...
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New Brunswick’s Sisson Mine added to Ottawa’s list of ‘nation-building’ projects
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt is holding a news availability on the heels of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement of the latest group of projects being submitted for fast-tracking consideration. A tungsten mine in Sisson Brook, N.B., is on the list, as is a nickel mine in northern Ontario, a hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, a transmission line and an LGN project both in northwest British Columbia and a graphite mine in Quebec. Tungsten is an exceptionally strong metal used in steel production for military and mining equipment, and for storing energy. The federal government says tungsten markets are highly concentrated, and this project has the potential to make Canada a reliable supplier of the critical mineral to domestic and international partners while creating hundreds of new jobs. Carney and Holt...
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What is Ksi Lisims LNG, B.C. project being fast tracked by Feds?
By Canadian Press Staff The Ksi Lisims LNG facility in northern British Columbia and the North Coast Transmission Line that is planned to power it are among major projects that Prime Minister Mark Carney says will be reviewed for fast-track permitting and approval. Here are some facts about Ksi Lisims LNG, which has already been prioritized by the B.C. government. What will Ksi Lisims LNG do? The project is designed to be a massive LNG export facility in waters off the province’s northwest, in Nisga’a Nation territory. Based on two floating platforms, it would process up to 22.4 billion cubic metres of gas per year resulting in exports of 12 million tonnes of LNG per year. That is almost as much as the 14-million-tonne capacity of the first phase of...
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Minister promotes rural, western and Indigenous pathways to continued tourism success
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette A rich tapestry of western heritage unfolds beyond Alberta’s big cities and more famous destinations, providing amazing opportunities for tourists and rural entrepreneurs alike. That’s among the key messages offered up by Andrew Boitchenko, who joined cabinet last May as the province’s latest minister of tourism and sport. Boitchenko told The Macleod Gazette in a recent interview: “Rural Alberta is a chance to show visitors our communities’ connection to our western heritage, so they can actually see it and experience it.” Traditional farms and ranches are big in Alberta’s story, but there’s much more on offer. Among experiences worth exploring are glamping, hiking and snowshoeing adventures, Indigenous knowledge walks and corporate retreats. One destination success story Boitchenko points to is...
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