Alberta NDP says last-minute meeting on petition may signal looming referendum vote
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s Opposition says the decision by Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservatives to schedule a last-minute committee meeting suggests they might be looking for a new way to get a separation question put to a referendum this fall. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says a bipartisan legislature committee headed up by Smith’s UCP plans to meet Wednesday to discuss a pro-Canada petition put forward by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk. Lukaszuk gathered more than 400,000 names to force either a legislature or a provincewide referendum vote on keeping Alberta in Canada. The committee has been discussing what to do with Lukaszuk’s petition, but the NDP has said the committee has been bogging down the process in order to move ahead with a second petition put forward by Alberta separatists...
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Inuit lamp symbol approved for headstones at national military cemetery
A headstone featuring a traditional Inuit lamp is seen in this undated photo. The lamp has been approved as an optional spiritual emblem for headstones at the National Military Cemetery. The qulliq emblem was unveiled in a ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa on May 19, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout – Beechwood Cemetery Foundation By Alessia Passafiume A traditional Inuit lamp has been approved as an optional spiritual emblem for headstones at the National Military Cemetery. The qulliq emblem was unveiled in a ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, attended by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon on Tuesday. Traditionally carved from soapstone and fuelled by whale or seal oil, the lamp symbolizes light, warmth, guidance and survival and is meant to reflect Inuit members’ service in the Canadian Armed Forces. First...
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Hamilton man arrested, Brantford police seize over $12,000 in illicit drugs
By Alex Murray Writer BRANTFORD, ONT-Brantford Police Service (BPS) arrested a 48-year-old Hamilton man May 19, on six weapons- and drug-related charges. The arrest was made in connection with a March 13 shooting incident at a Colborne Street motel in Brantford. On May 13, members of the BPS Emergency Response Team, K9 Unit, Drug and Firearm Enforcement Unit, Major Crime Unit, and Criminal Intelligence Unit executed a 487 Criminal Code Search Warrant for an Allan Avenue residence in Hamilton and arrested the suspect. The warrant was issued on May 11. Police seized 95.7 grams of cocaine, 26.7 grams of fentanyl, a nine-millimetre round, and an undisclosed amount of Canadian currency during the search. BPS said the street value of the seized fentanyl is about $2,670 when trafficked by the gram....
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First Nations leader says UCP government ‘on notice’ after judge dismisses separation petition
By David Boles, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, St. Albert Gazette Indigenous leaders say a judge’s decision to quash Alberta’s separatist petition is a warning to Premier Danielle Smith’s government that any proposed referendum on Alberta independence cannot proceed without First Nations consultation. “This ruling puts the premier on notice and the other separatist MLAs who are pushing for this referendum,” said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi. Mercredi made the comments following a move by Justice Shaina Leonard to dismiss the separatist petition on Wednesday, May 13, saying the province had a duty to consult with First Nations peoples. First Nations argued Alberta separation could affect treaty rights and the Crown’s constitutional obligations to Indigenous peoples, triggering a duty to consult. Leonard said in her decision the petition should never...
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Cherokee Nation integrates culture into new treatment center built with opioid settlement funds
By Sarah Liese And Sierra Pfeifer TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) — Culture is vital for recovery. That’s a lesson Juli Skinner, a citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, learned during her time in foster care, years later working in child welfare and now, as the senior director of the Cherokee Nation’s behavioral health center. Tribal traditions have given her a healthy way to self-regulate and strengthen her connection with Spirit. “Culture is such a protective factor,” Skinner said. “Historical trauma has hit a lot of people — Native Americans, tribes — hard. Lost language, lost traditional ways, and we’ll never get all of that back.” Despite seeing the benefits, culture has never been baked into the inpatient treatment options available to citizens of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, a tribe...
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Goats hard at work in Delta!
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist Drivers passing through Tsawwassen are greeted by the bleats and excited hooves of a herd of goats, busy clearing vegetation as part of an innovative goatscaping effort. “Guided by research and shared expertise, the team identified goatscaping as an environmentally friendly approach to land management, helping reduce invasive species, enhance ecosystem health, and care for the land in a sustainable way,” said the Tsawwassen First Nations (TFN) online. This initiative is a collaborative measure by TFN’s Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, Natural Resources, Public Works, and Lands departments. The project began after the land was overrun with species, and community members expressed concern about the abundance of blackberries. Moira K. Barron, along with her husband, is the owner and operator of Oceanside...
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Cherokee Nation integrates culture into new treatment center built with opioid settlement funds
By Sarah Liese And Sierra Pfeifer TALEQUAH, Okla. (AP) — Culture is vital for recovery. That’s a lesson Juli Skinner, a citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, learned during her time in foster care, years later working in child welfare and now, as the senior director of the Cherokee Nation’s behavioral health center. Tribal traditions have given her a healthy way to self-regulate and strengthen her connection with Spirit. “Culture is such a protective factor,” Skinner said. “Historical trauma has hit a lot of people — Native Americans, tribes — hard. Lost language, lost traditional ways, and we’ll never get all of that back.” Despite seeing the benefits, culture has never been baked into the inpatient treatment options available to citizens of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, a tribe...
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Alberta’s timing targets for West Coast pipeline ‘best-case scenario’: CIBC analysts
By Lauren Krugel Analysts at CIBC World Markets say the timeline the Alberta government set out for construction to begin on a potential new West Coast oil pipeline reflects a best-case scenario. The province aims to submit a proposal to the federal major projects office by July 1, have it designated a project of national interest by Oct. 1 and have shovels in the ground as early as Sept. 1, 2027. The Alberta government laid out those targets after it and Ottawa finalized one of the last outstanding elements of their energy accord signed late last year — an agreement on how the market price on carbon is to gradually increase to $130 a tonne by 2040. The last remaining side-agreement to sew up is between the province, federal government...
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Hands-on career expo gives Lakeland students a look at opportunities close to home
By Chantel Downes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeland This Week The expo took place May 13 and May 14. Organizers expected just under 1,000 students from Cold Lake, St. Paul, Kehewin, Cold Lake First Nations, Bonnyville, and surrounding communities to attend the event. Now in its third year, the Lakeland Regional Career Expo has continued to grow, with organizers planning to make it an annual event. Jasmine Arndt, program coordinator with Careers Next Generation, said the event is organized by a planning committee that includes local school divisions, Community Futures, and Portage College. Arndt said the expo is meant to help students discover career options in the Lakeland that they may not have been exposed to through family or friends. Unlike a traditional career fair, the event focuses on interactive...
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People for Education explore convergence of public education and truth and reconciliation
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press A national charity is putting Manitoba’s school system under the microscope as it develops a plan to protect and bolster publicly funded classrooms across Canada. “Winnipeg is a site of a lot of learning for the rest of the country on reconciliation in the school system and more broadly,” said Paris Semansky, co-executive director of People for Education. “That doesn’t mean it’s perfect. That doesn’t mean it’s done, but there’s clear and demonstrable progress that — really critically — seems to cross partisan lines.” People for Education, founded by a group of Toronto parents in 1996, has typically focused on research and policy-making initiatives in Ontario. The non-partisan organization’s latest project broadens its scope while acknowledging that education is under...
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Chiefs respond to the separatist petition being squashed
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald Chiefs from both Piikani and Blackfoot Nations have responded to the squashing of the separatist petition. Last Wednesday, Justice Shaina Leonard ruled the Stay Free Alberta never should have been issued, citing the provincial government’s failure to fulfill its duty to consult with First Nations and the outcome of a successful referendum would create direct and adverse effects on First Nations Treaty rights. This decision comes after a commenced joint legal proceeding from the Blood Tribe, Piikani Nation and Siksika Nation, which began in January. Following court augments from all parties, Mitch Sylvestre, chief executive officer of Alberta Prosperity Project, which is a leader in the Alberta separatist movement, put forward an application which asked Justice Leonard to remove herself from...
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Here’s why Resolute Bay has the cheapest groceries in Nunavut
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Resolute Bay has the cheapest groceries in the territory, according to a Government of Nunavut study. In Nunavut, the average grocery haul is $198.75, but in Resolute Bay those same items go for $165.83. The community of 183 people only has one grocery store, the Tudjaat Co-op, where prices are 16.59 per cent below the territorial average. Matt Teed, a former manager at the Tudjaat Co-op from 2012 to 2014, said Resolute Bay gets higher Nutrition North subsidies than some other communities because it’s more remote. “The more isolated the location, higher subsidies,” Teed said of the federal program for groceries. Teed, who has been a manager at Co-ops and Northern stores owned by The North West Company, said Co-ops...
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Nunavut community harbour would see improvements under federal government plan
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The federal government plans on investing in small-craft harbours around the country, including in Pangnirtung, where improvements have been proposed to improve the commercial fishery and community vessel access. Installing corrosion protection on the fixed wharf, replacing floating wharves, improving the harbour’s launch ramp and dredging of the channel and basin are all part of the plan for the Pangnirtung harbour. In its Spring Economic Update, the federal government is suggesting $957.8 million be spent across Canada to improve and repair small-craft harbours like the one in Pangnirtung. “Strengthening our small craft harbours through targeted investments, such as those in Pangnirtung, will improve our ability to monitor activity in the region, respond to emergencies and safeguard our territory in an...
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Candidates for Nunavut Inuit association president explain why they’re running in the election
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The 10 candidates for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) president in the May 27 election told Nunavut News the top reasons they are running to become leader of the Inuit land claims organization. Social programs, language, airlines, food security and the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement were all mentioned by the candidates. Samuel Augaajuk Alagalak Alagalak said he wants to improve the daily lives of Inuit through a change in policies. “Reduce cost of living so Inuit can afford to eat and house themselves,” Alagalak said. He wants to instill pride and independence among Inuit through the hard work that they do. Getting Inuit back what they’re owed and repairing past wrongs was another reason Alagalak said he’s running. “Implement the Land...
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Petition circulating to stop killer’s release to Nunavut
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Editor’s note: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing. When Rachel Seepola Michael was told the man responsible for her mother’s death could be released from prison on Aug. 26, she began fearing for her life. Rachel was 17 when her mother, Kathy Michael, was beaten to death by Pitseolak Peter. “Losing a parent in such a violent way permanently changes every part of your life. More than a decade later, I still carry that trauma every single day,” Rachel said. Kathy and Peter were married in 2013 when he inflicted head trauma, burns, bruising and a broken neck to Kathy, who succumbed to the physical trauma. Peter was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years, on top of time...
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The hidden crisis at Tsawwassen’s ferry causeway beach
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist The Tsawwassen Causeway Beach is currently facing significant environmental and safety challenges due to high traffic and a lack of clear jurisdictional oversight. Recurring misuse is threatening public safety, culturally significant lands and animal habitat. “There’s sort of like a ‘no man’s land’ between whose responsibility it is,” said Krystal Lockert, member and natural resources manager with the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN). Lockert explains that the Causeway is essentially a jigsaw puzzle of different authorities. The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for the road and the parking lot, while BC Ferries manages the beach from the moss line down to the water. The City of Delta handles police and fire calls for the area, but the Tsawwassen First Nation’s own land...
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Wiikwemkoong’s new drug strategy sparks debate on safety, healing and community
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor WIIKWEMKOONG—The sound that echoed through Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory last week was more than gunfire. It was the sound of a community reaching a breaking point. Following a recent shooting and amid what leadership described as escalating drug-related violence, Ogimaa Tim Ominika announced a sweeping new approach aimed at people involved in serious drug trafficking, weapons offences, intimidation and violence within the community—one that includes the conditional removal of offenders from Wiikwemkoong for a minimum period of two years. Standing alongside members of council and Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service Chief of Police Ron Gignac, Ogimaa Ominika spoke with the bluntness of a leader staring directly into a crisis that has already hollowed out too many Northern communities. “We cannot treat...
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B.C. allowed logging in caribou habitat despite its own ministry’s recommendation
By Wolfgang Depner Mike James doesn’t know yet whether his first grandchild will be a boy or girl, but he hopes they will have a chance to see threatened southern mountain caribou during a future visit to his family’s cabin near Quesnel Lake. The snowshoe-like hoofs of southern mountain caribou, also called deep snow caribou, allow them to feed on lichens that grow in high-altitude parts of old-growth forest. The habitat range of the caribou lies mainly in eastern B.C. stretching from the north-central regions of the province southwards, with some pockets in western B.C. and along the U.S. border. But decades of logging have destroyed their habitat, reducing their overall numbers to fewer than 1,400 spread across 18 herds, according to government figures from 2023. There are said to...
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Tseshaht prohibits all fires on reserve and Broken Group Islands
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Port Alberni, B.C. – BC Wildfire Service may have flip-flopped on a May 7 campfire ban in the Coastal Fire Centre, but Tseshaht First Nation in Port Alberni is holding the proverbial burn line. The nation is prohibiting all fires on reserve lands and the Broken Group Islands until further notice. Their decision is supported by Hupačasath First Nation and the City of Port Alberni, who are also maintaining a complete fire ban. BC Wildfire rescinded the open fire prohibition on campfires throughout the Coastal Fire Centre within a week of announcing the ban. Citing a shift in weather conditions and “cooler temperatures”, campfires are permitted in the Coastal Fire Centre starting May 15 at noon. “I was surprised by BC Wildfire,...
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Man loses bid to stay off sex offender registry
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A man convicted of sexual assault in 2024 lost his constitutional challenge against a judge’s order requiring him to register as a sex offender and report his whereabouts to police for life. A jury found Wayne Michael James Dick guilty, and BC Supreme Court Justice Andrew Majawa sentenced him last July to three and a half years in jail. Majawa also ordered him to comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act for life. Dick, who travels throughout BC for construction work, fishing and hunting, argued the requirements violated his rights under the life, liberty and security of the person section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In a May 1 ruling, Majawa found Dick failed to meet the...
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