Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict tells Chiefs of Ontario Assembly unity is “powerful” Indigenous collection action
By Alex Murray Writer RAMA, ONT-The First Ministers Meeting, the Ontario Final Agreement (OFA), and Bills 5 and C-5 were the main topics as the annual Chiefs of Ontario (COO) Assembly got underway at Casino Rama in Rama First Nation this week. Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict kicked off the three-day event with a speech about what the COO achieved last year and their vision for the future. Benedict said that with the “important and unprecedented” joint First Nations-First Ministers’ Meeting (FNFMM) coming up in the fall, First Nations of Ontario need to come together to focus on messaging and communicating their ideas clearly. “We need to be prepared as a region. We must work together to have focused, concise messaging. We must have concrete political positions and actions at...
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B.C. must learn from previous dams before starting new ones, says environmentalist
By Wolfgang Depner An environmental group is condemning plans by the British Columbia government to look into building two new hydropower dams, including a fourth dam on the Peace River. Joe Foy with the Wilderness Committee says damming and diverting big rivers has big negative impacts, which continue far into the future. He says the effects of the recently completed John Horgan Dam on the Peace River include massive cost overruns leading to public debt, huge losses of farmland and wildlife habitat and unacceptable impacts to Indigenous human rights. Energy Minister Adrian Dix announced on Monday that B.C. is “seriously” looking into plans for dams at another Peace River site known as Site E near the border with Alberta, as well as Bute Inlet on the provincial mainland. The Site...
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Liberal government tables new First Nations drinking water legislation
By Alessia Passafiume New legislation tabled by the government on Tuesday will create a legislative framework to protect drinking water in First Nations communities, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said. But one chief who helped draft a previous version of the legislation warns that the bill’s vague language on First Nations’ right to clean drinking water will only leave communities worse off. Gull-Masty told reporters on Parliament Hill that Bill C-37, tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, will “advance the critical work of addressing long-term drinking water advisories” and recognize First Nations jurisdiction over water on their lands. She said the new bill is backed by $4.6 billion in funding over five years, describing the sum as the single largest commitment ever made to First Nations water protection....
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News Alert: Liberal government tables First Nations drinking water legislation
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has tabled the Liberal government’s long-awaited legislation to govern clean drinking water in First Nations communities. Ottawa has committed $4.6 billion in funding over five years for water and wastewater in First Nations communities. The text of the new bill, Bill C-37 First Nations clean water bill, was not immediately available. But a draft bill obtained by The Canadian Press labelled “for consultation until June 11, 2026” blurs the language from a previous version that affirmed access to clean drinking water as a human right. The Liberal government’s new First Nations water bill is expected to “advance the critical work of addressing long-term drinking water advisories,” Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said on Tuesday, shortly after the legislation was introduced in the House of Commons....
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Federal officials cite decline in opioid-related deaths but warn progress is fragile
By Jim Bronskill and Sarah Ritchie The federal government says the toxic drug crisis continues to have devastating effects despite a drop in opioid-related deaths last year. Toxicity deaths declined by 23 per cent in 2025 due to several factors, including naloxone distribution and changes to the drug supply, federal health officials said Monday. Opioid-related hospitalizations also decreased by 12 per cent last year, the government said. Dr. Joss Reimer, Canada’s chief public health officer, says there has been some progress in addressing the national toxic drug crisis but it is fragile and requires continued effort. She says toxicity deaths declined by 23 per cent in 2025 due to several factors, including naloxone distribution and changes to the drug supply. (June 15, 2026) Officials stressed, however, that these changes are...
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B.C. eyes two new hydropower dams, including Site E near Alberta border, Dix says
By Wolfgang Depner The British Columbia government is looking at building two new hydroelectric dams, including a fourth dam for the Peace River where the Site C project generated opposition and cost overruns. The so-called Site E project would have a capacity of up to 750 megawatts, while a project near Bute Inlet northeast of Powell River would be bigger at 900 megawatts. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said Monday that the province is “seriously” re-examining the plan for a Site E dam at the confluence of the Peace and Alces rivers. The announcement comes amid growing demand for electricity that the government said in a news release was projected to grow 20 per cent by 2030 and 50 per cent by 2050. “We have real demands in B.C.,” Dix said....
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Minister expected to table First Nations drinking water legislation today
By Alessia Passafiume Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty is expected to table long-awaited legislation to govern clean drinking water in First Nations communities today. The House of Commons is expected to rise by Friday for the summer break, which means the legislation likely won’t be debated or voted on until the fall. The Canadian Press has obtained a draft of the bill labelled “for consultation until June 11, 2026.” It’s not clear if any changes were made since the consultation period ended. A previous bill was introduced in 2023 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Indigenous services minister, Patty Hajdu. That legislation, drafted in response to a lawsuit against the government that was settled in 2021, went beyond the terms of the settlement. It included an option for source water protection...
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First Nations to hold majority ownership of new wind energy project
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Tina Rasmussen, CEO of Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) Industrial Investments, is excited about the future benefits that will accrue to First Nations from a new wind energy project in Saskatchewan, which was officially announced on June 15 at a celebratory sod turning ceremony. The Rose Valley Wind project is comprised of 28 wind turbines. M Squared Renewables, a development corporation owned by the nine Nations of the MLTC, as well as the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation, will hold majority ownership. The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) reached an agreement to loan more than $160 million for the project, located near the town of Assiniboia in the Rural Municipality of Excel No. 71. Once completed, the 210 MW project will generate enough electricity...
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Saskatchewan premier says there is room to make better use of trade deal with Europe
Saskatchewan’s premier says he sees significant potential to boost economic ties with Europe as he works through a four-country trade mission. Speaking from a major defence and security conference in Paris, Scott Moe said Monday that the existing free trade deal with the European Union has so far been underused. He said Saskatchewan can increase energy-related exports such as nuclear fuel, along with other commodities. “There are further opportunities for us to deepen our connections in all things mining and all things agriculture,” said Moe during a press conference. During the trip, Moe signed a memorandum of understanding with the Czech Republic to increase trade with a focus on nuclear energy. The premier says he is heading next to Poland to push nuclear energy as well as mining and agricultural...
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Vancouver sets new standard for urban Indigenous engagement
By Nicolas Crier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Megaphone Magazine The City of Vancouver is known for being progressive in many ways. One of those ways is through the development and implementation of a new Urban Indigenous Engagement Framework. The guidelines are the first of their kind adopted by a municipality, establishing a formal and mandatory process for the city to engage on issues with urban Indigenous communities — including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Historically, urban Indigenous Peoples have faced systemic discrimination and exclusion at the municipal level, through policies, bylaws and practices that restricted where they could live, gather, work and participate in civic life. “This framework is an overdue recognition that our Indigenous voices belong not just to the past but must also shape every conversation about...
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‘We should embrace who we are’: Newly elected president of Nunavut Inuit organization
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Gloria Uluqsi stayed up all night watching the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) presidential election results on May 27, until the final results came in at 2 a.m. the next day. Looking on in excitement, Uluqsi won the presidency with 19.6 per cent of the vote. “The first thing I thought of was my dad — he passed away recently,” she said. “I was really excited, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about my parents and all the Inuit that I really rooted for who are no longer with me — my Elder friends and the people that I talked to on the ground.” Uluqsi said she won because she was honest and listened to people while bringing a determined drive...
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Mature trees cut near power lines in Kanesatake
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door Community members were incensed to learn that planned maintenance around power lines in the so-called “ecological gift” area of the Pines resulted in the felling of mature pine trees, with leaders suggesting changes are needed to Hydro Quebec’s communications protocol. “I get that 100 percent you have to do the maintenance,” said Kanesatake Perimeter Security (KPS) coordinator Kane Montour. “Was it a little excessive? I think so.” Calls started pouring in last week for Montour, first from community members and then the mayor of Oka, Patrick Hardy, who expressed surprise about the nature of the work being done and asked Montour to send members of his team. By the time KPS arrived, Hydro Quebec was already packing up to leave,...
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Indigenous dating show snags some love at Tkarón:to’s imagineNATIVE film festival
By Daniel Opasinis, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews It’s nearly summer in downtown Tkarón:to (Toronto), and a crowd gathers around the entrance to the TIFF Lightbox on King Street West. While it’s almost 8 p.m., the warm early June breeze and light blue sky is a reminder of the summer solstice, just around the corner. Moviegoers file into the city’s star-studded venue, many adorned in beads, ribbons, brooches and hide as they walk along the red carpet. The imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival is in full swing, bringing filmmakers and audiences across the country together to celebrate excellence in Indigenous cinema. Tonight, a movie isn’t being shown, but a buzzy reality TV show. Rezervations for Two is set to premiere on Monday on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and...
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Mattagami First Nation member credits sobriety, training for strong powerlifting start
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative, TimminsToday.com MATTAGAMI FIRST NATION – Neebin Prince finished her first powerlifting competition with a perfect scorecard, three personal bests, and a message she hopes will inspire Indigenous youth. Prince, from Mattagami First Nation, completed all nine lifts at the Band of Barbells Spring Classic and finished with a total of 332.5 kilograms (733 pounds). For Prince, though, the achievement meant more than just numbers. She explained that this moment reflected years of hard work, rebuilding her life through sobriety, reconnecting with her culture, and showing that Indigenous athletes belong in any sport they choose. “I got into a really bad situation with alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction,” she said. “In 2022, I gave it all up, and I started going to the gym, and...
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Kanesatake students say shé:kon to the future
By Fern Marmont, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door The ceremony on June 6 honoured the nine graduates who completed the intensive three-year immersion program. So far, this has been the largest graduating cohort for the program. “There is always the fear that when students from the program graduate, they get lost within the community,” said Wenn’tiio Will Gareau, a language teacher at Ratiwennenhá:wi. He added that it’s always a struggle to maintain the Kanien’kéha speaking community. “S,o it’s great to see that since this cohort has finished, they seem even stronger in their conviction towards our language, to save our language, and to keep speaking,” said Gareau. “That’s what they showed at the graduation, the confidence and pride for how far they’ve come,” said Gareau. For Gareau, this...
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American man found guilty of second-degree murder in 2024 killing in New Brunswick
A 49-year-old man from Maine has been found guilty of murder in the 2024 killing of a man in Esgenoopetitj First Nation, in northeastern New Brunswick. RCMP say a jury found Keith Martin guilty on Thursday of second-degree murder and attempted murder after a 23-day trial. Martin was the subject of a nearly 24-hour police manhunt in September 2024 and an alert warning residents of the First Nation to shelter in place because he was at large and armed. Police issued the alert after 48-year-old Mark Dwayne was found dead on Sept. 5, 2024, and Sylvio Savoie was found injured in what police called a firearm-related incident. Martin was arrested about a day later by police dog services and emergency response members. On Sept. 11, 2024, he appeared in Miramichi,...
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‘I had nothing to live on’: The $60,000 romance scam that broke a B.C. senior’s heart
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist At 75 years old, B.C. resident Sharon Blakeborough suffered a heart attack. It was not just a sudden medical emergency. It was the physical breaking point of a year-long deception. A sophisticated romance scam left her with severe emotional trauma and $60,000 in financial losses. Blakeborough separated from her husband in 2022. Soon after, a man approached her on Facebook. “I started to believe in him because I was vulnerable, because I was lonely. Yes, I was very lonely,” she said. He used the name “David Thompson.” He presented himself as a military doctor who had served in Syria. He showered her with affection and promised to build her a house on her reserve in Chowéthel (Chawathil). The casual conversation quickly...
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Full construction will not begin on Nunavut port this year
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The start date of full construction on the proposed Qikiqtarjuaq deep-sea port is not yet known, but it won’t be this year, according to an update from the proponent Arctic Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). In December 2025, AEDC said it was hoping to begin construction in June 2026. Project leader Harry Flaherty went to Ottawa in late 2025 in an attempt to secure fast-tracked funding for the project, but large gaps in financing remained. “These processes have not moved quickly enough to allow for a full construction season in 2026. Instead, we are hoping that we can still begin some on-site construction work later in 2026, pending federal funding decisions,” the AEDC report states. Phase 1 of the Qikiqtarjauq port...
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Ottawa to introduce privacy, clean drinking water legislation this week
By Anja Karadeglija The federal government will introduce two major bills in the last days of the Parliamentary sitting, focusing on privacy and ensuring First Nations have access to clean drinking water. The Liberal government has given notice it will bring forward a long-promised update to Canada’s private-sector privacy law. The bill is expected to include protections for children’s data as well as measures ensuring Canadians’ data is not used for surveillance pricing. It would be the Liberal government’s third attempt to update the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, after introducing bills in 2020 and in 2023 that did not become law. The government has also given notice it will introduce a bill “respecting water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on First Nation lands.” A...
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These Albertans signed petitions. What do they think of the separation referendum?
By Dayne Patterson Alberta is planning to ask residents in an Oct. 19 referendum whether the province should stay in Canada or if there should be a future binding referendum on separation. It was prompted by two citizen-led petitions. A petition from the group Forever Canada, asking if Alberta should stay in the country, was verified in December with about 400,000 signatures. The separatist group Stay Free Alberta, which handed in the other petition in May, said it collected roughly 300,000 names of people who want Alberta to become an independent state. Soon after, a judge quashed the petition, ruling it never should have been issued and that the government neglected its duty to consult First Nations. United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith says she can’t ignore those who signed...
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