O’Leary Digital appeal adds new front to Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation’s water license challenge
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com O’Leary Digital Limited (ODL), the company behind the proposed Wonder Valley data centre complex in northern Alberta, is appealing an Aug. 13 court ruling that barred it from blocking a legal challenge by Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation (SLCN). SLCN has called for a judicial review of a water license granted by the government of Alberta that would authorize the use of up to six million cubic metres of water a year from the Smoky River without consultation with SLCN. The Nation’s lands in Treaty 8 lie near the river where its members exercise and assert their treaty and inherent rights. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation argues those rights and interests in the watershed could be affected by the water licence granted to the...
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Ginoogaming demands increased police presence to combat violence, drugs
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com GINOOGAMING — Chief Sheri Taylor says Ginoogaming First Nation has secured a commitment from the OPP on addressing a public safety crisis in the community. “For too long our community has been dealing with emergencies, violence, drugs, and escalating safety concerns without the level of sustained policing support and accountability that our people deserve,” she said. The Ontario Provincial Police agreed in principle, she said, to work with her community towards a written framework to clearly “establish who is responsible for responding on emergencies, how Ginoogaming and OPP will communicate, what operational support will be available to our community, how serious and organized drug activity will be addressed.” Taylor told reporters at a press conference Thursday that she met with the OPP...
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TFN announces candidates for chief and legislature for election
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) voters will head to the polls on Oct. 17 to elect their next government, choosing between two candidates for chief and 19 nominees competing for 14 legislative seats. Incumbent Chief Laura Cassidy is seeking a second term. Former chief Bryce Williams is challenging her in a race that will shape how the nation balances rapid economic expansion with cultural stewardship and community well-being. Cassidy, who previously served eight terms on the executive council, said her immediate priority is using TFN’s resources towards community needs, specifically member skills and educational development. “We have focused a lot on economic expansion. And I think now we can shift our focus on community needs,” Cassidy told the Optimist, adding that she...
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To bring back historic herring populations, volunteers get down and dirty
By Brooke Kushwaha/the New Bedford Light Submerged waist-deep in the Acushnet River, Marcus Hendricks let out a howl that echoed through the forest and brush. The Wampanoag tribal member and land manager had just sawed through a fallen tree 10 inches thick and stretched across the width of the waterway, spraying sawdust into the cloudy water. Two volunteers heaved the cut-up trunk aside, opening up the northern section of river to humans and fish for the first time in decades. “I’m trying not to get emotional,” Hendricks said, taking a step back. This summer, Hendricks began leading cleanups of the Acushnet River, to clear the way for herring to swim upstream to their spawning grounds at the old New Bedford Reservoir. Since 2002, state and local scientists have been working...
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Whitmer rethinks Line 5 tunnel permits, ramps up shutdown pleas after court ruling
By Kelly House/bridge Michigan State environmental regulators are reviewing permits they recently granted for the Line 5 tunnel project, in light of a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for environmental reviews. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Phil Roos, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, announced the development Wednesday in a press release. Calling the Line 5 pipeline “a ticking time bomb in the heart of the Great Lakes,” Whitmer also wrote a letter Wednesday urging outgoing Enbridge CEO Gregory Ebel to shut it down “within months.” “The Michigan Supreme Court has made clear that the state must more thoroughly scrutinize the environmental consequences of the proposed tunnel and the alternatives to it,” Whitmer said in a statement. “At the same time, Enbridge...
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Alberta’s Smith takes hands-off approach to First Nation’s trans care safe haven
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s premier is taking a hands-off approach to a First Nation defying her government by announcing it will offer safe haven for gender-affirming medical care. “I don’t have any authority over the First Nation,” Smith told reporters at an event in Edmonton Thursday. “I respect their sovereignty.” Her comments came a day after Saddle Lake Cree Nation announced its plan. The nation says the plan is within their jurisdiction and that access to health care is a treaty right. Alberta law prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to transgender and gender diverse children under age 16. Smith has said the law is about protecting children and their fertility while preserving choice. Her United Conservative government has invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to shield the...
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Alberta’s Smith takes hands-off approach to First Nation’s trans care safe haven
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s premier is taking a hands-off approach to a First Nation defying her government by announcing it will offer safe haven for gender-affirming medical care. “I don’t have any authority over the First Nation,” Smith told reporters at an event in Edmonton Thursday. “I respect their sovereignty.” Her comments came a day after Saddle Lake Cree Nation announced its plan. The nation says the plan is within their jurisdiction and that access to health care is a treaty right. Alberta law prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to transgender and gender diverse children under age 16. Smith has said the law is about protecting children and their fertility while preserving choice. Her United Conservative government has invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to shield the...
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NLL down to 12 teams after Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings fold
The Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings have discontinued operations, the National Lacrosse League said Thursday. A dispersal draft was scheduled for Tuesday as the league prepared to continue with 12 clubs for the upcoming season. “Today is a difficult day for the National Lacrosse League and most importantly, for the fans, players, employees and partners who have supported the Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings,” NLL commissioner Brett Frood said in a statement. “These are proud lacrosse markets with passionate communities, and we are grateful to everyone who has invested their time, energy and belief in these clubs. “As we enter our 40th anniversary season, our responsibility is to provide certainty for our constituents and move forward with 12 active member clubs aligned behind the league’s collective future.” The...
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B.C. wildfire season winding down with lower burned area, but high structural loss
By Brenna Owen British Columbia’s wildfire season appears to be winding down, with more than 50 fires declared out over the last week and no major fires of note remaining as the autumn equinox approaches. Just three of about 100 blazes across the province are burning out of control, and the latest update from the BC Wildfire Service removes mention of the severe drought that has plagued parts of the Cariboo region and southern Interior. Instead, the update issued Thursday says now is a good time for people to undertake work to make their homes more resilient to wildfire. This year has seen 1,380 fires scorch about 4,750 square kilometres of land in the province, a marked decrease from totals over the last three years, particularly 2023, when a record...
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TIFF film ‘In the Heart of the South’ explores trauma and Indigenous identity
By Diana Mussina Nyla Innuksuk’s longtime love of horror — along with her own feelings of fear and doubt — serves as inspiration for her latest project exploring the uncomfortable subjects people often avoid and the complicated ways they shape friendships. A psychological thriller co-written with Ryan Cavan, “In the Heart of the South” premièred Thursday at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is the Nunavut-born filmmaker’s second feature after her 2022 debut “Slash/Back.” Innuksuk’s past work mainly involves short films and documentaries, so the transition to feature filmmaking in 2022, she said, was like jumping into ice-cold water and learning to swim. The filmmaker said “Slash/Back,” which follows a group of teen girls fighting an alien invasion in Nunavut, was “ambitious” — at a time when there was a...
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Ottawa announces $5 million for HIV self-test kits, more support staffers
By Brittany Hobson The federal government is dispatching 80,000 HIV self-test kits across Canada to expand access to HIV prevention. “HIV is a manageable condition, and people living with HIV deserve to live healthy, full lives without stigma or discrimination,” Manitoba Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson announced Thursday. “This funding is about making it easier for people to get tested, know their status, and access the care and support they need.” Ottawa will provide $5 million to increase access to the kits and to hire peer-based support workers for communities facing the highest burdens of HIV. There is $2 million for the tests and $3 million for peer support networks. The federal government says 2,300 new HIV diagnoses were reported in 2024, and an estimated 7,000 people live unaware they have...
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Alberta’s Smith takes hands-off approach to First Nation’s trans care safe haven
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s premier is taking a hands-off approach to a First Nation defying her government by announcing it will offer safe haven for gender-affirming medical care. Danielle Smith says she doesn’t have any authority over the First Nation and respects its sovereignty. A day earlier, the Saddle Lake Cree Nation announced its safe haven plan, saying it is guaranteed by treaty and within its jurisdiction. Alberta law prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to transgender and gender diverse children under age 16. The premier has said her law is about protecting children and their fertility. But Saddle Lake Chief Dale Steinhauer calls the law dehumanizing and says they won’t allow children and families to lose their rights. This report by The Canadian Press was first...
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Indigenous businesses face another barrier as tariff war threatens already fragile supply chains
By Jacqueline St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor NORTHERN ONTARIO—For Indigenous businesses, the threat posed by the Canada-U.S. trade war does not begin nor end at the border. For many, it begins right here at home in the long struggle to get a foot inside the supply chains that keep Canadian businesses moving. As Canada and the United States continue their increasingly uncertain tariff dispute, Indigenous business owners are being warned that they could be disproportionately affected by both American tariffs and Canada’s response. But the concern reaches beyond the cost of imported goods. It is about what happens to businesses that have already had to work harder to secure capital, qualified workers, infrastructure and access to markets and, increasingly, to become recognized as viable suppliers to larger...
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Neskantaga First Nation setting up temporary school in Toronto
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com NESKANTAGA — The school-aged children of Neskantaga are a long way from their place of learning, but classes are about to commence for them. The Treaty 9 nation’s chief and council have made arrangements for JK-8 classes to start on Monday, Sept. 14, at the Toronto hotel they are staying at as evacuees. The community, 430 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, evacuated in early August after sewage backup contaminated its nursing station. Instruction at the hotel will address a need for about 90 Neskantaga children, Chief Gary Quisess told Newswatch. “They’re not happy right now, because they know the school year has started and they want to attend classes,” he said in a phone interview. Creating a means for those youngsters to...
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Hay River’s Wally Schumann announces candidacy for Northwest Territory Metis Nation presidency
By Kody Ferron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yellowknifer A former GNWT cabinet minister and Hay River Metis Government Council President is now running to be president of the Northwest Territory Metis Nation (NWTMN). Wally Schumann said his skills gained from his previous positions will undoubtedly serve him well, if elected president. “It’s all about networking,” he said. “This country’s really not as big as people think it is. When you start working in a number of these different areas, the network is not that big.” Schumann, who worked within the mining sector for several years, says the NWT’s Metis have been pursuing rights for far too long. “We’ve been at the table for almost 30 years now,” he said. “I think it’s time to get things done. “Look at how...
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The plastic we throw away doesn’t just disappear, it comes back smaller
By Jacqueline St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor As Illinois moves to confront microplastics, Ontario is reorganizing the machinery that handles the plastic we throw away MANITOULIN—There is something unsettling about plastic. It is everywhere, and yet almost nowhere we can see. A bottle disappears into a blue box. A food wrapper disappears into a garbage can. A synthetic shirt goes through the washing machine. A cigarette filter falls into a ditch. Out of sight, the problem seems to have gone somewhere else. But plastic does not disappear into the ether. It breaks down and fragments, becoming smaller and smaller until it can move through water, soil, air and living bodies in pieces too small for the human eye to see. Now, governments are beginning to grapple with...
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Inuit associations welcome Ottawa’s decision to not recognize Indigenous rights of NunatuKavut Community Council
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Inuit associations across Canada say they agree with the federal government’s decision to terminate a negotiation process recognizing the Indigenous rights of a group called NunatuKavut Community Council. The council said that Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Rebecca Alty ended the negotiations on Sept. 4. “Canada has determined that the evidence submitted does not satisfy the court-established tests for Indigenous rights and title. Canada’s review of NunatuKavut’s claim has included consideration of updated submissions, internal historical and legal analysis, expert reviews, and discussions with NunatuKavut,” said Pascal Laplante, a spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. While the council can still apply for federal programs, services, and partnerships, the group will not be covered by Canadian law on Indigenous...
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Oscar-nominated Julian Brave NoiseCat, past winner Dan Werb vie for Writers’ Trust
By Kaitlyn McGrath An Oscar-nominated filmmaker and a past winner are among the finalists for Canada’s largest literary non-fiction prize. Contenders for the Writers’ Trust award include Toronto’s Dan Werb, who won in 2022 for his look at the rise of coronaviruses and this time makes the cut with, “Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World.” Meanwhile, Vancouver writer-filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat, who co-directed the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Sugarcane,” is up for his account of a quest to uncover his father’s story in “We Survived the Night: An Indigenous Reckoning. Julian Brave NoiseCat is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout – Writers’ Trust of Canada, Emily Kassie (Mandatory Credit) Also on the short list are Richard Kelly Kemick of Calgary...
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Canada Infrastructure Bank closes loan for Nunavut wind project serving gold mine
By Lauren Krugel Three wind turbine blades, each almost as long as four standard semi-trucks lined up end-to-end, have completed their long, painstaking journey to the site of one of Canada’s northernmost gold mines. The 4.2-megawatt turbine and a four-megawatt battery energy storage system will help power Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.’s operations in Hope Bay, Nvt., helping cut its diesel use by up to three million litres and emissions by some 13,000 tonnes per year. “To the extent that we can acquire clean energy rather than burning diesel, we’ll do that every single day of the week,” Ammar Al-Joundi, the mining company’s chief executive, said in an interview. “It’s just the right thing to do, and it’s part of our long-term commitment to sustainability.” The owners of the wind turbine...
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Canada ends Indigenous rights talks with unrecognized Inuit group in Labrador
By Sarah Smellie A group that says it represents thousands of Inuit in Labrador has failed in its bid to persuade Ottawa that it should receive Indigenous rights and recognition under the Constitution Act. The Crown-Indigenous Relations Department said Wednesday that documentation filed by the NunatuKavut Community Council did not meet court-established tests for recognition of Indigenous and treaty rights under Section 35 of the act. Spokesman James Sinclair said the department considered updated submissions, internal historical and legal analysis, expert reviews and discussions with the council. “We have offered to meet with NunatuKavut Community Council to discuss Canada’s findings in greater detail,” Sinclair said in an email. In response, the council accused the federal government of bowing to pressure from other Indigenous groups. “NCC has not been treated fairly...
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