Local resident shares personal experiences of infamous Sixties Scoop
By Brenda Sawatzky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prairie News Network On the eve of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, students at the Niverville High School learned a little more about one of Canada’s dark historical events: the Sixties Scoop. While some saw the event as a means to assimilate the Indigenous peoples into white culture, others saw it as a form of cultural genocide. According to the Canadian department of Indigenous Affairs, somewhere around 20,000 First Nation, Métis and Inuit children were removed from their homes between 1960 and 1990. Many were sent abroad, some as far away as New Zealand. According to some sources, about 50 percent of them were sent to the United States. In Manitoba, around 3,400 Indigenous children were adopted by primarily non-Indigenous families between...
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Thomas re-elected as chief on Walpole Island
By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice Walpole Island First Nation Bkejwanong Territory Chief Leela Thomas has been re-elected to a second term. With nearly 1,000 ballots cast on Sept. 19, Thomas, as the incumbent, outpaced five opponents vying for the chief’s chair by capturing 504 votes. The race saw Kennon M.L. Johnson finish second with 208 votes; Daniel Miskokomon third with 143 votes; Ronald A. Ron Sayed fourth with 90 votes; Cody Miskokomon fifth with 32 votes and Hussein Sayed in sixth place with five votes. Following the vote, Thomas posted on social media thanking the community for returning her to office. “Chimiigwech from the bottom of my heart for your encouragement, your support, and your trust in me to serve the nation again,” she wrote. “Also,...
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Denialism Protects the Status Quo
By Carol Baldwin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Wakaw Recorder Each year on September 30, Canada honours Survivors and the children who never returned home, their families and their communities through the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the lasting negative impacts residential schools and colonialism have left on generations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The news on Sunday of Second Sons Canada’s appearance in Kamloops cannot be coincidental. At the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc announced in May 2021 the discovery of 215 potential burial sites detected by ground-penetrating radar. This finding shook the country and the world as headlines appeared on the newswire. It also helped accelerate the creation of the National Day...
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Haldimand County OPP seek public’s help in locating missing man Kyle Laforme
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – Haldimand County OPP are asking the public for help in locating a missing man. Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigated a report of an abandoned vehicle on Ouse Street in Cayuga September 27, 2026, at about 12:30 p.m.,. The vehicle belonged to Kyle Laforme, 35, of Hamilton, who had abandoned his vehicle. OPP, concerned for his well-being, began a missing person’s investigation immediately. The West Region OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Haldimand Fire conducted an initial search in the immediate area and waterway. Extensive searches continued for the next several days with assistance from OPP Marine Unit, OPP Underwater Search Rescue Unit (USUR), and OPP Aviation Services. A missing person bulletin was shared on OPP West Region social media platforms. Investigators are releasing...
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From Conversation to Action: Indigenous Policing Summit Highlights Community-Led Approach
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News For members of Maskwacis, attending the Indigenous Policing Summit on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary provided an opportunity to listen, learn and bring new ideas home. Several members attended the summit, which brought together speakers and policing representatives from across Canada to discuss Indigenous policing, community safety and the importance of meaningful relationships between police and First Nations. For Cst. A/Cpl. Catlin Chiasson of the Maskwacis RCMP, the summit reinforced an important message: conversations about Indigenous policing need to lead to action. “It was phenomenal that we had the opportunity to send several members there,” Chiasson said. “From what I’ve heard, the speakers from across Canada were speaking about not only having conversations, but conversations that come to fruition. So,...
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UCalgary students decry residential school denialism debate
By Sarah Palmer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, LiveWire Calgary University of Calgary students are calling on the school for answers after a controversial on-campus debate. Social media posts have surfaced from Sept. 29, when a national student-led organization set up a debate table in the Science Theatres area, posing the question of whether the residential school system should be considered a genocide. The organization, Canadian Students for Free Speech, describes itself as a “movement defending open debate, viewpoint diversity, and free expression on Canadian campuses,” according to its website, which also serves as a place to report censorship. Tom Flanagan, a current political science master’s instructor at UCalgary who has been employed by the school as a professor for decades, and journalist Drea Humphrey were the featured debaters, according to...
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Presidents rarely visit Indian Country. Trump’s rally on the Choctaw Nation is the latest
By Savannah Peters, Thomas Pablo And Sarah Liese DURANT, Okla. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s rally Thursday on the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma put him in the company of just a handful of U.S. presidents who have visited tribal reservations while in office. The rally was part of Trump’s recent campaign push through deep red states, where he has been stumping for Republican candidates and promoting his agenda ahead of November’s midterm elections. While historically significant, the visit to Choctaw appeared to be incidental. Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said the city of Durant was chosen because it’s close to Texas, a state that’s an important part of Trump’s political itinerary. “President Trump wants to make sure Oklahoma stays red. And he also wants to make...
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Orange Shirt Day founder reflects on truth and reconciliation at West Vancouver ceremony
By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, North Shore News The woman responsible for the creation of Orange Shirt Day got to see her idea blossom into a sea of orange during a gathering to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Wednesday at Park Royal in West Vancouver. The event, called Spirit to Live, honoured residential school survivors and the children who never made it home. Survivors took to the stand sharing their experiences and its lasting impacts. Phyllis Webstad, CEO and co-founder of the Orange Shirt Society, was one of many who shared her experience and the story behind why people wear orange. At six years old, Webstad was sent to St. Joseph Mission Indian residential school near Williams Lake, B.C. A gift from her grandmother, a shiny...
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Ancient Âsowanânihk crossing reveals millennia of Indigenous use as communities seek protection
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Archaeological evidence from an ancient North Saskatchewan River crossing is helping researchers trace thousands of years of Indigenous land use while surrounding communities seek protection for a landscape at the centre of a logging dispute. Âsowanânihk, meaning “A Place to Cross,” lies near Crutwell, west of Prince Albert, Sask. Archaeologists are examining evidence of people returning over thousands of years. Environmental archaeologist Glenn Stuart says the evidence shows repeated occupation but does not establish that people lived at the site permanently. The University of Saskatchewan associate professor outlined the findings in written responses to Windspeaker’s questions. Project updates on June fieldwork and news reports published in September provide more information about the ongoing research and efforts to protect the surrounding environment. Reading...
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Languages website launches with Nakoda lessons
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com A free online teaching resource called canadianlanguages.org launched Sept. 21 with Nakoda lessons taught by Theresa O’Watch of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation. With Cree, Dakota, Dene and Michif lessons already in production, the new initiative aims to break down barriers to learning the first languages in Canada. While many provincial K-12 curricula across the country now include Indigenous languages, most schools still do not teach them. Founder Wahbi Zarry “wanted to make it so easy for a teacher that there is just no reason left not to teach an Indigenous language in class.” The Morocco-born certified French teacher developed an interest in Indigenous languages while pursuing a Bachelor of Education in Saskatchewan. Frequently hearing about their endangerment, his award-winning documentaries 10...
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In Tk̓emlúps, community gathers to ‘reclaim our space’ and denounce white nationalism
By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Content warning: This article contains details about residential schools. Please read with care for your spirit. On the eve of Orange Shirt Day, more than 100 people gathered in Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc to cleanse and reclaim a site where a white nationalist demonstration occurred earlier this week. For nearly three hours on Tuesday night, Secwépemc people and their allies drummed, sang and prayed — for the land and the people, and for all the families impacted by residential schools. Ashley Michel from Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc organized Tuesday’s gathering with four other Secwépemc (Shuswap) mothers. After seeing images of a group of masked white nationalists circulating on social media early this week, she told IndigiNews that they felt they had to come together...
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‘It doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to the Dane-Zaa.’ : Ridington Family digitally repatriates collection to Treaty 8 community
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — After nearly three decades of work, a collection of Indigenous stories, recordings and photographs have made its way back to the Treaty 8 people of northeast B.C. An event honouring the digital repatriation of historical resources dating back to the 1960s was held in the grand ballroom of the Northern Grand Hotel in Fort St. John on the morning of Sept. 25. It was a special moment for Amber Ridington, whose father, Robin Ridington, first began work with the Dane-Zaa people six decades ago. During her hour-long presentation, Amber got emotional while speaking about the history of the Indigenous community and their interactions with her family. After the presentation, the Folklorist spoke about the initial efforts of her parents, Robin...
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Tentative settlement in N.S. First Nation class action over non-consensual MRI scans
A tentative settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging members of a Nova Scotia First Nation underwent MRI scans without their consent. The law firm representing the class confirmed Thursday that the proposed settlement with the defendants — two Halifax doctors — is subject to approval from the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. None of the allegations in the lawsuit have been tested in court. The original lawsuit, filed in 2020 and certified in 2024, alleged radiologists Robert Miller and Sharon Clarke took magnetic resonance imaging scans of about 60 members of the Pictou Landing First Nation without their knowledge or consent. A statement of claim filed in Nova Scotia Supreme Court says band members agreed to undergo the scans as part of a research project in 2017...
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Indigenous groups given just two months to consult on pipeline project designation
By Alessia Passafiume Indigenous communities along the route for the newly announced West Coast oil pipeline were given just two months for consultations on whether the pipeline should be designated a project of national interest — and that was still more than the government had planned. At first, the consultations were to take place over one month. They were extended to two months after Indigenous leaders raised concerns about the tight timeline. A summary of those consultations posted online by the federal government says Indigenous groups decried a lack of information about the project, which they said prevented them from fully assessing its impact. Prime Minister Mark Carney promised his major projects agenda would not interfere with Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples....
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Driver released after collision that killed 2 First Nations elders in Delta, B.C.
Delta police say the driver involved in a collision that killed two Tsawwassen First Nation elders and injured two others has been released from hospital, as investigators assess whether the driver’s medical emergency played a role in the crash. Police say in a news release Thursday that while there is no information to suggest the collision was intentional, they are investigating whether a medical emergency experienced by the driver just before the collision on Wednesday morning may have been a contributing factor. The collision happened shortly before 10:30 a.m. at the Tsawwassen Mills mall near the Tsawwassen First Nation, in an area scheduled to host the unveiling of four traditional carvings known as house posts. The Nation hosted a community walk in recognition of the National Day for Truth and...
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Land purchase of residential school student cemetery site will ‘preserve this memory’
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun More than 900 people came out to the former Brandon Residential School property on Wednesday as Premier Wab Kinew announced the purchase of Turtle Crossing Campground — the site of a cemetery for students who attended the school. Explaining the decision to purchase the campground in partnership with the City of Brandon, Kinew said it was an opportunity to cement a piece of history. “The story of this land down the hill here is a story about how memory can be lost,” he told the crowd. “We have to preserve this memory so it can never be denied.” The campground property was purchased for $1.55 million, with the City of Brandon paying $400,000 and the province covering the balance. Sioux Valley...
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Modular home factory begins production in Arviat
With a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the modular home factory officially opened Tuesday. The $75-million, 64,500-square-foot facility started production at 60 per cent capacity Sept. 23, said operations director Jason Gibbons in an interview. Within 18 months, the factory will achieve peak capacity, producing up to 40 single- and multi-family houses a year. The factory employs 15 staff, including 14 Inuit, said Caroline Nault, CEO of Sakku Innovative Building Solutions, a joint venture between Sakku Investments, the business arm of the Kivalliq Inuit Association, and Quebec-based modular manufacturer R.G. Solution, which operates the Inuit-owned facility. Of those workers, 10 work on the factory floor in non-administrative roles. “There is only one non-Inuit employee, and it’s me,” Nault said in an interview. By early 2028 the workforce will swell to 40 full-time staff,...
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Treaty Nations seek relief from costly disputes as watchdog Bill C-10 reaches Senate
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com For the Nisga’a Nation, holding Canada to its treaty promises can mean spending time and money that could otherwise support programs and services for its citizens. Modern treaty leaders say an independent federal watchdog could help change that. Bill C-10, the proposed Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act, passed third reading in the House of Commons Sept. 21 and received first reading in the Senate Sept. 28. The bill is awaiting second reading in the Senate. It requires Senate approval and Royal Assent before a commissioner’s office can be established. In a Sept. 23 release from the Land Claims Agreements Coalition (LCAC), Nisga’a Nation President and LCAC co-chair Eva Clayton said “The Commissioner will bring much needed oversight to the implementation of...
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Case of Mi’kmaq fishermen accused of trying to steal lobster causes stir
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner Many legal experts and Indigenous activists are anxiously waiting for a decision in a Campbellton courtroom on Oct. 30. That’s the date Provincial Court Judge Martin Goguen delivers a verdict for three Mi’kmaq fishermen accused of trying to poach lobsters at the New Mills wharf in northern New Brunswick. The case has caused a stir, one that a former national First Nation chief says is the latest in a series of raids by “Carney’s I.C.E. agents,” comparing the actions of Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal enforcement officials with the controversial tactics of President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The boat captain, Chris Labillois of Eel River Bar, is charged with fishing lobster using traps without valid...
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Health of women with diabetes may deteriorate after menopause: study
By Jean-Benoit Legault Women with Type 1 diabetes appear to be at greater risk of physical and psychosocial health problems after menopause and require an updated treatment plan, according to a new study. Published in September by Diabetes Research and Clinical Practices, the research found that post-menopausal women had a higher risk of retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, falls, and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. They were also less likely to have been prescribed antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Jane Yardley of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute was one of the co-authors of the study. “What we found (ultimately) was that there were several things that were worse for women after menopause than before menopause,” Yardley said. The research was based on a review of the medical records of 211 women aged 40 to...
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