Six Nations man facing charges after colliding with police vehicle
By Alex Murray Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has laid eight charges on a Six Nations man after being requested to investigate an incident at Six Nations of the Grand River. At around 3 p.m. on Tuesday (July 21) Six Nations Police (SNP) tried to stop a vehicle near the intersection of Sixth Line and Onondaga Road after receiving a driving complaint. The vehicle fled the area but was subsequently located on River Range Road where it hit a police vehicle, leading a SNP police officer to discharge their firearm. The automobile collided with several other police vehicles as it continued its attempt to flee, ultimately entering a ditch. The driver, a 29-year-old from Six Nations named Brady Longboat, was taken into custody by...
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Manitoba Premier Kinew ‘willing to entertain’ Alberta to Ontario pipeline
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday he’s open to a west-east pipeline being pitched by his counterparts in Alberta and Ontario. Kinew, speaking to reporters at a meeting of premiers in Charlottetown, said the pipeline could make Canada stronger and that there are workers in his province who would be eager to help build it. “I love Alberta, I love Albertans, so (I’m) willing to entertain the idea,” he said. The pipeline proposal was announced earlier this month by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The line would stretch 3,300 kilometres from Hardisty, Alta., to refineries in Sarnia, Ont., going through Saskatchewan and Manitoba and not crossing into the U.S. Smith and Ford have said it would move 500,000 barrels of crude per day and reduce Canada’s...
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Over 100 people took to the Rainbow Bridge this past weekend
Over 100 people took to the Rainbow Bridge this past weekend to mark 99 years of Haudenosaunee border crossing rights. The 1794 Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain marks Indigenous rights to freely cross their international border. (Supplied Photo) By Alex Murray Writer With Canada-U.S. relations at a low ebb and U.S. President Donald Trump threatening more sanctions related to the wildfires in Ontario, for Haudenosaunee celebrating the Jay Treaty Border Crossing is more important now than ever. For the past 98 years, Indigenous people and allies have come together on the international Rainbow Bridge connecting the Canadian and American cities of Niagara Falls on the third Saturday in July to celebrate the Jay Treaty signed in 1794. This year’s event was held on July 18,...
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AFN Blasts Federal Response to Namaygoosisagagun Wildfire Crisis: “Absolutely Ridiculous & Disgusting”
By Alex Murray Writer The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) tabled an emergency resolution on the ongoing wildfire crisis in northern Ontario on Thursday (July 16). The resolution, titled “Support for Namaygoosisagagun First Nation,” called on the federal government to provide immediate support and commit to rebuild homes and infrastructure in the First Nation that has been one of the hardest hit by the wildfires in the area. Residents of Namaygoosisagagun, also known as Collins First Nation, fled in boats across Collins Lake as the wildfire approached last week. Some only had time to bring the clothes on their backs as the flames quickly encroached on the community. Residents said the scene went from smoke to flames in a matter of minutes. The about two dozen community members on the...
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ISC Minister Pushing to curb Second-Generation Cut-Off Legislation
By Alex Murray Writer The Minister for Indigenous Services Canada vowed to get legislation curbing the second-generation cut-off introduced to parliament by year end. Speaking to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Annual General Assembly Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said she has accelerated ongoing collaborative consultation processes and expects to be done that work by the end of July. She also committed to pushing to introduce the legislation by the end of 2026. Gull-Masty said “we must look beyond the Indian Act” to solve the second-generation cut-off issue. “This process with second generation cut-off, which I want to be very clear, we must end, is actually an exercise that requires us to move beyond tinkering with the Indian Act,” she told the near 4,000 delegates and 400 Chiefs at this year’s...
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National chief slams federal clean water bill at AFN assembly
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak slammed the federal government’s proposed legislation regarding clean drinking water for First Nations in her opening remarks at the AFN annual general assembly on July 14. Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty introduced the First Nations Clean Water Act, or Bill C-37, in the House of Commons last month, alongside a $4.6-billion investment in water and wastewater infrastructure. “It’s disappointing that this new bill fails to clearly designate First Nations’ rights to clean water, because no sum of money will distract from the red flags we see in this new clean water bill,” said Nepinak at Ottawa’s Rogers Centre. According to Indigenous Services Canada, there are 38 long-term drinking water...
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AFN: Cost to close Indigenous housing gap could hit $177 billion
By Alex Murray Writer Closing the First Nations housing and infrastructure gap in Canada could cost over $177 billion according to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Newfoundland Regional Chief. Chief Brendan Mitchell announced the staggering figure to chiefs from across the country during a housing plenary session on Day 2 of the 2026 AFN Annual General Assembly. Mitchell said if something doesn’t change, that number is only going to balloon to an even more enormous number. “My personal view is this: if the gap is $177.1 billion today, which represents this much space, by 2040 our gap is going to be this wide,” Mitchell said as he spread his hands as far apart as he could to illustrate his point. “We’re not doing enough about it fast enough to...
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Six Nations needs to update housing data, over half the population forced to live off reserve
Six Nations is questioning the federal government’s growing focus on off-reserve housing as communities continue to struggle with housing shortages while billions of dollars are being directed elsewhere. Councillor Helen Miller, who has sat on housing committees at various government levels for more than decade, toldSix Nations Elected Council (SNEC) as much as half the community’s population is living off reserve. Councillor Miller update SNEC on her work with the newly established First Nations Off-Reserve Housing Centre. She told SNEC’s July 14th meeting an Ontario-based organization has been created to administer $1.4 billion in funding for off-reserve Indigenous housing projects throughout the province. Miller said the organization has already established its board, bylaws, terms of reference and governance structure, with funding applications for “shovel-ready” projects expected to begin this fall....
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Six Nations donates to fire stricken communities
By Alex Murray Writer Apart from a few days of hazy air and an orange air quality warning from Environment Canada, Six Nations of the Grand River hasn’t felt the physical effects of the dozens of wildfires raging across Ontario like other First Nations communities have. But that doesn’t mean the community isn’t feeling empathy and sympathy for their First Nations brothers and sisters that have had to evacuate themselves without government help as wildfires bear down on their communities. To support all those flooding down from the northwest, where most of the near 200 wildfires blazing in Ontario are located, Six Nations community members came together to organize a donation drive to deliver donations to the evacuees. “We’re deeply saddened by the news of the huge loss the Northern...
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Six Nations hospice planning continues
Construction planning for the future Six Nations hospice continues, although several infrastructure and design challenges have delayed progress. Updates from both the Wellbeing Committee and the Built Environment, Climate Adaptation, Lands and Membership Committee were presented during the Six Nations Elected Council General Council meeting on July 14, giving the community a picture of the project’s progress. Wellbeing Committee chair Councillor Amos Key Jr. said the hospice remains a key component of Six Nations’ long-term vision to create an integrated health system that provides care from prenatal services through end-of-life care. “We’ve got parts of it. We’ve got the hospice now going,” Key said. “We want to look at diagnostics, assessment, all of that, as well as part of that integrated health system.” Key said construction has been slowed after...
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Editorial: Conflict of interest, declare it, move on!
Whether, or when, a band councillor is in a conflict of interest has risen….again! And not surprising it involves councillor Hazel Johnson and her connection to the Six Nations Farmers’ Association (SNFA). The SNFA was approved to receive $75,000 in community funding for their annual White Corn Project. A venture that involves the planting of the white corn for community harvesting. A worthwhile project that has been in existence for decades. This year, however, councillor Dayle Bomberry questioned his colleague’s involvement in the discussion and voting to approve the funding when two of councillor Johnson’s sisters work for the project and will receive honorarium from the SNFA that would come from the SNEC donation. Johnson says she is not in conflict. And, not only not in conflict, but expected councillor...
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Today in History
July 20 In 1885, the trial of Louis Riel, leader of the Metis and founder of Manitoba, began. Riel was charged with treason for his role in two Metis rebellions. He refused to plead insanity, as his lawyer suggested, and was convicted. He was hanged later that year. July 21 In 1961, the government-built town of Inuvik, N.W.T., was officially opened. The town, the largest Canadian community north of the Arctic Circle, was constructed to replace the old settlement of Aklavik, which was being threatened by flood and erosion. Located on the Mackenzie River delta, the town’s economy is centred on nearby oil and gas exploration. In 2021, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister appointed former cabinet minister Eileen Clarke to a powerful financial oversight committee, only to have Clarke reject the...
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Six Nations councillor called for conflict
By Lynda Powless Editor A Six Nations councillor was called out at a recent Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) session after supporting a motion that may have financially benefited her family. SNEC is now seeking guidance from its Integrity Commission after clashing over conflict of interest policies at the General Finance meeting Monday ( July 20). The SNEC argument erupted over whether Councillor Hazel Johnson should have declared a conflict on a previous funding decision. The discussion began during approval of the July 6 council minutes, when Councillor Dayle Bomberry questioned whether Johnson should have declared a conflict of interest on a previous motion involving funding for the Six Nations Farmers Association (SNFA). “I was just wondering because it involves her siblings,” Bomberry said. “I was just wondering if she...
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Rivermen to battle Bengals in semi-finals
By Sam Laskaris Writer For the second straight year the Six Nations Rivermen will square off against the Hamilton Bengals for the opportunity to advance to their league finals. The Rivermen and Bengals will meet in a best-of-five Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) semi-final series, which will begin this Saturday. Six Nations will host the series opener at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. The Rivermen and Bengals also met in an OSL semi-final series in 2025. Hamilton won the first two matches of that best-of-five affair. But Six Nations came storming back and racked up three straight victories to capture the series. The Whitby-based Brooklin Merchants then swept the Rivermen 2-0 in last year’s OSL championship final series. Both clubs entered that series realizing regardless of what transpired in the league final,...
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Whitlow named MVP of Arena Lacrosse League
By Sam Laskaris Writer Wes Whitlow got a text last week that left him a bit baffled. Whitlow, a star with the Six Nations Snipers of the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL), received a message from the club’s head coach Darcy Powless. “My coach texted me and just said ‘Congrats. It’s well overdue,’” Whitlow said. “And I was like ‘For what?’.” Then, a few minutes later, Powless sent Whitlow a pic from the league’s social media announcing Whitlow had been selected as the ALL’s MVP for the 2025-26 campaign. “I said ‘That’s pretty cool,’” Whitlow said. “I didn’t expect to win that.” Whitlow, who turned 28 this past Thursday, had a spectacular season with the Snipers, who captured the ALL championship this past March. He racked up a whopping 78 points...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: Arrows’ season ends with Orangeville loss
By Sam Laskaris Writer Following an impressive regular season showing the Six Nations Arrows were hoping to have a long playoff run. But the Arrows’ 2026 campaign came to an end on the weekend, much sooner than team members would have preferred. The Orangeville Northmen registered a 12-11 overtime victory over the visiting Arrows on Sunday. With that win the Northmen upset the Arrows 4-2 in a best-of-seven Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) quarter-final series. The local Junior A squad was considered a contender for its league title this season after posting a 13-5 regular season record. As for the Northmen, they were a .500 club during the regular season, winning nine of their 18 matches. Orangeville might have been viewed as the underdog heading into the series against Six...
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First Nations on Manitoulin Island offer unique Indigenous tourism experiences
By Sam Laskaris Writer Manitoulin Island’s claim to fame continues to be the fact it is the world’s largest freshwater island. But there is an endless amount of reasons to visit the island, located about six hours north of Toronto and accessible by car or, depending on the time of year, by ferry. Manitoulin Island is approximately 160 kilometres long, from its most westerly to easterly points. And it covers slightly under 2,800 square kilometres, which is about half the size of the province of Prince Edward Island. Manitoulin Island comes from the Anishinaabe word Manidoowaaling, which in English translates to “Spirit Island” or “Cave of the Spirit.” And there’s certainly no shortage of Indigenous tourism experiences on the picturesque island, which includes six First Nations. For those travelling by...
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More than 170 wildfires burning in Ontario’s north
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources is listing 173 wildfires as active this morning in Ontario’s north, including 12 that had been sparked in the last 24 hours. Early estimates suggest the flames have ravaged more of the province’s forests this season than any previous year on record, burning through more than 7,250 square kilometres so far. Most of the fires in the province have burned in the last 10 days, and forced more than 1,800 people from their homes. Twelve of the 13 evacuated communities are First Nations. On Tuesday, First Nations leaders called for a public inquiry into Ontario’s wildfire response, accusing the province of leaving communities to fend for themselves without timely support for evacuations. Earlier in the day, Premier Doug Ford said his government had done everything...
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Indigenous leaders meet premiers on sidelines of national meeting in P.E.I.
By Alessia Passafiume The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says she thinks premiers are finally starting to get the message that First Nations cannot be left out of discussions on major projects and building up the Canadian economy. “It seems like there’s a little bit of a shift,” Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said in an interview with The Canadian Press after she wrapped up a meeting with premiers from across the country on Tuesday. “In order to move this country along, we’re going to have to work more closely together.” Provincial and territorial leaders are assembled in Charlottetown this week for the annual Council of the Federation meeting. Indigenous leaders met with premiers on the sidelines of that conference, bringing a message that their voices must be heard...
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Fleeing by boat: Why the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation wildfire tragedy was so predictable
By Sara Wilson, PhD Candidate, Communications, Simon Fraser University On July 13, the residents of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation in Northern Ontario watched a massive wildfire jump the rail line near their homes. Facing an approaching 350,000-hectare fire, just over two dozen people who were in the community at the time could not wait for official evacuation co-ordinates, government transport or provincial emergency alerts. Instead, they evacuated entirely by boat, carrying only what they could hold. While every member survived, their community was entirely destroyed. Another First Nation, Whitewater Lake, has also been destroyed as more than a dozen others across Northern Ontario remain under mandatory evacuation orders. The political response is following a familiar playbook, blaming climate change as the sole culprit for the devastation. But the loss of Namaygoosisagagun...
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