Former CBC ‘Igalaaq’ host named to Order of Canada
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Rassi Nashalik, the original host of CBC’s Igalaaq Inuktitut TV news program, is a member of the Order of Canada. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon announced Wednesday that Nashalik is one of 80 appointees to the Order, which is one of Canada’s highest civilian honours. A news release from Simon’s office described Nashalik as “a trusted voice for Canada’s North.” “She is a valued advocate for the preservation of Inuit language and culture, and a sought-after elder and community adviser,” it said. Raised traditionally on the land on Baffin Island, Nashalik became host of Igalaaq when it first aired in 1995. She stayed on until her retirement in 2014. Since departing that role, Nashalik has held positions as an elder adviser with...
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Ottawa man’s remains found in North Bay
NORTH BAY, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating the discovery of human remains in Head, Clara and Maria Township. The North Bay OPP Detachment responded to a report of suspected human remains Sunday, December 28, 2025, at 8:00 a.m., on North River Road, north of Cedar Lake in Head, Clara and Maria Township. The deceased has been identified as 26-year-old Hakeem Mukikira, 26, of Ottawa. OPP said there were no signs of a broader threat but residents were notified of an increased police presence in the area as the investigation continues. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available. This investigation is being conducted by the North Bay OPP Crime Unit under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, in conjunction with the Office...
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Three earthquakes rattle Alaska-Yukon border area within minutes just before Jan. 1
Earthquakes Canada says it registered three earthquakes in the same region near the Yukon-Alaska border within minutes of each other, little more than an hour before the stroke of midnight Dec. 31. It says the first earthquake struck with a magnitude of 5.7 in Alaska about 140 kilometres west of Haines Junction, Y.K., just before 10:47 p.m. PST. Earthquakes Canada says the earthquake could be felt in Whitehorse, Y.K., but did not receive any reports of damage, and none were expected. It says an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.0 struck at around 10:51 p.m. about 142 kilometres west of Haines Junction, followed by an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude about 143 kilometres west of Haines Junction just before 10:55 p.m. Earthquakes Canada says the third and final earthquake could also...
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Pimicikamak chief calls on Carney to deploy military over power outage fallout
The chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba has urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to send in the military to deal with a crisis caused by a prolonged power outage. The community has been without power since late Sunday when a line crossing the Nelson River snapped. Manitoba Hydro said Wednesday that repair work was proceeding, with full restoration of power expected by Thursday evening. In a letter to Carney, Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said water tanks have frozen, sewage systems are failing and the community has run out of potable water. The letter, dated Wednesday, said once power is restored, widespread burst pipes and flooding are anticipated, displacing more families. Monias said that despite the involvement of Indigenous Services Canada and the Canadian Red Cross, the scale and...
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AI misinformation leads to ‘mistaken identity,’ concert cancellation for Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post Celebrated Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac is the victim of AI (artificial intelligence) misinformation and is currently seeking help to take legal action in his defence. A singer, songwriter and performer, MacIsaac had offered to headline a concert in the Sipekne’katik First Nation (Shubenacadie) on Dec. 19, but the band council cancelled his appearance. It appears that inflammatory and wrong information was included in his biography, which appeared when his name was googled on social media. The wrong information claimed he was a convicted sex offender. In an interview with a media outlet, MacIsaac said, “If a lawyer wants to take this on (for free) … I would stand up because I’m not the first and I’m sure I won’t...
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Northwest Territories facing a hard-as-diamonds reality as pivotal industry wanes
By Lauren Krugel It’s said that pressure makes diamonds, but a diamond mining downturn is what’s putting pressure on the Northwest Territories economy these days. Diamond mines have long been a vital source of well paying local jobs, with spinoffs in hospitality, construction and other areas. It’s been estimated that the region’s three operating mines directly and indirectly employ more than 1,500 residents — a significant chunk of the territory’s population of almost 46,000 — and account for about one-fifth of the N.W.T.’s gross domestic product. “Diamond mining in the Northwest Territories has been incredibly pivotal to our economy over the last 25 years,” said Caitlin Cleveland, the N.W.T.’s minister of industry, tourism and investment. “It’s put over $30 billion into the Canadian economy, $20 billion of which has stayed...
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‘We lost a young man’: RCMP still search for suspects in Sask First Nation shooting
By Bill Graveland Security has been doubled on a Saskatchewan First Nation as the search continues for a pair of suspects wanted in connection with a deadly shooting. The RCMP says the shooting happened early Tuesday morning in Big Island Lake Cree Nation, 400 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, which left one person dead and three others injured. No arrests have been made but a band official has confirmed the identity of the young man who died. Geoff Sandfly, the band manager and director of security at Big Island Lake Cree Nation, said the victim is Neil Wahpistikwan and he is friends with his father. “It’s been a very stressful couple of days, but I grieve for the family. They’re really close to me so I was there with them at...
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Police say person found with fatal gunshot wounds on First Nation in Ontario
WALPOLE ISLAND FIRST NATION-Police in Ontario say a 29-year-old was found with fatal gunshot wounds on a First Nation near the Canada-U.S. border on New Year’s Day. Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to a disturbance just after 8 a.m. on the Walpole Island First Nation, about 120 kilometres east of Windsor, Ont., near the border with Michigan. They say a resident of the First Nation was pronounced dead. One person was taken into custody. The Walpole Island Police Service is involved in the investigation. Investigators did not provide further details surrounding the death. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2026. ...
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How an Ontario First Nation fought to keep its Elders at home
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer For David Wassegijig, life in a Northern Ontario First Nation long-term care home revolves around family and routine. He sees his in-laws, cousins and four grandchildren whenever he pleases, participates in resident gatherings and attends outings organized by staff, including trips to shops, ferries, haircuts, country music jamborees and holiday celebrations. “We’re all living regular daily lives,” he said. But when Wassegijig heard the Wiikwemkoong long-term care home — which he helped build decades ago on Manitoulin Island and shelters him now — might lose its licence last year, like many residents, he feared closure would send residents to larger urban centres. “I don’t know what it’d be like if I was in Sudbury,” he said. “I’d always be thinking...
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New border rules won’t change other boater exemptions: CBSA
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO — The upcoming end to Canada’s remote area border crossing permit won’t affect a separate slate of rules for water crossings into Canada, border officials say. Earlier in December, the Canadian Border Services Agency (or CBSA) announced it will be shuttering a program that issued permits which allowed citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and Canada to cross the border into Canada through specific remote areas without physically presenting themselves at a designated crossing. “The CBSA’s decision was based on an internal review of the remote area border crossing program, which considered the security, operational efficiency and the evolving risk environment at Canada’s border,” Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the CBSA, told Newswatch in an email. “Ultimately, the change...
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‘We lost a young man’: RCMP still search for suspects in Sask First Nation shooting
By Bill Graveland Security has been doubled on a Saskatchewan First Nation as the search continues for a pair of suspects wanted in connection with a deadly shooting. The RCMP says the shooting happened early Tuesday morning in Big Island Lake Cree Nation, 400 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, which left one person dead and three others injured. No arrests have been made but a band official has confirmed the identity of the young man who died. Geoff Sandfly, the band manager and director of security at Big Island Lake Cree Nation, said the victim is Neil Wahpistikwan and he is friends with his father. “It’s been a very stressful couple of days, but I grieve for the family. They’re really close to me so I was there with them at...
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Elected officials and health leaders talk doctor recruitment and retention
By Hope Lompe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder, Gabriola Sounder The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has released a report on their Health Summit of elected officials and community health care leaders on Nov. 13. In the report, the RDN outlines eight recommendations for the central challenge of getting physicians to come to the area and stay long-term. These include advancing physician-centered practice models that reduce administrative burdens, as well as loan forgiveness and competitive compensation packages. Gabriola area federal MP Tamara Kronis, provincial MLA Sheila Malcomson and RDN director for EA B Vanessa Craig, were present for the day of presentations and discussion on the future of healthcare for central and northern Vancouver Island. “I found the Summit very interesting and it was useful I think to have...
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These bipartisan bills were noncontroversial — until Trump vetoed them
By Michelle L. Price And Meg Kinnard WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term on Tuesday, rejecting two low-profile bipartisan bills, a move that had the effect of punishing backers who had opposed the president’s positions on other issues. Trump vetoed drinking water pipeline legislation from Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a longtime ally who broke with the president in November to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He also vetoed legislation that would have given the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida more control of some of its tribal lands. The tribe was among groups suing the administration over an immigration detention center in the Everglades known as ” Alligator Alcatraz.” Both bills had bipartisan support and had been...
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Drug bust on city outskirts puts man in trouble
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal A 38-year-old Toronto-area man known to police was charged with drug trafficking earlier this month after enforcement officers seized more than $202,000 in illegal drugs during an arrest on the outskirts of Thunder Bay. Police said the arrest was made on Dec. 5 in the area of Highway 11-17 and Dawson Road, but would not say on Tuesday exactly where the accused was apprehended. During the arrest, amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine were confiscated, a provincial news release said. The arrest was part of an ongoing drug crackdown in the region that involves the OPP, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service and Thunder Bay’s municipal force. According to the news release, Scarborough resident Dayne Anthony Richard Jones was charged with drug-trafficking...
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Downed power line in northern Manitoba repaired, electricity being restored
Manitoba Hydro said Thursday it is restoring power to residents of a northern First Nation after a downed power line forced residents out. Completion of the challenging repairs came a day after the chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to send in the military to deal with the crisis caused by the outage. The community has been without power since late Sunday when a line crossing the Nelson River snapped. Manitoba Hydro said in a statement it would gradually restore power to customers in stages Thursday to avoid overloading the system and potentially damaging equipment. Electric furnaces and other equipment can draw very heavy current as they initially come online in cold weather, the utility said in a statement. “Manitoba Hydro staff are working closely with...
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Flood of the century: a look back at the historic southern Alberta flood of ‘95
By Nathan Reiter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald It’s been three decades since southern Alberta faced the fury of the Oldman River in June 1995, but anyone who lived through it remembers the experience in vivid detail. The flood was caused by heavy rain in the area. The city of Lethbridge saw 55 mm of rain with some areas west of the city seeing nearly 300mm in a short time period. David Carpenter, who was the mayor of Lethbridge in 1995, knows all too well the power of the river. Growing up, Carpenter’s father was the chief of police. During the flood of 1964, constable Calvin Byam was swept away by the flood waters. “Dad was really, really upset about that.” Carpenter explained in an interview with the Herald...
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Three earthquakes rattle Alaska-Yukon border area within minutes just before Jan. 1
Earthquakes Canada says it registered three earthquakes in the same region near the Yukon-Alaska border within minutes of each other, little more than an hour before the stroke of midnight Dec. 31. It says the first earthquake struck with a magnitude of 5.7 in Alaska about 140 kilometres west of Haines Junction, Yukon, just before 10:47 p.m. PST. Earthquakes Canada says the earthquake could be felt in Whitehorse, but did not receive any reports of damage, and none were expected. It says an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.0 struck at around 10:51 p.m. about 142 kilometres west of Haines Junction, followed by an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude about 143 kilometres west of Haines Junction just before 10:55 p.m. Earthquakes Canada says the third and final earthquake could also be...
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Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq and Government of Canada sign co-management arrangement for National Parks
By Adam McNamara – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter – Strait Area Reporter, The Advocate Cape Breton Highlands – The signing of an historic co-management arrangement between the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada was made on Dec. 10, regarding the future partnership in how National Parks are established and upheld. The Toqi’maliaptmu’k Arrangement, which in the Mi’kmaw language means: we will look after it together, expresses a new way for the Mi’kmaq and Parks Canada to move forward in partnership and honour Mi’kmaw ancestors. The announcement was made by Chief Sidney Peters, of Glooscap First Nation and Chief Leroy Denny, of Eskasoni First Nation, both who are co-chairs of Maw-lukutijik Saqmaq – The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, along with the Julie Dabrusin, the provincial Minister...
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Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s new year’s message to Canadians
By Canadian Press Staff Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says she witnessed extraordinary solidarity across the country in the last year in response to wildfires, economic challenges and in advancing Indigenous reconciliation. In a recorded message to Canadians, released by Rideau Hall, Simon says the nation is courageous, inclusive and committed to building peace. She also thanked Canadians for their support when she was hospitalized with a respiratory illness in the fall. Simon was unable to take part in national Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa this year because of her illness. She also missed events for the state visit of the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Simon says the new year promises opportunities to strengthen the bonds that unite Canadians. This report by The Canadian Press was first...
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NO:IA / Happy New Year!
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