Trump family fortune began in a Canadian brothel-hotel
By Fakiha Baig -CP-In one of history’s little-known ironies, the Maple Leaf country pushing back against Donald Trump’s annexation bid is also host to a tiny, remote restaurant and brothel that helped launch the U.S. president’s family fortune more than 100 years ago. To find it, look west. Way west. On a quiet, remote trail in British Columbia near the Yukon boundary sits a wooden facade resembling the brothel and restaurant Trump’s grandfather built at the turn of the century. Friedrich Trump called his business in Bennett, a town that sprang up because of the Klondike Gold Rush, the Arctic Restaurant & Hotel. Parks Canada says the replica at the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site was constructed in 2017, and the kitchen inside is now exclusively used by government workers....
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Advancing clean water to be awarded
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Nominations for the National First Nations Water Leadership Award are being accepted until May 31. Created in 2018, the annual award recognizes Indigenous individuals, communities or organizations that “demonstrate leadership and outstanding dedication to the advancement of clean and safe drinking water in First Nations communities,” according to a federal backgrounder. Previous award winners were chosen for a variety of accomplishments, including working to end boil-water advisories and promoting best operational practices. Meanwhile, ensuring water in remote Indigenous communities is safe to drink remains a challenge. According to an Indigenous Services Canada backgrounder, as of the end of February, 32 First Nations were under long-term drinking water advisories. The federal government says it earmarked $1.55 billion starting in 2024 to support clean drinking...
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Local man charged with impaired and dangerous driving after collision
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND-An Ohsweken man is facing impaired driving charges after a passing motorist reported a motor vehicle collision to Six Nations Police (SNP) last month. Six Nations Police responded to a single motor collision on Third Line Saturday, February 22, 2025, at about 11:46 p.m.. Police and Six Nations Fire and Emergency Medical Services were all on scene. SNP said witnesses at the scene told police two individuals were seen inside the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was still on scene, but the passenger had been picked up by a passing vehicle and left the scene prior to police arrival. SNP said signs of impairment were observed on the individual remaining. SNP arrested and charged Steven VanEvery-Hill, 29, of Ohsweken, ON with the following criminal offences:...
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Rankin Inlet students come up with names for police trucks
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Early this year, the Rankin Inlet RCMP sent an invitation to students at Leo Ussak Elementary School — ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6 — asking them to take part in a contest to help name their police trucks. The RCMP noted that they had partnered with Social Services, the Community Justice Centre and the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Center in Rankin Inlet to provide prizes to the contest winners. The police force announced on Feb. 18 that the following students won the contest: Kindergarten: Horse Rider by August Bolt Grade1: Great White North by Lillian Pilakapsi Grade 2: Qamutik by Mason Iguptak Grade 3: Polar Bear by Kesha Kolit Grade 4: Arctic Hare by Katie Nordman Grade 5-6: Northern Lights by Rhea Eecherk...
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Some media outlets start receiving Google payments from Online News Act: journalism group
EDITORS NOTE: NOT ALL MEDIA OUTLETS IN CANADA RECIEVE GOOGLE FUNDING By Tara Deschamps -CP-Money has started to flow to some Canadian news outlets from the $100 million Google agreed to pay them in exchange for an exemption from the Online News Act, the organization administering the fund said. The Canadian Journalism Collective announced Thursday that the first portion of cash sent to eligible news businesses amounted to $17.25 million, with additional payments slated to be transferred by the end of April. The collective first estimated the money would start flowing at the end of January. However, it extended the timeline to give news companies more time to review the agreement they’d need to sign to receive the money. Early recipients of the money include for-profit and non-profit outlets, large...
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Caribou society and Sinixt Confederacy prepare to welcome animals to maternity pen
By Rachael Lesosky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter It was a crisp, sunny day on March 6 for the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society (ALCS) open house at the Caribou Maternity Pen. The morning began with a ceremony held by the Sinixt Confederacy, to honour the mountain caribou and make offerings for their recovery. “The caribou for my ancestors were a really big food source,” said Rick Desautel, outreach technician with the Sinixt Confederacy. “If the caribou hadn’t fed my grandfather, I wouldn’t be here today.” Historically, the Central Selkirk herd traversed the Monashee, Selkirk, and Purcell ranges. However, their population has dwindled to just 28 adults in only the Selkirk range near Nakusp and Trout Lake. The ALCS’s maternity pen – constructed in 2019 – aims to alleviate pressures on pregnant...
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Conservative book-ban group crashes Kindergarten open houses
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter WINNIPEG, MAN.,-Members of a conspiracy theorist group have been showing up uninvited to kindergarten open houses in Winnipeg to warn young families about “pornographic” content in public schools. The Pembina Trails School Division recently contacted Action4Canada — described as a radical conservative group with a mandate to protect “family, faith and freedom” — to request representatives stay off its properties. “Schools must be safe and caring environments free from unauthorized demonstrations, protests, or propaganda,” superintendent Shelley Amos said in a statement to the Free Press. A4C members have gone to at least eight division campuses in recent weeks to distribute brochures and, in some cases, approach parents and students directly to discuss their cause. “Individuals who do not have a reason to be...
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QNW unveils Charter for Equality Between First Nations Women and Men
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Quebec Native Women unveiled what they are calling an “ambitious and transformative initiative” aimed at recognizing and promoting the individual and collective rights of Indigenous women and girls late last week. The organization announced the creation of a Charter for Equality Between First Nations Women and Men, saying it aims to address First Nations women, girls, men, and boys and will engage a wide range of institutions and sectors to ensure its sustainable and effective implementation. The Charter also aims to guarantee equal rights, opportunities, and access to public services for First Nations women and girls while valuing and respecting their cultures, languages, and traditional knowledge, said QNW president Marjolaine Etienne. “This Charter represents a historic milestone for the rights of First Nations...
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Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige talks tariffs in Washington
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter WASHINGTON, DC—The Great Lakes, vast and ancient, cradle the lives of millions. They are not just bodies of water but living, breathing entities—repositories of history, sustenance and spirit. Now, as new tariffs imposed by President Trump threaten economic stability and environmental protections across this sacred watershed, Indigenous leaders, municipal officials and policymakers are uniting in an urgent stand to defend them. At the heart of this movement is Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige who arrived in Washington, DC as a representative for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) with a clear message: “ First Nationshave never surrendered the Great Lakes, and we must be at the table where decisions about them are made.” GLSLCI is a binational...
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Canada spends $1.5 billion to boost Arctic sovereignty and empower Inuit communities
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Canada is strengthening its Arctic sovereignty and helping to empower Inuit communities with a $1.5-billion contract in the North. The investment covers a wide range of priorities, including skills training, employment, cultural preservation and institutional capacity development. It will roll out over a decade until 2034 and be accompanied by an additional $77.6 million in annual funding to support Nunavut communities. “This is a historic moment,” said Gary Anandasangaree, minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. “It’s a joint vision for Nunavut – where we work together on issues important to Inuit.” The contract falls under the Nunavut Agreement, a land claims and self-governance agreement signed in 1993 that created the territory of Nunavut in Canada. The new contract was signed on Saturday...
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Next Generation program launches in Mashteuiatsh
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The very first edition of a new education program aimed at supporting young Indigenous people and helping them learn leadership skills wrapped up last. The first iteration of the Next Generation program, aimed at Indigenous youth aged 18 to 35, who wish to explore their future and develop essential leadership skills was held March 4 to March 6 at the Ilnu Museum in Mashteuiatsh. The initiative was launched by First Nations Executive Education (FNEE), which in turn is powered by Executive Education at Hautes Etudes Commercials (HEC) Montreal. Through a series of workshops, training sessions, and group discussions, participants had the opportunity to enhance their abilities and gain key tools for their professional and personal journeys, the FNEE said. “This initiative is part...
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Kusugak praises Ilitaqsiniq staff after accepting medal from governor general
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Ilitaqsiniq executive director Adriana Kusugak, of Rankin Inlet, was awarded with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for Education by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon in Ottawa on Feb. 21. Kusugak was recognized by the governor general for her incredible work in empowering local communities and strengthening Inuit cultural connections. She was informed by the governor general’s staff that she would be receiving the recognition a couple of weeks in advance of the ceremony, but it was to remain confidential. She said it all didn’t seem real to her until she actually went to Rideau Hall in Ottawa and saw the space where the ceremony was going to be held and met some other recipients. “I also didn’t realize how big of a deal...
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Manitoba to no longer have jail as an option for people with communicable diseases
By Steve Lambert The Manitoba government is planning to stop using jails to detain people who have communicable diseases that pose a risk to others. A bill now before the legislature would give the provincial cabinet the power to spell out specific sites for detention such as hospitals and other health-care facilities. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says it’s important to treat people as patients and not put them in jail. The Public Health Act currently allows someone to be detained at a wide variety of facilities if they fail to comply with a communicable disease order or if they are exposed to a virulent and highly communicable disease. The proposed change follows a CBC report last year about a woman from God’s Lake First Nation, a remote fly-in community, who...
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Lil’ NHL opens over 200 teams take over arenas from Toronto to Hamilton
The LIl NHL is on with the Six Nations Blackhawks taking the Chippewas of Nawash Warriors 6-0 in their tournament opener, held Sunday afternoon at the Angus Glen Community Centre in Markham. (Photo by Sam Laskaris)....
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Trump’s on and off tariffs hurting Indigenous business
By Lynda Powless Editor First Nation communities are sounding the alarm in wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hit. Some Indigenous organizations across Canada have begun cutting business trips to the U.S. other Indigenous business owners are sourcing out made in Canada suppliers while the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and two of Ontario’s largest First Nation organizations are defending First Nations Economic Rights in wake of the U.S.tariff hit. U.S. President Trump’s 25 per cent tariff on imports has hit on all imports from Canada and Mexico into the U.S.. Six Nations Elected Chief Sherii-Lyn Hill did not responded to Turtle Island News questions on how the increase would affect Six Nations. But Six Nations councillors have. Councillor Hazel Johnson says the move by the US is “very unsettling” for...
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Mississaugas of Credit First Nation to vote on $183.4 million Toronto area land settlement
MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT FIRST NATION- The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) are about to settle a 230-year-old land rights’ deal worth $183.4 million for lands encompassing the Rouge River Valley tract in the Greater Toronto Area. The $183.4 million proposed settlement, announced Saturday, (March 8) includes $108.4 million from Canada and $75 million from Ontario for past losses. The proposed financial settlement follows almost three years of negotiations that began in 2022 with the federal government. Ontario joined in the fall of 2024. MCFN Ogimaa-Kwe (Chief) Claire Sault called it a “milestone.” “The proposed settlement represents a significant milestone in our collective efforts to renew and repair our Nation-to-Nation relationships with Ontario and Canada.” She said “resolving these claims is both necessary and just. “ Just last...
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SNEC Briefs: Administrative details make up meeting
New Signing Authorities Six Nations will remove former staff as signing authorities from its bank more than four months after a resignation. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) passed a motion to remove the former CEO, Nathan Wright and former director of Policy, Records and Communications, Duane Jacobs at the General Finance meeting on March 3. Wright resigned at the end of October 2024 and Jacobs, a long time SNEC employee, left his position at SNEC last week. Both were signing authorities on the First Nation’s Royal Bank of Canada accounts and will be removed. Councillor Dayle Bomberry asked if anyone else should be added as signing authority to replace the two directors. Acting CEO Jennifer Court said there are three current signing authorities, and she will come back with a...
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Local woman wins $200,000
Six Nations own Sally Henhawk is $200,000 richer after winning a top prize with INSTANT RUBY SOLITAIRE. A retiree, she has been playing the lottery with OLG for decades. She says she plays a variety of INSTANT and jackpot games. The mother and grandmother’s favourite INSTANT game is CROSSWORD, but it was a RUBY SOLITAIRE ticket that led her to her first big win! “On the day I won, I was with my family, celebrating my grandson’s birthday,” she said. She said that night she decided to play her ticket. “I decided to play my ticket and thought I’d won $20,” she said, while visiting the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to claim her windfall. “I showed my ticket to my husband, and he was the one who said, ‘No–you...
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Some Brant County residents will head to the federal polls as part of a new riding
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter New changes to the federal election boundaries will put several Brant County communities in different districts for the upcoming election. Federal parties are anticipating an election call as soon as next week – once the Liberals announce their new leader – and for some voters, that will mean heading to the polls as part of a new riding. The federal electoral boundaries are reviewed after each 10-year census to ensure the population is reflected equally in the House of Commons, according to the Elections Canada website. The most recent redistribution process began in 2022, with the 2023 representation orders coming into effect now. How do the new electoral boundaries affect Brant County residents? Residents of Paris, St. George (formerly Brantford-Brant) and Glen Morris...
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Mississauga man charged with arson
OHSWEKEN, SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-A 24-year old Mississauga man is facing charges in connection with an arson investigation at Six Nations of the Grand River. The charges came after Six Nations Police (SNP), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) West Region Canine Unit and Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services, responded to a Third Line Road structure fire at about 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, March 2, 2025. An investigation determined a fire had been set intentionally to a structure. The fire caused minor exterior damage to the building. No injuries were reported. SNP arrested a man Wednesday, March 5, 2025, without incident at a Fourth Line address in Ohsweken. As a result of the investigation, Daryoush Khosravi, 24 from Mississauga, was charged with the following Criminal Code offences: Arson –...
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