Eby says B.C. will play a key role in new global order described by PM Carney
By Wolfgang Depner Premier David Eby says B.C. will play a “key role” in a new international order charted by Prime Minister Mark Carney in a speech in Davos, Switzerland. Carney told the World Economic Forum on Monday that the world order is undergoing a “rupture, not a transition,” and Canada is responding by fast-tracking a trillion dollars of investment in energy, AI and critical minerals as it diversifies trade relationships. “I listened to the prime minister’s speech with a sense of relief and pride,” Eby said Wednesday. “Relief … because the prime minister is saying what we need to say, and that he is charting a course that we have to chart.” Eby said the “significant rupture” described by Carney requires middle powers like Canada to find like-minded countries....
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4.4 magnitude quake hits near Haida Gwaii, no damage expected
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck off the British Columbia coast, with provincial emergency officials saying no damage or injuries are expected. The quake was recorded off the southern tip of the Haida Gwaii archipelago just before 4 p.m. Earthquakes Canada says no tsunami is expected. Data from the federal agency shows the earthquake hit at a depth of 20 kilometres. Earthquakes Canada says earthquakes between a magnitude of 3.5 and 5.4 are often felt, but rarely cause damage. The quake occurred in the vicinity of the Queen Charlotte plate boundary, an area scientists say has the potential to generate the largest “megathrust” earthquakes and tsunamis. The plate boundary that extends from southern Haida Gwaii to southeast Alaska was the site of Canada’s two largest earthquakes in recent history —...
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Police investigate after man, 40, shot dead in parking lot of Kahnawake restaurant
KAHNAWAKE-Police are investigating the killing of a 40-year-old man in the parking lot of a restaurant on Mohawk territory south of Montreal. Kyle Chad Grabowski was shot just after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the parking lot behind Robbie’s Smokehouse in Kahnawake. Grabowski was not a resident of the community. Kahnawake Peacekeepers are investigating the killing with the Quebec provincial police major crimes and other specialized units. In a statement on Wednesday, Peacekeepers said Grabowski was shot multiple times. According to witnesses and video footage, the Indigenous police service said, the victim was leaving the restaurant when he was attacked by two suspects who fled in a red Honda Civic. Authorities say the vehicle was found set on fire a short time later in neighbouring Châteauguay, Que., and a firearm...
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Six Nations Elected Council Post border crossing warning
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- Six Nations Elected Council has posted a notice from the Jay Treaty Border Alliance advising community members to be vigiliant in crossing into the United States. The notice reminds community members of their Jay Treaty rights in dealing with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE). The notice reminds community members if they require documentation including a blood quantum letter or other needs to contact Six Nations Grand River Lands and Membership office. ...
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B.C. at a Crossroads: Indigenous Leaders Defend Declaration Act Amid Mining Shift
By John Wirth, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Indigenous leaders in British Columbia are calling on the provincial government to stand firm on the Declaration Act following a landmark court ruling and a 45% drop in new mining claims. As the province transitions to a new mineral tenure system in 2026, a debate is erupting over whether Indigenous rights are inflaming economic uncertainty – or curing it. The tension follows a major December 2025 Court of Appeal ruling in the Gitxaała case. The court confirmed that the Declaration Act is not just a symbolic collection of goals, but a law that applies to all provincial decision-making – including the controversial Mineral Tenure Act (MTA). For decades, dating back to the province’s colonial beginnings, B.C. has used a “free...
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MN-S ERII rep Digness suspended after ethics review; interim appointed
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca SASKATOON — The Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN-S) has suspended Eastern Region 2 representative Brent Digness for an indeterminate period following an ethics review related to recordings made public earlier this month. In a statement released Jan. 20, the MN-S Provincial Métis Council said its ethics committee convened after recordings surfaced during the week of Jan. 12 that raised serious concerns about Digness’s conduct. The council said the content of the recordings demonstrated an abuse of power and included harmful language directed toward Métis citizens, women and members of the broader Saskatchewan community. According to MN-S, Digness has publicly acknowledged his actions. At a special Eastern Region 2 (ERII) council meeting held Jan. 13, Hudson Bay Local 114 President Marilyn Ekert was appointed interim...
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Bigstone taking over Chip Lake rebuild
By Pearl Lorentzen Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader At the end of May 2025, a wildfire burnt half of the buildings in Chipewyan Lake, north of Wabasca. This small community in the Boreal forest is in the midst of being transferred from an M.D. of Opportunity hamlet to a Bigstone Cree Nation reserve. Throughout the evacuation and the initial stages of the rebuild, the M.D. took the lead and worked closely with Bigstone. However, by the end of January the whole process will be transferred over to Bigstone. The change is because Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has agreed to rebuild the burnt homes, M.D. CAO Chad Tullis told M.D. council at the January 12, 2026 M.D. council meeting. Therefore, Bigstone needs to be the local government heading the project. The...
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Verbatim: Carney’s speech to the World Economic Forum
Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at World Economic Forum that is garnering attention around world. Here is the full text of his speech: Thank you very much, Larry. I’m going to start in French, and then I’ll switch back to English. [Translated from French] Thank you, Larry. It is both a pleasure, and a duty, to be with you tonight in this pivotal moment that Canada and the world (is) going through. Today I will talk about a rupture in the world order, the end of a pleasant fiction and beginning of a harsh reality, where the geopolitics of the great powers is not subject to any constraints. But I will say, on the other hand, that other countries, especially middle powers like Canada, are not powerless. They...
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Fact File: Police unaware of any link between human trafficking, N.S. cannabis shops
By Lyndsay Armstrong The Nova Scotia government has said its crackdown on illegal cannabis shops was motivated in part by a desire to rein in human trafficking and ensure cannabis sold in the province is not contaminated with fentanyl. The federal justice minister and local police say they have not received reports of human trafficking linked to contraband cannabis, and police in Nova Scotia say they have no evidence of fentanyl being present in seized cannabis. Here’s a look at the claims. JUSTICE MINISTER TIES ILLICIT WEED SALES TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING The Nova Scotia government in December ordered police to crack down on illegal cannabis, with the premier saying the unregulated drug poses a serious public health risk. When provincial Justice Minister Scott Armstrong issued the directive on Dec. 4,...
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Feds ignore calls for moratorium, approve commercial herring fishing
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer When Kurt Irwin was growing up near Salt Spring Island on British Columbia’s southern coast, spring meant herring season. He remembers the ocean turning white as the small fish filled the harbours, the sky alive with gulls and salmon chasing them just below the surface. “We haven’t seen that in many years… They [commercial fishing boats] literally fished it out,” said the now 58-year-old Irwin, a councillor for the Penelakut Tribe, located near Chemainus on Vancouver Island. Their members have also been pushing for a five-year moratorium on commercial herring fisheries to allow stocks to recover. For the 2025–26 season, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) approved the harvest of more than 2,000 tons of herring from the Salish Sea for...
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Tofino council supports Tla-o-qui-aht’s bid to change some BC geographical names
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Tofino, BC – Following the official renaming of Tofino’s Mackenzie Beach back to its traditional name tinwis (pronounced ti-nu-wis) in the fall, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) has applied to the BC Geographical Names Office to change three additional place names: North Chesterman Beach, Kennedy Lake and Meares Island. Tofino Mayor Dan Law and council expressed unanimous support for the name change proposals during the Jan. 20 regular council meeting. “Just a reminder, we are not renaming necessarily, these placenames have been named these names for millennia,” said Law. He directed district staff to confirm their support to the BC Geographical Names Office. While in support of the proposed name changes, councillor Sarah Sloman raised concerns about safety when it comes to response...
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Six Nations Elected Council may hold cannabis referendum
By Lynda Powless Editor A move by Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) to hold a referendum that could outlaw cannabis here is already sparking controversy in the community. Turtle Island News has learned SNEC, in a closed meeting, agreed to look to amend the band council’s cannabis law by holding a referendum that could ask the community whether they want cannabis here or not. SNEC has already sought legal opinions on potential changes or banning of cannabis sales. The move has councillor Helen Miller concerned. “So what happens if we have a referendum and the community says no, we don’t want cannabis here. What is the plan if tht happens? What are we going to do then? Shut em all down? How would we do that? What is our plan...
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Six Nations Social Services staff tell local Youth Council to hand over branding in attempted take over
By Lynda Powless Editor In a surprising move Six Nations Youth Council (SNYC) says they were told to “hand over” their branding and all their documents by Six Nations council’s administration staff. The reason…? Dominique Bomberry, SNYC coordinator of the independant group, said they were told by band employees it was needed so Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) could start fresh with a new youth council. SNYC members appeared at SNEC saying they wanted to seek clarity and address any miscommunication between the youth organization and SNEC. Dominique Bomberry, SNYC coordinator, called for a more collaborative working relationship with SNEC and its departments. while emphasizing the importance of maintaining the Youth Council’s independence.,to SNEC at its Jan 13th meeting. Dominique Bomberry said she felt “disrespected” after a meeting with Arliss Skye,...
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Six Nations Flooding State of Emergency now in seventh month
Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) is now seven months into a flooding state of emergency. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) said the community remains under a State of Emergency after a flooding hit June 18,2025. SNEC says it is continuing its “response and remediation efforts” to the flooding. In a statement released last week SNEC said that “Significant progress has been made in restoring impacted facilities.” The statement said 15 buildings were affected but only five are still under remediation. The statement did not list what facilities were impacted. However, one building, the Iroquois Lodge, was impacted with about 50 residents being forced to move to a facility in Delhi in June. The Iroquois lodge is the only long-term care home in Six Nations. The statement says Six...
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Six Nations to support Permanent People’s Tribunal
Six Nations will support an international opinion tribunal to bring awareness to Canada’s lacklustre response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) voted to support a request for a letter of endorsement for the Permanent People’s Tribunal at its General Council meeting on January 13 to examine crimes against humanity related to Indian Residential Schools, to allow Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal to secure funding for the project. They are seeking funding from the Future Generations Fund to support the Permanent People’s Tribunal, which is scheduled to hold public hearings in Montreal from May 25 to 29, 2026. Nakuset, Executive Director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal formally invited the Permanent People’s Tribunal to Canada in November...
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First Nation’s advice: ‘Be careful’ in the U.S.
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source EMO — Rainy River First Nations members are advised to “be careful” in their movements south of the Canada-U.S. border saying they’ve heard reports of Indigenous people being harassed and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A notice posted on social media advises members that they “have every right to travel and live (on) either side of the border.” But when in Minnesota, the notice continues, First Nation members should carry their Indian status card or Canadian passport with them at all times. Further, they are advised to contact Rainy River Chief Jim Leonard immediately if they run into trouble. “It has come to our attention that Status First Nations people are currently being targeted, assaulted and detained” by...
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Border mayors react to First Nation’s ICE advice
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source FORT FRANCES — Mayor Andrew Hallikas said Friday he hasn’t heard of any of his border town’s residents having negative experiences with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, so far. “We do have an excellent relationship with International Falls, Minn.,” he said in a phone interview. “They’re our sister city and we have very close ties with them, so people from Fort Frances are back and forth all the time. And nobody has reported any incidents or any issues where they’re concerned. “But that’s not to say that can’t happen, right?” Hallikas said he saw the post Rainy River First Nations’ chief made on Facebook, advising members to “be careful” and always carry ID when south of the border,...
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Yes, there is a youth group!
It took a few minutes…but they got there. There isn’t a community anywhere that doesn’t believe its youth is its future. They bring with them hope, excitement and the belief in a future. For those of us who are no longer youth it can’t help but touch our hearts. Especially after watching while the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) tried to dig itself out of the hole it was pushed into, by one of its departments, in what we hope was simply a mis-communication and not an attempt to put youth in their place. In a nutshell, the Six Nations’ youth group had received funding from SNEC to the tune of about $25,000 over a year ago. Monies to carry out a variety of initiatives in particular those involving the...
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Today in History
January 13 In 2004, the Quebec government reached a tentative agreement with the Kanesatake police commission to end a potentially explosive Mohawk standoff at Kanesatake reserve near Oka, Que., allowing 60 besieged officers from various native bands to leave the station. Grand Chief James Gabriel, whose house was burned down during the protest, had invited aboriginal officers from outside the reserve to crack down on crime and marijuana growing operations in the community. January 14 In 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made some changes to his cabinet – moving Montreal M-P David Lametti to justice and shuffling Vancouver’s Jody Wilson-Raybould to Veterans Affairs. January 22 In 1690, the Iroquois signed a peace treaty with the British government and the Great Lakes tribes. In 2007, the multiple murder trial of Vancouver-area...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY: We Need To Protect Our First Nations From Emergencies
by Xavier Kataquapit I was surprised recently when I saw my relatives in my home community of Attawapiskat First Nation on the James Bay coast were still having to fetch water from a water pumping station in the community. For most people in the community, it is the only way for them to have clean drinking water. It was very surprising to me to see, because this was the reality when I was a teenager in the community over 30 years ago. I had hoped that by now, the water systems would be fixed and properly maintained to provide clean, safe drinking water to every household but that is not the case. A more serious issue has occurred in Kashechewan First Nation, south of Attawapiskat FN on the James Bay...
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