Portage leaders awarded for economic growth in Western Canada
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader Two regional leaders are being celebrated for their roles in driving growth across Western Canada after receiving prestigious industry honours at a recent regional summit. Eve O’Leary, director of economic development for Portage Regional Economic Development Inc. (PRED), and Dennis Meeches of Long Plain First Nation were both named recipients of the West 20 (W20) award. The awards were presented during the Western Canadian Economic Forum held in Winnipeg. The W20 recognizes 20 impactful business, government, community, and Indigenous leaders from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Recipients are typically chosen based on having more than a decade of experience, a clear history of career progression, and a commitment to building community through investment attraction and entrepreneurship. O’Leary, who...
Register
Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman who helped save Washington’s army, is honored on $1 coin
By Savannah Peters EDGEWOOD, N.M. (AP) — The reverse side of the U.S. Mint’s 2026 Sacagawea $1 coin will feature Polly Cooper, a woman from the Oneida tribe known for helping George Washington’s Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The release of the coin this week coincides with celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It recognizes Cooper’s role in a 1778 relief expedition from Oneida territory in what is now central New York to the rebel troops’ winter encampment in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where they were facing a food and supply crisis. “Polly Cooper symbolizes courage that is not just found on the battlefield but in compassion and willingness to help others, which is just a part of Oneida culture and hospitality,” said...
Register
‘This is our hunting ground’: Iqaluit to raise flag to support Greenland
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News IQALUIT-Iqaluit city council unanimously voted Tuesday to raise Greenland’s flag in response to the United States’ threats against “our family.” “Greenland belongs to Greenland,” said Mayor Solomon Awa, who made the proposal during this week’s regular council meeting. “We want to show support in these increasingly challenging times.” Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of approximately 56,000 people, the vast majority of whom are Inuit. Council’s decision comes a week after Greenland’s red and white flag was raised in front of Nunavut’s legislative assembly building, following days of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to gain control of the self-governing territory. Trump called the island a “piece of ice” the United States needs to own for national...
Register
City, RCMP ‘merge’ efforts against Iqaluit’s alcohol-related crimes
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Iqaluit RCMP and municipal enforcement officers will work together in an effort to curb alcohol and traffic-related incidents in the city for the next three months. “My goal is to merge pretty much the two agencies together to work alongside,” said Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski, Iqaluit RCMP’s detachment commander, in his monthly presentation to city councillors Tuesday. City bylaw officers and RCMP officers will patrol the city together in what Nikolovski referred to as a three-month pilot project. Three RCMP officers have been dedicated for the project. “Residents may notice increased foot patrols and officers actively engaging with individuals around the city,” a City of Iqaluit news release said. There has been a “disconnection” between the RCMP and municipal enforcement officers, but...
Register
Anandasangaree says lack of help from some provinces, police won’t thwart gun buyback
By Jim Bronskill Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said he doesn’t foresee logistical challenges in gathering up banned firearms through a federal buyback program, despite the refusal of several provinces and police forces to help. Anandasangaree said in an interview on Thursday, the use of mobile collection units and off-duty or retired police officers will help ensure the collection of outlawed firearms that owners elect to hand over for compensation. “Operationally, we don’t anticipate any challenges,” he said. “We’re very confident that the program can be implemented.” Public Safety Canada said gun owners reported 22,251 firearms to the government in the first week of the program to provide compensation for banned guns. Owners of outlawed firearms have until the end of March to declare interest in the program, which offers...
Register
10 ‘taken’ from B.C. firm’s Mexican mine site, but Global Affairs says no Canadians
By Darryl Greer Global Affairs Canada says it is monitoring a security incident at a Vancouver-based mining firm’s project in Concordia, Mexico, where 10 people have been abducted, but it’s not aware of any missing Canadians. Vizlas Silver Corp. says in a statement issued Wednesday that 10 people were “taken” from its mine site in Mexico. Vizsla says the security incident happened at its Panuco project site, a gold and silver mining operation in the state of Sinaloa. Global Affairs says it’s working with Mexican officials through the Canadian Embassy. The company says information about what occurred is limited as it remains under investigation, and local authorities have been informed, while the company’s crisis management and security response teams have been “actively engaged.” It says the first priority is the...
Register
There’s a homelessness crisis but no state of emergency, mayor says
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY — There is a homelessness crisis, and the city is taking action. But, for now at least, there will be no state of emergency declaration. That, briefly, is Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff’s response to a recent letter from leaders of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and Fort William First Nation. The NAN/Fort Wiliam letter to Boshcoff, posted on social media last Friday, said there is an emergency as unhoused people perish “in the streets, in public parks, in bus shelters.” It urged the city to declare a state of emergency. “I agree this is a crisis,” Boshcoff states in Thursday’s letter of reply posted on the city’s Facebook page and website. His letter also acknowledges a “need for...
Register
GNWT, Acho Dene Koe reach agreement to streamline housing initiatives
By Kody Ferron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North The territorial government and the Acho Dene Koe First Nation in Fort Liard have announced a memorandum of agreement on housing. The arrangement aims to “formalize cooperation” between Housing NWT and the Acho Dene Koe First Nation (ADKFN) and “builds on past partnerships to guide joint work on housing priorities,” according to a Jan. 26 news release. “This agreement is an important step forward for our people,” said ADKFN Chief Eugene Hope. “By working together with Housing NWT, we are creating a path to improve housing in Echaot’l Koe [Fort Liard] that reflects our community’s priorities and values. Safe, secure, and culturally appropriate housing is the foundation for healthy families and a strong future, and we are committed to achieving that...
Register
B.C. school trustee ‘terrified’ after police ordered her out of vehicle at gunpoint
A school trustee in Prince George, B.C., says she was “terrified” after being ordered out of her vehicle at gunpoint by police and handcuffed for a few minutes before being let go, leaving her “feeling afraid, overwhelmed and angry.” Erica McLean says in a Facebook post that she had parked at a shopping centre after getting a coffee at a drive-thru on Tuesday when she was boxed in by police vehicles and ordered out of her sport utility vehicle by officers with their guns pointed at her. McLean says police were yelling at her to show her hands, and she was left frozen in shock and worried she’d be shot if she put her phone down or took off her seatbelt. She says she was handcuffed, told that her vehicle...
Register
Fearing ICE, Native Americans rush to prove their right to belong in the US
By Graham Lee Brewer, Savannah Peters And Stewart Huntington MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flooded Minneapolis, Shane Mantz dug his Choctaw Nation citizenship card out of a box on his dresser and slid it into his wallet. Some strangers mistake the pest-control company manager for Latino, he said, and he fears getting caught up in ICE raids. Like Mantz, many Native Americans are carrying tribal documents proving their U.S. citizenship in case they are stopped or questioned by federal immigration agents. This is why dozens of the 575 federally recognized Native nations are making it easier to get tribal IDs. They’re waiving fees, lowering the age of eligibility — ranging from 5 to 18 nationwide — and printing the cards faster. It’s the first time tribal...
Register
Ottawa signs settlement with survivors of boarding school in Saskatchewan
The Canadian government has signed a $27-million settlement agreement with abuse survivors of a boarding school in Saskatchewan that housed Métis and First Nations children. The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School operated from the 1860s until it burned down in the 1970s. The federal government and a group representing former students reached an agreement in principle last year and the details have now been finalized. Up to $10,000 will be provided to each of those who attended the school for less than five years and up to $15,000 for those who were there longer. In 2022, the group of former students sued Saskatchewan and Ottawa for the roles they played in operating the school and for breaching legal duties of care. Ottawa says the agreement is subject to approval from Court of...
Register
Two men dead after shooting at First Nation in northern Quebec
Quebec provincial police say two men in their 30s were killed in a double murder Wednesday evening that has shaken a First Nation community in northern Quebec. The deaths appear to be linked to organized crime, Sgt. Hugues Beaulieu said Thursday. “It seems to be an isolated event, possibly within the context of organized crime, a kind of settling of scores in the drug trafficking world,” Beaulieu said. The two men were found inside a bullet-ridden vehicle following multiple reports of gunshots on a street in Mistissini, a Cree community located along the shore of Lake Mistassini, 600 kilometres northwest of Quebec City. The Eeyou Eenou Police Force investigated the shooting on Riverside Street. The victims, both local residents, were transported to a local medical facility where they were pronounced...
Register
Fire destroys school in Berens River First Nation
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun Berens River First Nation says its community school is a total loss after a fire tore through the building early Tuesday morning, forcing hundreds of students out of classrooms and prompting health warnings due to heavy smoke. Chief and council confirmed no injuries or deaths were reported in the blaze, which was first detected around 3 a.m. in a secured area of the north wing of the school. The fire spread quickly, with emergency crews and first responders battling the flames for about six hours in an effort to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. Despite those efforts, the school was destroyed. “We are relieved to confirm that no injuries or loss of life were reported as a...
Register
Tataskweyak Cree Nation releases research alleging hydro operations harming Churchill River
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun Tataskweyak Cree Nation says independent scientific research confirms decades of environmental damage to the lower Churchill River caused by Manitoba Hydro operations, particularly impacts to lake sturgeon populations. At a news conference Tuesday at the offices of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the First Nation released findings from multi-year studies conducted by biologists and hydrologists examining the effects of the Churchill River Diversion. The research concludes Manitoba Hydro has the technical capacity to operate the diversion in a way that better aligns with natural river flows and protects fish habitat, while still generating electricity, community leaders said. Chief Doreen Spence told reporters the diversion, which has operated since the mid-1970s, holds back up to 90 per cent of the water that...
Register
Feds commit funding to Indigenous-led study of rattlesnakes
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer For a long time, killing rattlesnakes was just a part of life in British Columbia’s South Okanagan. Jenna Bower, member of Okanagan Syilx Nation and Osoyoos Indian Band, said that her great-grandfather, now 93 years old, remembers that one of his first jobs was being paid to kill rattlesnakes when the area was first being cleared to make way for vineyards. As new orchards and farms took over native grasslands, the rattlesnakes had to vacate their habitats. “Everyone saw them as a big problem,” Bower said. By 2004, the western rattlesnake was listed as a threatened species. Since then, an Indigenous-led research program has been working to change the relationship between snakes and humans. The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, run...
Register
Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Disagreements over a proposal to build a pipeline to the BC coast has ignited a debate over who has the right to speak on behalf of First Nations. After Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance a new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, he met with Coastal First Nations (CFN) leaders in January. BC Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer jumped in on X(formerly Twitter) to label CFN “just an advocacy group,” like a brand name. Fulmer claimed it is funded by foreign anti-energy groups and said if he becomes premier he will ban any foreign-funded organizations that attempt to influence BC politics. The Coastal First Nations are an alliance of eight First Nationsand...
Register
Neqotkuk First Nation wants Indigenous-led policing agency after fatal RCMP shooting
The chief of Neqotkuk First Nation wants provincial and federal support to establish an Indigenous-led policing agency on the reserve, following the death of a community member who was shot by an RCMP officer. Chief Ross Perley says the community is feeling anxious, sad and angry following Bronson Paul’s death. Paul died on Jan. 18 after RCMP officers responded to what police called a domestic dispute at a residence on the First Nation in northwestern New Brunswick, near the province’s border with Maine. Perley says the RCMP failed to follow a protocol that calls for them to request assistance from the First Nation’s council, outreach team or tribal security, who are skilled at de-escalating such situations. The chief says he closed the RCMP detachment in the community following the shooting...
Register
Public comments piling up at agency
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Opponents to a proposed underground storage site for spent nuclear fuel rods near Ignace believe their message is coming through, given the response so far to the proponent’s initial project description. The public has until Wednesday to comment on the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s lengthy document submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. The We the Nuclear Free North citizen’s group has contended that the transportation of the fuel rods should be part of the proponent’s submission, given earlier concerns about potential road crashes expressed by rural municipalities and First Nations, including those near Thunder Bay. “The majority of comments to date, which now number over 150, have highlighted the need for transportation to be included in a full assessment...
Register
‘Health-care systems are not built for us’: LGBTQ+ people struggle to get good care
By Nicole Ireland A new report says LGBTQ+ people in Canada aren’t getting access to the health care they need — including mental-health treatment —compared to the general population. The Pink Paper on Health, released by Pink Triangle Press on Thursday, says mental health and gender-affirming services were the most prevalent concerns identified by LGBTQ+ people in a national survey. Almost 40 per cent of LGBTQ+ participants reported having a mental health disorder, including anxiety and depression, compared to 20 per cent of heterosexual, cisgender participants. Report co-author Nadia Bouhamdani said many Canadians are struggling with their mental health right now but she didn’t expect to see such a dramatic spike among the LGBTQ+ population. On top of a shortage of mental-health care providers overall, the report said, many aren’t...
Register
AFN, Jay Treaty Border Alliance issue U.S. travel advisory
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Jay Treaty Border Alliance (JTBA) are warning border crossers to exercise caution when travelling to the United States, following reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is targeting Indigenous peoples. Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Grand Chief Cody Diabo told Iorì:wase that Kahnawa’kehró:non should assess their own risk tolerance when deciding whether to travel to the United States. “It’s how the individual feels and their comfortability level,” Diabo said. These concerns entered the public’s consciousness last week after the AFN confirmed that it had received credible reports of ICE questioning and in some instances detaining Indigenous peoples traveling in the United States. In response, the AFN released a statement calling on ICE to...
Register
