Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief says Speech from the Throne commits to reconciliation
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says Canada’s Speech from the Throne, delivered today (Tuesday May 27) by King Charles III in the Senate of Canada spoke of commitments to reconciliation. “The Speech from the Throne expressed commitments to continue the work of reconciliation and mentioned the importance of protecting Indigenous peoples’ languages. The Speech from the Throne expressed the government’s commitment to respect free, prior and informed consent, a critical legal standard respecting project developments. This is an unprecedented mention in a Speech from the Throne and we look forward to seeing this implemented by Canada in decision-making, especially one delivered by King Charles III. We have a lot of work to do with this government.” National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak also thanked King Charles III...
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Six Nations Elected Chief turned down to speak to Ontario’s fast track industry Bill 5
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) says in a statement it is opposed to Ontario’s Bill 5 and is calling on the province to pause the Bill until Ontario consults with Six Nations on legislation “affecting our inherent and constitutional rights, land governance, environmental protection, and jurisdictional authority.” Bill 5, known as the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, is currently at Queen’s Park and is expected to become law before the legislature breaks for the summer on June 5. The Ford government says the bill is needed so major infrastructure and resource extraction projects can happen faster . It says the fast tracking will reduce delays and eliminate duplication in the approval process. SNEC says it provided written feedback, opposing Bill 5. It...
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Runner Tom Longboat’s immediate family to shun Six Nations Elected Council’s Tom Longboat Run
Family issues letter says it can’t support Six Nations Elected Band Council’s cannabis industry cites social ills “This statement is being issued by the immediate family of Tom Longboat, the famed Haudenosaunee runner. The family will not participate in the Tom Longboat run on Six Nations Territory June 4, 2025. This is due to what the six nations “elected band councils” cannabis industry has inflicted upon the people, children and future generations of Six Nations. A societal catastrophe of death, drugs, overdoses, organized crime, human/sex trafficking, and all types of crime. All the result of Six Nations “elected band council” implementing their cannabis industry on Six nations. Just yesterday, I heard the emotional pleas of the Mohawk elder Tom Porter, about the same dire situation of death and destruction at...
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Residents across the Prairies flee, others on edge due to wildfire threats
Residents in areas across the Canadian Prairies are out of their homes while others are on edge as wildfires inch closer to their communities. In northern Manitoba, the town of Lynn Lake, with about 600 residents, was ordered evacuated due to an advancing wildfire. Data from the Manitoba Wildfire Service shows the out-of-control fire, which ignited almost three weeks ago, is more than 7,000 hectares in size. Lynn Lake is 775 km northwest of Winnipeg. In north-central Alberta, the 1,300 residents of Swan Hills were ordered to leave Monday night ahead of an advancing, wind-whipped fire. Meanwhile, people living southeast of Hinton, Alta., were told to prepare for a possible evacuation because of an out-of-control fire burning west of the former coal mining town of Mercoal. This report by The...
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First Nations press case against Bill 5
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY — Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, is “very concerning” in more ways than one, says Neskantaga First Nation Chief Gary Quisess. The legislation tramples on First Nations’ rights and weakens protections for wildlife, Quisess told Newswatch Monday afternoon, just hours after other Indigenous leaders spoke against Bill 5 at the province’s legislative grounds. Quisess, who took part in last week’s Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Chiefs Assembly that made a declaration against the big bill, said this is a tough time for his community to be in a fight over a proposed provincial law. “My community is evacuated because our infrastructure is failing,” he said from the Thunder Bay hotel that is his temporary...
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Membertou takes first steps to regulate cannabis
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post Dozens of shops are weaved among the residential neighbourhoods and community members are concerned about safety issues from high traffic; lack of accountability for products that don’t meet safety standards; and proximity to places where minors congregate. It’s big business everywhere. And Membertou First Nation wants to ensure that it is business that is well-regulated in its community. The band and its Membertou Cannabis Law Working Group has set dates for community engagement sessions to determine the will of the members. And because organizers want to ensure everyone has ample opportunity to voice their opinions, multiple sessions in June are capped at ten people. In addition, people in the community can register for one-on-one sessions with members of the working...
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Improving Arctic food security through DNA science and respectful collaboration with Indigenous Peoples
By Shivangi Mishra, Postdoctoral Associate, Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary; and Srijak Bhatnagar, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University Over three-quarters of adults in Inuit Nunangat face food insecurity, a rate more than six times the Canadian national average. This statistic reflects not only limited access to market food but also the disruptions to Arctic ecosystems impacting traditional food availability. The primary food sources for many Indigenous Peoples in the region, including the Inuit, are arctic wildlife such as muskox and caribou. The connection Inuit have with the land, sea and animals is integral to bodily, mental and spiritual health. However, climate change is not only upending Arctic ecosystems but also threatening traditional Inuit food sources and the well-being of Inuit people. Climate change...
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Voices roar in opposition of landfill
By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault has taken to social media to say he does not support the York1 Dresden landfill project. In a video message posted May 16, Pinsonneault said he has expressed his displeasure about the plan to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and other ministers. “I’ve personally spoken to the premier. I’ve personally spoken to the ministers. I’ve told them of the concerns of this landfill and I’ve told them how I’m opposed to it,” Pinsonneault stated. The former Chatham-Kent councillor’s comments come on the heels of an announcement by the province April 17 of plans to remove the environmental assessment designation from the York1 proposal. Under Bill 5 – Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act 2025 – the government...
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Indigenous fire practices advocate presented with wildfire resiliency award
By Crystal St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson is one of five recipients of the 2025 Lynn Orstad Award: Women in Wildfire Resiliency. Christianson accepted the award during the 2025 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit held in Penticton, B.C. earlier this month. The award, presented by FireSmart BC, FireSmart Alberta and insurance/investment company the Co-operators, recognizes women who have made significant contributions to advancing wildfire resiliency across the country. Lynn Orstad was a community leader who advocated for wildfire resilience working in emergency management, wildfire risk reduction and community education. She passed away in 2021. Other recipients were Dr. Kira Hoffman, Nora Hannon, Amanda Reynolds and Shelly Harnden. Christianson, a 43-year-old Métis woman from Treaty 8 territory, is the senior fire advisor for Indigenous Leadership Initiatives. She...
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B.C. orders Hobo Hot Spring restored, as new fence blocks off public use
By Nono Shen The British Columbia government has ordered the restoration of free natural hot spring pools that were mysteriously filled with dirt and boulders last fall. But even as the government says it’s working with the nearby Harrison Hot Springs Resort to repair the stream, the community’s mayor says a new fence has been erected around the natural spring, making it unavailable for public use. The government launched an investigation into the damage to the free natural spring and Crown resource, known as the Hobo Hot Spring, last October. The Ministry of Forests says it can’t release a copy of the order to restore the springs, because it’s related to an active investigation. However, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says it’s working to fix the stream...
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Chief Don Tom says ‘era of trust’ between First Nations and Eby is over if bills pass
By Wolfgang Depner A First Nations leader says the “era of trust” with the government of B.C. Premier David Eby is over if two bills responding to American tariffs pass this week. Chief Don Tom of the Tsartlip First Nation in Greater Victoria says First Nations will do everything in their legal power to kill bills 14 and 15, adding that First Nations will remember the actions of the government at the next election. Tom says at a protest in downtown Victoria steps away from the legislature that this won’t just apply to the Premier himself, but every MLA who votes for the bills. The government says Bill 15 is needed to speed up public and private infrastructure projects in the face of tariff threats from the United States, while...
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Cold Lake First Nations takes majority ownership in groundbreaking solar energy project
By Chantel Downes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeland This Week The solar facility, set to power over 7,000 homes, is backed by $48.1 million in financing and features nearly 50,000 solar panels. More than 100 jobs will be created during construction, with additional employment expected in long-term operations and maintenance, according to information from Cold Lake First Nations. The initiative is being developed in partnership with Elemental Energy and supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC), Selkirk Advisory Group, and Equitable Life of Canada. “This project reflects Cold Lake First Nations’ vision of clean energy leadership and community prosperity,” said Chief Kelsey Jacko. “We are proud to partner with Elemental Energy and deeply grateful for the commitment shown by our financial partners. This is economic...
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Exclusive interview with Canada’s first Indigenous minister of Indigenous Services
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Mandy Gull-Masty has just made history as the first Indigenous person to take on the role of Canada’s minister of Indigenous Services. She now steps into a position that directly shapes how programs and support are delivered to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across the country. A member of the Cree Nation from Waswanipi in northern Quebec, and a former grand chief of Eeyou Istchee, Gull-Masty’s appointment is a milestone for Indigenous representation at the highest levels of federal government. She takes on a portfolio fraught with deep challenges. Her ministry is responsible for matters like reforming the child welfare system, closing the infrastructure gap and ensuring clean drinking water and equitable services for Indigenous communities — issues that...
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Rice attends energy summit
By Eve Cable, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Advocating for Indigenous people to have at least 50 percent equity in renewable energy projects was a key message shared by Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chief Paul Rice at last week’s Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) Summit, where he and other Indigenous leaders spoke with major stakeholders in the industry. “We’re independent, sovereign nations, and in discussions of these projects, we need to be treated as such,” said Rice. “That was really the message underlying the concept of minimum mandatory equity participation.” Rice attended the panel last Thursday in Montreal and spoke on the panel “Indigenous Communities: Essential Actors in the Energy Transition?” which was moderated by Hydro Quebec’s Emilie Senechal. He was joined by Jean Roy of Kruger Energy as well...
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Sex offender evicted from Kahnawake again
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter As community outrage mounted over the return of a man convicted in Michigan of a sex offense against a child, a trio of Council chiefs, including grand chief Cody Diabo, delivered an eviction notice Tuesday, leading the man to vacate Kahnawake for a second time. The man, Darin Albany, pleaded no contest to criminal sexual conduct involving a person under 13 years old, for which he was sentenced to probation in 2006. However, he soon absconded, leading to a warrant being issued in Michigan for failure to appear. Albany ended up back in Kahnawake, where he was forced out by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) in 2023 after an uproar ensued amid a landlord’s months-long quest to have Albany removed from her...
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Road, rail and mine blockades could be on horizon over Ontario mining bill: chiefs
By Liam Casey Road, rail and mine blockades could be on the horizon as First Nations ratchet up pressure on the Ontario government to kill a proposed bill that seeks to speed up large mining projects in the north. Provincial ministers say they have heard the outcry and will make improvements to Bill 5, but are stopping short of saying they would eliminate it outright. The proposed law has sparked anger among First Nations, environmentalists and civil liberty groups who say the bill tramples rights and guts protections for endangered species. The province is set to create so-called special economic zones that would suspend provincial and municipal laws for certain projects. Premier Doug Ford has said the province intends to declare the critical mineral-rich Ring of Fire in northern Ontario...
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Vancouver Island land returned to Lyackson First Nation and Cowichan Tribes
A stretch of culturally significant land in the Cowichan Valley has been returned to the Lyackson First Nation and Cowichan Tribes communities. The British Columbia government says the return of the Vancouver Island lands historically used by First Nations for gathering and harvesting represents a reconciliation landmark. The Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation says in a news release the 312-hectare land parcel is worth about $8.6 million. Lyackson Hereditary Chief Shana Thomas says in the release that the land will be used for the re-establishment of a village site that four generations of the community have fought for. The government had purchased the land from Mosaic Forest Management, and Thomas says the return would not have been possible without the company being a “willing seller.” The incremental treaty agreement...
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Chiefs tell King Charles to remember his treaty obligations as he visits Ottawa
By Alessia Passafiume Dozens of First Nations leaders from across the country gathered in front of Parliament Hill Monday with a message for the King as he arrived in the city — respect your treaty partners. Treaties were “meant to be a respectful relationship where we could continue to live our lives, practise our inherent rights of hunting, trapping, fishing and trade amongst one another,” said Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice Chief David Pratt in front of a teepee erected on the lawn. “It was not meant to be what it is today, which is the oppression of our people. We want to remind the King our chiefs want to see him. Our chiefs want to see the King to remind him of his obligations under treaty.” King Charles...
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MLA says marriage can weather Bill 15. What of Eby’s relationship with First Nations?
By Wolfgang Depner Grand Chief Stewart Phillip is among the fiercest critics of the British Columbia government’s planned legislation to fast track infrastructure projects, saying their development “flouted First Nations’ basic human rights.” His wife, Joan Phillip, says she’ll be voting for the bills on Wednesday as a member of Premier David Eby’s government. She said Monday that she doesn’t talk too much “shop” with her husband. “We have been married for 40 years, going on 41 years, and we have known each other longer,” she said. “So I think we will weather this.” The bigger question is if the government’s relationship with First Nations is just as sturdy, amid condemnation of bills 14 and 15, which the government says are needed to respond to the threat of United States...
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Nova Scotia chiefs say province needs to improve consultation on natural resources
A representative for the Nova Scotia Assembly of Mi’kmaw Chiefs says the provincial government needs to do a better job of consultation as it seeks to develop the province’s natural resources. Chief Tamara Young, of Pictou Landing First Nation, told a legislature committee today that the province’s duty to consult with the Mi’kmaq needs to be more than an afterthought or a “box to be checked.” Patrick Butler, the senior Mi’kmaq energy and mines adviser, confirmed during the hearing that chiefs were not consulted before legislation that was passed in March lifted a ban on uranium and a moratorium on fracking for natural gas. Butler says they also weren’t consulted when the Natural Resources Department said it was issuing a request for proposals for uranium exploration at three sites in...
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