TODAY IN HISTORY:
On May 28 In 2021, the chief of a First Nation in B.C. said the finding of the remains of 215 children on the site of a former residential school in Kamloops was “an unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented.’’ Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation said the remains were confirmed with the help of a ground-penetrating radar specialist. Radar expert Dr. Sarah Beaulieu said “disruptions in the ground” suggested the presence of unmarked graves. (Beaulieu later revised the number to 200, adding they should be considered “probable burials” until excavation confirms they are human remains.) May 29 In 2009, the Ontario government signed an agreement to transfer former Ipperwash Provincial Park to native hands. (Native protester Dudley George was shot to death...
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Kahnawake legal challenge against Ontario comes up snake eyes
An attempt by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) to topple Ontario’s multibillion-dollar online gaming scheme was rejected by an Ontario Superior Court judge Monday. The ruling by justice Lisa Brownstone forces Kahnawake to choose between capitulating to Ontario’s demand for hefty levies – a violation of Kahnawake’s jurisdiction over gaming, the MCK has argued – or to be left out of Canada’s biggest betting market altogether. “As far as having to pay a provincial government some type of fee, it’s out of the question,” said MCK chief Cody Diabo, who is tasked with the gaming file. “It really puts us into a difficult situation for us to be operating. It’s unfortunate because the Kahnawake Gaming Commission is renowned globally, but we can’t even operate basically in our own backyard...
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A Lakota student’s feather plume was cut off her cap during commencement at a New Mexico high school
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A Lakota student’s traditional feather plume was cut off her graduation cap during her high school commencement ceremony this week in northwestern New Mexico. It was during the national anthem Monday night when Farmington High School faculty members approached the student, Genesis White Bull, and confiscated her cap, the Tri-City Record reported. The top of it had been decorated with traditional beadwork and an aópazan — Lakota for plume. White Bull is Hunkpapa Lakota of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota. Farmington’s school district said in a statement Wednesday that it prohibits any modifications to graduation caps and gowns, but students can wear traditional regalia beneath their graduation attire. “While the staff involved were following district guidelines, we acknowledge this could have been handled...
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Defending national champs trounce North Stars in season opener
By Sam Laskaris Writer The defending Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs started off their 2024 campaign where they left off last year – with a win. The Chiefs handily defeated the visiting Owen Sound North Stars 15-4 in their Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) season opener on Monday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). Early on, however, there was no indication the contest would end up being a rout for the Chiefs. Owen Sound held a 3-1 lead in the opening period. But Six Nations scored a pair of late goals to deadlock the score at 3-3 following the opening 20 minutes of action. The North Stars also scored the first goal of the second period. But it was all Chiefs after that as the host squad reeled off...
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Canadiens goaltender Carey Price to receive honorary doctorate from UNBC
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northern British Columbia on May 31 at the school’s convocation ceremony. The university highlighted Price’s NHL achievements, inspiration of Indigenous youth and philanthropy in Northern B.C. and Canada in its announcement Wednesday. Price, who grew up in Anahim Lake, B.C., backstopped Canada to Olympic gold in 2014 and led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup final in 2021. In 2015, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL MVP and the Northern Star Award as Canada’s top athlete. The 36-year-old is under contract with the Canadiens through the 2025-26 season, but hasn’t played an NHL game since April 29, 2022, due to a debilitating knee injury. Before the NHL, Price led an under-18...
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Former pro providing leadership for Six Nations Rivermen
By Sam Laskaris Writer It’s a year later than expected but the Six Nations Rivermen are getting some big results out of Jordan Durston. The Rivermen were originally hoping that Durston, a former professional player in the National Lacrosse League, would be a valuable asset for them during their 2023 Ontario Senior Lacrosse (OSL) campaign. But Durston only suited up for a handful of games for the Rivermen before being released. Committing to play for the local Senior B squad was challenging since Durston was living in Wallaceburg at the time. It would take him two and a half hours to drive to Ohsweken. That’s a five-hour roundtrip to play just one game. Fast forward to 2024 and Durston is now living in nearby Hagersville, making it much more convenient...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: Wins for Arrows and Bandits and more
By Sam Laskaris Writer Bandits win back-to-back NLL titles A pair of Six Nations members will be getting some more bling. Tehoka Nanticoke and Adam Bomberry were members of the Buffalo Bandits, who captured their second consecutive National Lacrosse League (NLL) title on Saturday. Nanticoke and Bomberry were also on the Bandits’ 2023 championship squad. The Buffalo squad is led by head coach John Tavares, who is also the head coach of the defending national Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs. Tavares now has a half dozen NLL championships on his resume. He had won four league titles as a player, all with the Bandits. The Tavares-led Bandits downed the visiting Albany FireWolves 15-13 on Saturday. With that triumph Buffalo swept its best-of-three championship final series 2-0 against Albany. The...
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Indigenous CBC employee’s discrimination claims to be heard by human-rights tribunal
By Mickey Djuric The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 04:00 An Indigenous employee with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is taking up the fight against what he describes as systemic racism by his employer. Richard Agecoutay, 61, has been granted a human-rights hearing over claims of discrimination at the public broadcaster, where he’s worked since 2001. It’s an effort to knock down barriers for others, he said in an interview. “You don’t have to suffer systemic racism or racism in the workplace. You have avenues to pursue it.” Agecoutay, a videographer for CBC in Regina, alleges he has repeatedly been denied work due to his race, and that the broadcaster offered a settlement, but he would have had to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Documents filed with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal detail several...
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Employment program makes an impact on Cowessess FirstNation
By Ryan Kiedrowski Local Journalism Initiative 21/05/2024 23:12 A highly successful pre-employment program geared toward the mining industry is making big waves on one local First Nation. The Canadian Institute of Mining awarded the inaugural CIM Indigenous Partnership Award to Cowessess First Nation and Morris Interactive. The program from Morris Interactive – Digital Transformation in Potash Mining – is eight weeks in duration, giving participants what they need to confidently enter the potash industry. “I’m trying to be humble about it, but it is quite an honour to be picked as the very first awarded in this area,” said Barry Sparvier, Director of Employment at Cowessess First Nation. “We’re honoured to be to be a part of Morris Interactive’s pilot project to start with, and then the success that it’s...
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Rebecca Strong wins Canada’s Got Talent
By Ryan Kiedropwski Local Journalism Initiative 21/05/2024 22:52 A young woman with a local connection, 20 year-old Rebecca Strong of the Black Lake Denesuline First Nation has won Canada’s Got Talent and has become Saskatchewan’s newest millionaire as a result. She is the first indigenous person to win the competition. During her rise to the top of the competition’s third season, Strong was given a Golden Buzzer which meant a $25,000 award and a ticket straight to the semi-finals. Last Tuesday night, Strong, whose father is from Maryfield, amazed judges and voters across Canada with her simply epic performance of Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep.’ “Thank you, Rogers, and thank you to everyone who voted for me. Thank you to my family and friends and everyone back home. Thank you...
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Orphan orca’s extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
By Dirk Meissner in Victoria The Canadian Press 21/05/2024 20:32 A killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Marine scientist Jared Towers said in a social media post he was surprised to see members of the calf’s great grandmother’s pod near Alert Bay. Towers, an expert in identifying whales by their distinct individual markings, said he saw the T109 pod swim out of Pearse Pass near Alert Bay on Monday, but the female calf named kwiisahi?is or Brave Little Hunter by the Ehattesaht First Nation was not with them. “This is kwiisahi?is’s great grandmother’s pod and although she wasn’t with them, the good news is she hasn’t been...
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Manitoba woman charged after theft and pursuit of septic truck
The Canadian Press Published: 21/05/2024 17:50 It could have been a really big mess, but police say there were no injuries after a Manitoba woman allegedly stole a septic truck and at one point veered into oncoming traffic with officers in pursuit. RCMP in Ste. Rose du Lac, Man., say they received a report on Monday morning that the truck had been stolen from Ebb and Flow First Nation and was last seen on Provincial Road 278. An officer en route to the call saw the truck go through a stop sign where the road met Highway 68 and tried to stop it, but the truck kept going down the highway towards Ste. Rose du Lac, driving erratically and veering into the oncoming lane. Police say officers had emergency equipment...
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Winnipeg trial to hear about letters admitted serial killer sent to inmate
The Canadian Press Staff 22/05/2024 04:00 Crown prosecutors are set to wrap up their evidence today in the trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four Indigenous women. Court is expected to hear about letters Jeremy Skibicki sent to an inmate about the charges he’s facing. Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the 2022 slayings of Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Buffalo Woman. His lawyers say he killed the women but argue he should be found not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Prosecutors say the killings were racially motivated and Skibicki preyed on the vulnerable victims at homeless shelters. Skibicki’s lawyers have said an expert will later testify to Skibicki’s mental state at the...
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First Nations leader says little change for women’s safety since Pickton murders
By Chuck Chiang in Vancouver The Canadian Press Published: 22/05/2024 04:00 An Indigenous leader in British Columbia says little has changed since the crimes of serial killer Robert Pickton, as community members reflect on news that he is in life-threatening condition after being attacked in prison. Chief Marilyn Slett with the Heiltsuk Tribal Council in Bella Bella, B.C., says discussion about Pickton after the assault at a Quebec prison on Sunday has revived painful memories for the Indigenous community. Slett, who is also secretary-treasurer at the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, says Indigenous women still face a barrier of systemic racism when it comes to personal safety and access to the justice system when they are victims of crimes. Pickton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to...
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A lifetime of change for Barney Tootoo
By Darrell Greer Local Journalism Initiative 22/05/2024 07:13 Barney Tootoo had a lot to look back upon as he blew out the candles to celebrate his 76th birthday on May 14. Tootoo has lived in three different Kivalliq communities during his life: Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove. And, with the obvious creation of Nunavut as its own territory, he’s seen a lot of change in three-quarters of a century. He said the biggest change he’s seen in Rankin Inlet over the years is the different nationalities of people who are moving to the community and staying longer. He said for many years, people would just come into Rankin to work for the summer and then they were gone. “We have people from all over living here now full...
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Good Spirit School Division report exposes education gap for Indigenous students
By Cleo Ding Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Students of Indigenous ancestry have long been underachieving because of the inadequate systems that have been put into place, acknowledged Quintin Robertson, Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) director of education, regarding a student learning outcome report in February. “It’s the system that needs to change, not our Indigenous students,” Robertson said. The report reads that the First Nations and Métis students face unique challenges in education, lacking equitable support and opportunities. When their cultural backgrounds aren’t reflected in the curriculum, students’ confidence and academic performance are negatively impacted – This disconnect can lead to higher dropout rates and long-term disparities in career opportunities. For the 2022-23 school year, the number of K-12 students in Saskatchewan who graduated within the typical three-year period after...
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Winnipeg trial hears search for ‘serial killer’ definition found on killer’s computer
By The Canadian Press Staff 21/05/2024 15:28 A police analyst tasked with going through the computer of a Winnipeg man who admitted to killing four women found internet searches for what it means to be a serial killer. Riley Johansson told a murder trial that he traced months of online searches on Jeremy Skibicki’s computer around the same time the four Indigenous women were slain in 2022. “My goal was to give some of this data context … to help narrow the search for any additional victims,” Johannson testified Tuesday during the third week of the trial. Skibicki, 37, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder for the slayings of Rebecca Contois, 24; Morgan Harris, 39; Marcedes Myran, 26; and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or...
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Fourth First Nation in Manitoba declares state of emergency
By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative reporter The Chemawawin Cree Nation (CCN) is the fourth First Nation community to declare a state of emergency since the start of this year, as CCN leaders said they are dealing with an ongoing crisis of violence that includes the recent killing of a 14-year-old girl. Last week, CCN Chief Clarence Easter and the community’s band council said in a notice they have declared a state of emergency in the community located 450 kilomeres north of Winnipeg and are putting in new guidelines that residents must follow or face punishments that could include being evicted from their homes, or possibly banished from the community. Council said they were forced to take action due to increased violence and illegal activity. Last week, RCMP confirmed that...
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‘Happy tears’ of victim’s sister after prison attack on serial killer Robert Pickton
By Morgan Lowrie in Montreal and Nono Shen and Chuck Chiang in Vancouver The Canadian Press 21/05/2024 16:41 Cynthia Cardinal says she was “overwhelmed” with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister Georgina Papin, was in a life-threatening condition after being attacked in prison. She calls it “karma.” The text came from a cousin of Tanya Holyk, another missing woman whose DNA was found at Pickton’s pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C. “I don’t think anybody that evil should be walking on Earth, as far as I’m concerned,” Cardinal said on Tuesday. “I have happy tears. Very happy tears.” Correctional Service Canada confirmed Tuesday that the B.C. serial killer was the inmate injured in a “major...
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Brantford police seek to identify suspect in sexual assault
BRANTFORD, ONT-Brantford Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a male suspect wanted in connection with the sexual assault of a woman on a city walking trail. Police said on Thursday, May 16, 2024, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., a 16-year-old woman was sexually assaulted on the walking trail that extends from Veterans Memorial Parkway to Bell Lane. The incident was reported to police on May 20, 2024. The suspect has been described to police as follows: male, brown skin, may have been in his 20’s or older, approximately 5’4” with brown eyes and brown eyebrows. The suspect was wearing a head covering to conceal his face similar to a balaclava. Police are asking any residents in the area of Shellard’s Lane, Bell Lane, Mt. Pleasant Street and...
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