Century-old loon hat brought home to Cambridge Bay
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News After a nearly decade-long repatriation process, a 100-year-old dance hat with loon beak has been returned to Cambridge Bay, which was cause for celebration. “It brought childhood memories for our elders,” said Emily Angulalik, executive director of Kitikmeot Heritage Society. The hat, made of caribou hide with a loon beak in its centre, was displayed Aug. 6 during the community celebration to mark its return. More than 200 people came out to commemorate the event. The elders remembered their fathers and grandfathers who used to wear hats like this one while performing Akkuarmiujut, a festive “freestyle” dance that required the dancer to be as quick as an ermine and as loud as a loon when it makes its howling call, Angulalik...
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Her story still unfinished: Ten-year mark of Vickie Crow Shoe’s unsolved murder
Victoria Joanne Crow Shoe By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Shootin’ the Breeze PINCHER CREEK, ALBERTA -This summer marks 10 years since the body of Victoria Joanne Crow Shoe was found on the shores of the Oldman River Reservoir, her life stolen and her story still unfinished. The 43-year-old mother of four was last seen alive by her family on Aug. 26, 2015. Her body was discovered more than two weeks later on Sept. 13 by a fisherman along the Windy Point boat launch on the Oldman River Reservoir, just north of Pincher Creek. A decade later, the RCMP investigation into her death is still open and investigators are still appealing to the public for help. “It is still an active investigation,” said Sgt. Ryan Hodge of the Pincher...
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The Latest: Dozens arrested as White House ratchets up federal policing of DC
-AP-The White House now says more arrests are being made and homeless people are being forced to remove their tents from public spaces as federal troops and law officers deploy in Washington, D.C. to enforce President Donald Trump’s monthlong takeover of the city’s police. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meanwhile hugged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after talks in London on Thursday in a show of support as Trump prepares for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried that the bilateral summit would leave them and their interests sidelined. Here’s the Latest: What’s happening to encampments? Amber W. Harding, executive director of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, said she believes that “federal law enforcement will begin systematically rounding up and...
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Kanehsatà:ke election officer calls off election cites electoral code inconsistencies
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Whether it’s the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) or Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), it appears that no one can provide a clear answer as to what comes next following the cancellation of MCK’s band council election earlier this month. The election was called off the night before polls were set to open on August 2. MCK’s chief electoral officer Graeme Drew had cited numerous “violations” and “inconsistencies” within the band’s electoral code, claiming that a democratic election was impossible under the circumstances. Following the unprecedented decision to cancel the election, acting vice chief Brant Etienne says MCK has been in brief contact with ISC about the situation and is waiting for official direction from the federal ministry. A spokesperson for ISC confirmed...
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The Latest: Federal agents will patrol Washington 24/7
The increased presence of local and federal law enforcement officers in Washington, D.C. has intensified in the days following President Donald Trump’s unprecedented announcement that his administration would take over the city’s police department for at least a month. Troops are expected to start more missions in Washington on Thursday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to London on Thursday in a show of support for Ukraine as Trump prepares for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried that the bilateral summit would leave them and their interests sidelined. Here’s the Latest: Gov. Ron DeSantis announces second immigration detention facility in north Florida By KATE PAYNE The Florida Republican is preparing to open a second immigration detention...
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New Mexico governor declares state of emergency in rural county afflicted by crime, drug use
By Morgan Lee SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The governor of New Mexico declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to violent crime and drug trafficking across a swath of northern New Mexico, including two Native American pueblo communities. The emergency declaration by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham makes $750,000 available in response to calls by local governments and tribal officials in Rio Arriba County for reinforcements against violent crime as well as other crime and hardships associated with illicit drugs. The vast area stretches from the city of Española, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, to the Colorado state line and has long been afflicted by opioid use and high drug-overdose death rates, with homeless encampments emerging in recent years in more populated areas. “The surge in...
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Local filmmakers featured at this year’s Onkwehon:we Film Festival
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Last weekend, local Mohawk filmmakers saw their work shine on the silver screen at the Onkwehon:we Film Festival (OFF), the Kahnawake branch of the annual International First Peoples Festival (IFPF). Held on August 8-9 by the Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), this year’s program comprised of the historical documentary Deskaheh – Quest for Justice by Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, the short documentary Radio Bingo by Shelby Adams, and the revenge thriller Seeds by Kaniehtiio Horne. “I think it’s important for people to see that we’re reclaiming the narrative that’s been taken from us by the settler colonizers,” Gabriel said. “It’s nice that Indigenous film directors are getting known and there’s more coming out to tell our stories.” “The film festival...
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New river barriers prevented severe flood damage from a glacial outburst in Alaska, officials say
By Cedar Attanasio And Gene Johnson New sandbag-style barriers installed along a river in Alaska’s capital city held back record levels of flooding and prevented widespread damage after an ice dam at the nearby Mendenhall Glacier released a massive amount of rainwater and snowmelt downstream, officials said Wednesday. Water pooled on several streets and in some yards in Juneau after the Mendenhall River crested earlier in the day, and high water was expected to persist for hours. But many residents in the flood zone evacuated ahead of peak water levels, and there were no damage reports similar to the last two years, when flooding was rampant and some homes washed away. The barriers “really have protected our community,” Juneau City Manager Katie Koester told a news conference. “If it weren’t...
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West Nipissing will ask province to halt glyphosate spraying
By David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BayToday.ca The province has plans to spray glyphosate-based herbicides over sections of the Nipissing Forest next week, but West Nipissing council is calling for a halt to the plan. During its regular meeting on Tuesday, August 13, council unanimously passed a resolution to ask Minister Mike Harris Jr. of the Ministry of Natural Resources “To reconsider the start of this initiative until further research is completed.” Glyphosate is a primary ingredient in Roundup, a herbicide developed by Monsanto’s. It kills underbrush within the forest to make room for more profitable tree crops, such as pine. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry explained the herbicide will “control competing vegetation.” Aerial spraying is “part of our ongoing efforts to regenerate and protect Ontario’s forests.”...
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Wildfire raging near Port Alberni, B.C., shows vigorous, ‘unusual’ behaviour
By Brenna Owen A raging wildfire that has forced evacuations on south-central Vancouver Island has been burning at some of most severe levels of fire behaviour, a display that is “unusual” for the region, the British Columbia Wildfire Service said. An update posted by the service said the blaze, located about 12 kilometres south of Port Alberni, has been burning at rank four and five on a six-point scale. “This is a highly vigorous surface fire with torching or passive crown fire and some active crown fire,” the service said in an update on Wednesday. “This is unusual fire behaviour for wildfires on Vancouver Island.” The Mount Underwood fire was discovered Monday afternoon and has since grown to more than 20 square kilometres. Photographer and videographer Colby Rex O’Neill, who...
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Preliminary search of Winnipeg landfill for victim of serial killer underway: Kinew
By Brittany Hobson The Manitoba government has begun its “test phase” search of a Winnipeg landfill for the remains of a victim of a convicted serial killer. Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday the preliminary search of the city-run Brady Road landfill for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose started this week. “We began the pilot test phase … this is basically the excavation and taking a look at the material to try and figure out what is the actual process of the search going to look like,” he said. A small team has also been conducting ground-penetrating radar tests to narrow down a search area, said Kinew. He said a proper search of the landfill could happen later this year. Shingoose was one of four First Nations women killed by Jeremy...
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Families whose ancestors gave up Indigenous status sue for rights return
By Darryl Greer A proposed class-action lawsuit filed in Federal Court says the Canadian government wrongfully denies people status under the country’s Indian Act if their ancestors “voluntarily” gave up Indigenous status under laws that predate Confederation. Plaintiffs Charles Wesley, Christopher Wesley, Sharon Nicholas and Nicole Nicholas filed a statement of claim in Vancouver this month seeking damages from the federal government for “being deprived of the benefits” of status under the act. The claim says they all have “at least one direct ancestor” who was “enfranchised” under Canadian law, where they gave up their status and received the rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship. The lawsuit details the history of enfranchisement in Canadian law dating back to the 1850s. The statement of claim notes the findings of the Report...
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Parks Canada will share stewardship with Indigenous nations
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer In a move that could revolutionize how national parks are managed, Parks Canada is partnering with Indigenous people to share authority over decisions in dozens of locations. Under its 2025‑26 Departmental Plan, the agency aims to have at least 27 natural heritage places and 15 cultural heritage sites managed in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities by March 2026. The department says it is well on its way to meeting its goal, building on the 23 national parks and nine historic sites where Indigenous peoples were already part of formal co‑management at the end of the last fiscal year. “[It’s] built upon decades of working with Indigenous partners … thinking about values like trust and respect and reciprocity...
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Vancouver Whitecaps enter new era with introduction of German star Thomas Muller
The Vancouver Whitecaps are set to unveil their newest acquisition today with the introduction of German soccer star Thomas Muller. The Major League Soccer club signed the 35-year-old attacking midfielder last week, bringing him to Vancouver for the rest of the 2025 season. The deal also includes a Designated Player option for the 2026 campaign. Muller landed at Vancouver International Airport yesterday and was greeted by Indigenous leaders and a large crowd of cheering fans, many of whom he signed autographs for and took photos with. He joins the Whitecaps following 17 years with Bayern Munich, where he scored 250 goals for the German Bundesliga side across all competitions, helping the team to 13 league championships and 33 total titles. Muller won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, scoring five...
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Tlu-piich Games cancelled due to wildfire smoke
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Port Alberni, BC – The 2025 Tlu-piich Games were shut down halfway through the 3×3 basketball tournament at EJ Dunn Elementary School due to the encroaching smoke from the Mount Underwood wildfire. Les Doiron, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) vice-president, delivered the bad news to a gymnasium packed with hungry ballers at around 12:30 p.m., Aug. 13. “We’ve never seen smoke like this in the valley before. It’s dangerous, right. Ditidaht, they’ve got no power. It’s for the safety of all of our people,” said Doiron. “Can we just finish our game?” one of the young players asked. Doiron was kind but firm, re-iterating that it’s to keep people safe, plus out-of-town nations will have more time to make their way home. Ditidaht...
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Judge’s decision on future of Alberta separation question review expected today
By Jack Farrell A judge is expected to decide today whether a special court review of a proposed Alberta referendum question on separation should go ahead. Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, referred the question to court last month for a judge to determine whether it violates the Constitution, including treaty rights. The group that submitted the question applied to have the referral quashed, and Court of King’s Bench Justice Colin Feasby heard arguments last week. The Alberta Prosperity Project wants to ask: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?” A lawyer for the group says judicial scrutiny is premature, since there’s no guarantee enough signatures would be gathered to put the question on a ballot....
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‘One battle after another’ for farmland in Cowichan title ruling: ex-councillor
By Nono Shen Former Richmond, B.C., city councillor Harold Steves’ family has been farming in the area since 1877, lending their name to the community of Steveston. The 88-year-old former politician only retired from council three years ago, and few can match his knowledge of the controversies surrounding Richmond’s farmland — the creation of the province’s agricultural land reserve, influxes of foreign-money investors, a spate of mega-mansion construction and now the Cowichan Nation’s Aboriginal title claim. “It’s just one battle after another for 50 years,” laughed Steves, who still runs the family farm in Steveston, raising belted Galloway beef cattle. He said he was surprised by the ruling last week that confirmed the Cowichan claim over a swath of land on the shores of the Fraser River, encompassing holdings by...
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Consumer racial profiling a neglected human rights issue, report says
By Ashley Joannou Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chief Marilyn Slett says no one in her community is immune to the small acts of racial profiling that can embed themselves in everyday life for an Indigenous person in Canada. “It’s my parents going to a restaurant, and it’s not a busy time in that restaurant, and they’re refusing to serve them,” she said. “(It’s) myself going grocery shopping in a neighbouring community and having a store employee literally follow me around in the grocery store. These things happen to our community members, our Indigenous people, on a daily basis and it’s to some degree being normalized.” The behaviour, known as consumer racial profiling, is a neglected human rights issue in Canada that requires proper study, according to a new report written by...
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Grand Chief says NAN wasn’t notified about provincial consultation session
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com MOOSE CREE FIRST NATION — The Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation says the territorial organization’s leadership wasn’t invited to a recent consultation session by provincial officials. Alvin Fiddler told the 2025 Keewaywin Conference on Tuesday afternoon that the NAN executive “did not receive even the courtesy of a notice,” about a session organized by the Ford government on Aug. 8 in Thunder Bay. Northern Ontario Business obtained a July 14 memo sent by JP Cadeau, the deputy minister of economic development, job creation and trade, to Indigenous communities that outlined what feedback the government was looking for in an ongoing series of closed-door consultations. However, exactly who has been invited isn’t clear. “What is happening right now is that Ontario is...
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First Nations call for co-governance in coastal economic development
By Jordan Copp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Coast Reporter A new report outlines a transformative vision for the future of the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET), calling for First Nations to be equal partners in regional economic governance across Vancouver Island and the coastal mainland, including the Sunshine Coast. Commissioned by the B.C. government and ICET, the First Nations Strategic Recommendations Report by Sanala Planning is the result of a year-long Indigenous-led engagement process with 53 First Nations. The report proposes a co-governance model that would permanently finance and restructure ICET to include First Nations in decision-making roles. “This is a historic opportunity for First Nations and local governments to come together to create meaningful, lasting impacts across the region and begin to build an economy of wellbeing,” said Jessie...
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