Fort McMurray among communities on evacuation alert after wildfires erupt
The Canadian Press 11/05/2024 21:45 Fort McMurray’s mayor took to social media to deliver a pep talk Saturday as the northern Alberta city once again faces the threat of an out-of-control wildfire that’s spurring memories of a massive blaze that destroyed homes and buildings eight years ago. “I know everyone’s feeling unsettled and stressed right now. Our community knows all too well how this feels, but our past experience also means we are very well prepared to handle whatever comes our way,” Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor Sandy Bowman said in a video message posted to Facebook on Saturday. Thousands of residents of Fort McMurray and the nearby community of Saprae Creek remained on an evacuation alert as a wildfire burned approximately 16 kilometres southwest of the city, meaning...
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Wildfire that triggered evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C. caused by downed tree: mayor
The Canadian Press 11/05/2024 20:21 The northeastern British Columbia municipality where thousands have evacuated due to a fast-growing wildfire nearby urged all remaining residents to leave immediately Saturday despite improving weather conditions. In a joint statement, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nation said that people staying behind despite the evacuation orders should be aware that “emergency medical services are not available, nor are groceries or other amenities.” “Utilities may become impacted to support fire response efforts,” the statement said. “Communication networks are precarious, which could impact the ability to reach residents to advise of changing conditions.” The statement came as the Parker Lake blaze reached almost 17 square kilometres in size on Saturday, more than doubling the eight square kilometres reported just hours earlier, with BC...
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Controversy follows Gov. Kristi Noem as she is banned by two more South Dakota tribes
The Associated Press 11/05/2024 18:20 South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is now banned from entering nearly 20% of her state after two more tribes banished her this week over comments she made earlier this year about tribal leaders benefitting from drug cartels. The latest developments in the ongoing tribal dispute come on the heels of the backlash Noem faced for writing about killing a hunting dog that misbehaved in her latest book. It is not clear how these controversies will affect her chances to become Donald Trump’s running mate because it is hard to predict what the former president will do. The Yankton Sioux Tribe voted Friday to ban Noem from their land in southeastern South Dakota just a few days after the Sisseton-Wahpeton Ovate tribe took the same action....
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Police crackdown on Gaza protest encampments on campus sparks outcry
The Canadian Press Edmonton police dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Alberta’s campus on Saturday, prompting outrage from students and academics who described the operation as violent and contested allegations that demonstrators were breaking the law. Organizers said police fired tear gas and pepper-spray balls and wielded batons against students at the university’s north campus quad shortly after arriving at 4:30 a.m., resulting in one hospitalization and several attendees placed in zip-tie handcuffs. Videos posted to social media show a line of police members clashing with protesters in the dawn light, as young people shout “Free, free Palestine” before officers advance chanting “Move” and shoving and striking some students with billy clubs. The footage aligns with descriptions from political science professor David Kahane, a member of the Edmonton...
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Waste site-selection process flawed: petition
By Carl Clutchey Local Journalism Initiative reporter If spent nuclear-reactor fuel rods are ever transported to a proposed underground storage site near Ignace, communities along the transportation route will be just as much at risk as those who live closest to the disposal site, opponents to the plan contend. That’s the gist of a petition bearing more than 3,300 signatures that was tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday by a North Bay-area Liberal MP on behalf of environmentalists. They claim the site-selection process conducted by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization is flawed because it has “shut out” communities “living downstream and along the (proposed) transportation route.” “The federal government needs to course-correct the (Nuclear Waste Management Organization),” says North Bay-based Northwatch, the group that created the petition. Conmee...
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Flood compensation advances reconciliation: Naicatchewenin chief
Local Journalism Initiative NAICATCHEWENIN – Settling an old flood claim “is a positive step towards addressing historical wrongs and advancing reconciliation,” Chief Wayne Smith said. Along with provincial and federal representatives, the Naicatchewenin chief announced a settlement that sees his First Nation receive $21.8 million in total compensation. Just over $11.8 million of that sum is from the federal government, the remainder from Ontario. The agreement between Naicatchewenin and the other two governments settles flood claims first filed by the First Nation nearly 30 years ago relating to flooding that took place following the 1905-10 construction of a hydroelectric dam to provide power for a pulp and paper mill in Fort Frances. The flooding continues to impact Naicatchewenin, located northwest of Fort Frances on Rainy Lake. Compensating Naicatchewenin is important...
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Seven people charged in kidnapping and assault in New Brunswick First Nation
The Canadian Press New Brunswick RCMP say seven people have been arrested and face a total of 62 charges related to a kidnapping and assault in Tobique First Nation last month. The Mounties issued a news release saying the arrests had occurred since May 6 and all seven people remain in custody after making court appearances in Woodstock, N.B., between May 6 and May 8. RCMP say members of the Tobique detachment responded to a report in the community on April 29 and determined a 54-year-old woman from Florenceville, N.B., had been kidnapped at gunpoint, held against her will and assaulted. The woman was treated in hospital for what police say were “significant” but non-life threatening injuries and has since been released. Police say the arrests were made following the...
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Trial of admitted serial killer hears about search of Winnipeg landfill for remains
By Canadian Press staff 10/05/2024 13:10 The trial of admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki is hearing details of the exhaustive search to find the remains of his victims. Police Const. Brian Neumann testified officers had to be outfitted with protective suits and boots as well as full-face respirator masks in searching a Winnipeg landfill for the remains of Rebecca Contois. He says officers looked for days and covered more than a hectare of the landfill in the summer of 2022 before they found partial remains of the woman. Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder for the slayings that year of four Indigenous women. His lawyers say he admits to the killings but argue he’s not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Neumann told court he...
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Krawczyk Family makes 2 million dollar donation for Indigenous environmental justice
By Jacqueline St. Pierre Local Journalism Initiative Reporter VICTORIA, B.C.— January 16, 2024 Alex Krawczyk, who is the daughter of philanthropists Honey and Dr. Barry Sherman has made a very large donation to the organization RAVEN. The grassroots Indigenous NGO has a mandate is to raise legal defence for Indigenous people who are arrested for enforcing their rights and title to protect their traditional territories. “I believe it is important for Canadians to recognize the inherent rights and sovereignty of Indigenous Nations, as well as to support self-determination and long-overdue justice for Indigenous Peoples,” says Krawczyk. “I am truly proud and humbled to have made this gift, and I wish RAVEN continued success with its many important campaigns across the country.” RAVEN is an acronym for RAVEN Respecting Aboriginal Values...
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Youth bring constitutional challenge to Ontarios highest court
By Jacqueline St. Pierre Local Journalism Initiative Reporter SUDBURY — Seven young people across Ontario have brought a climate-related challenge to the Superior Court, aiming to hold the government accountable for perceived human rights violations. This case aligns with a global trend where youth are taking legal action against governments for alleged human rights breaches and inadequate responses to the climate crisis. Supported by the environmental law charity EcoJustice, the group’s case was presented before the Court of Appeal for Ontario on January 15. This follows a previous dismissal of their constitutional challenge in April 2023, where a judge acknowledged that the province’s emissions reduction plan did not align with current scientific standards. The case can be traced back to 2018 when Ontario’s newly elected Progressive Conservative government repealed the...
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Six Nations emergency services calls in Air Ambulance after single vehicle accident
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-Six Nations Police are investigating a single vehicle accident on Fourth Line Road near Mohawk Road that saw one person airlifted to a local area hospital today, Friday, May 10th, 2024, at about 11:20 . The Six Nations Police Service along with the Six Nations Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to an emergency call reporting an injured individual located on Fourth Line Road near Mohawk Road. Officers arrived on scene and located the victim who was airlifted to a local area hospital to be treated for major injuries. The roadway was closed on Fourth Line Road west of Mohawk Road while officers continue to investigate, and police asked the motoring public to avoid the area. Polic said the investigation is continuing, and further...
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Joan Phillip, the second First Nations woman in the ‘B.C.’ cabinet, is patient but unrelenting
Canadian Press In February of 2023, Melanie Mark stood before the “B.C.” legislature, visibly shaken, as she read out her resignation speech. “This place felt like a torture chamber,” she said, holding an eagle feather and wearing her grandfather’s beaded moosehide fringe jacket. A descendant of the Nisg̱a’a and Gitxsan people on her mom’s side and Cree, Ojibway, French, and Scottish on her father’s side, Mark was the first First Nations woman to serve on the cabinet of “British Columbia” from February 2016 until April 2023. “I wanted to be an MLA so I could be a strong voice for my community and the people I grew up with and so I could be a champion for change. I wanted to disrupt the status quo. I wanted big systems to...
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Trial of admitted serial killer to hear about search of landfill for remains
The Canadian Press A judge is expected to hear from a police officer who led the search of a Winnipeg landfill for the partial remains of a victim of admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. Police cordoned off and looked through an area at the Brady Road landfill in the summer of 2022, after some remains of Rebecca Contois were found in dumpsters in Skibicki’s neighbourhood. Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder for the slayings that year of four Indigenous women, including Contois. His lawyers have told court that he admits to the killings but is not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Court has heard DNA from three of the victims as well as some of their belongings were found in Skibicki’s apartment. Crown prosecutors...
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Two Indigenous nurses pave the way to overcoming a colonial past to lead in health care
By Alexandra Mehl Prior to colonization, Indigenous healers and midwives held significant roles in their communities, serving with their knowledge of harvesting, preparing and administering local medicinal plants, reads an article published by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA). Even with Indigenous people’s rich history of traditional medicines and healing practices, Western healthcare systems have a longstanding past of alienating First Nations people from the sector. “The genesis of healthcare in Canada was a direct result of the relationship that the Jesuit missionaries had with our First Nations healers when they first came to the land,” said Lisa Bourque Bearskin of Beaver Lake Cree Nation, who is an associate professor for the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria (UVic). “When the settlers came over, they introduced disease. It was...
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Winnipeg trial hears victims’ clothing, DNA found in serial killer’s apartment
By The Canadian Press WINNIPEG, MAN-The trial of serial killer Jeremy Skibicki heard Thursday that police found physical evidence of the victims in his Winnipeg apartment, including jewelry, clothing, DNA and a bloodstained bathtub. Const. Jan de Vries, who was part of the police search team, testified they found bloodstains in Skibicki’s bathroom belonging to one of the victims, Rebecca Contois. Some stains were visible while others were found using a spray that makes stains fluorescent when used with a black light, he said. “The bathtub was very fluorescent,” said de Vries. “So was the floor, the walls and on the exterior side of the door.” He said the bloodstains found in the bathtub covered the entire area, which had likely been emptied and rinsed at some point. Skibicki is...
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Timeline of slayings of 4 women in Winnipeg, demands to search a landfill for remains
By Canadian Press A Winnipeg man has admitted to killing four women but claims he’s not criminally responsible because of mental illness. Jeremy Skibicki, 37, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. His trial began Wednesday. Here is a timeline of the case: March 15, 2022 — Police say an unidentified woman is killed on or around this date. May 1, 2022 — Morgan Harris, a member of Long Plain First Nation living in Winnipeg, is last seen in the area of Main Street and Henry Avenue north of the city’s downtown. Police say the 39-year-old is killed on or around this date. May 4, 2022 — Police say Marcedes Myran, 26, also of Long Plain First Nation and living in Winnipeg, is killed on or around...
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‘B.C.’ legislative assembly to issue formal apology to First Nations, build residential ‘school’ memorial
By Amy Romer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The “B.C.” legislative assembly has released an action plan aimed at reconciling pieces of its colonial legacy, which is set to include a formal apology to First Nations. The Reconciliation Action Plan also commits to building a memorial garden on the legislature grounds honouring those who attended residential “schools” across the province and country. The plan sets out five key commitments to be carried out over the next four years and seven initial actions. It was created in consultation with an Indigenous advisory committee that was created in 2023. Speaker Raj Chouhan presented the document on Wednesday during an event held at the parliament buildings on ləkʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) territories, which began with drumming, singing, a prayer, and calling on witnesses. At the...
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Northern premiers call for national emergency response system
The Canadian Press Northern premiers are calling for a national emergency response system to deal with natural disasters they fear will become more frequent. After a meeting this week in Pond Inlet, Nvt., they say the wildfires and floods of recent years point to the need for federal co-ordination. Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson says Canada is one of the few G7 countries without such an agency. Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai says municipal and First Nations leaders are already talking about how they can work together when wildfires or floods threaten their communities. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok said even his territory experienced wildfires. The N.W.T. has brought in more firefighters earlier this year and in more locations. “It’s time we started looking into (a co-ordinated system),” said Simpson, who was...
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Warnings continue against Native Education and Training College
By David Briggs Local Journalism Initiative reporter “They ignore me all the time and when I try to phone them, they just hang up on me.” So explained Chelsea Marois, speaking of her experiences with North Bay’s Native Education and Training College. BayToday recently wrote about the private career college, which has been locked out of its McIntyre Street office due to unpaid rent, and detailed allegations from a student and former instructor. Marois has had similar experiences – after paying tuition for an online PSW program, she could not access the course. When she reaches out to the school’s owners and administrators, Larry, Waylon and Lee Stewart, she receives no solutions, if she receives an answer at all. In January, Marois enrolled in the program. Her and her mother...
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Diverted Air France passengers kept Iqaluit airport staff busy
By Jeff Pelletier Local Journalism Initiatve Reporter It wasn’t a normal Tuesday for staff at Iqualuit airport gift shopw hen 260 passengers were unexpectedly stuck in the airport terminal for nearly 11 hours.The passengers made their unplanned arrival at the airport shortly before noon Tuesday when their Air France flight from Paris, bound for Seattle, Wash., made an emergency landing in Iqaluit after a “heat smell” was detected inside the plane. With their arrival, the staff at the gift shop got to work, making sure the travellers were happy and comfortable. “They were just more curious and had lots of questions,” Troy LeBlanc, manager of Arctic Co-op’s gift shops and Tundra Takeout at the airport, said of the international travellers. An Air France jet is parked at the Iqaluit Airport...
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