‘We are losing a generation’
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Pique Newsmagazine On July 8, the St’át’imc Chiefs Council (SCC) declared a state of local emergency across its 11 communities in response to the toxic drug crisis. “We are losing a generation,” said Chief Justin Kane, chair of the SCC. “Now is the time for us to try to come together and think as one to help tackle the issue at hand.” The decision to declare the emergency came after a rise in both fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the Lillooet area—a region that now reports the second-highest toxic drug death rate in the province at 116 deaths per 100,000 residents. “We made a recommendation to bring [a declaration] to all the chiefs, and all chiefs were automatically in support of it,” Kane...
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Not enough FASD support in Wabasca, says grandmother
By Pearl Lorentzen Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader A large portion of the discussion around restorative justice at a recent community meeting was connected to not enough Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) supports in Wabasca. Bigstone Restorative Justice (RJ) works with people in the Wabasca area who have been charged with a minor crime, as an alternative to the regular justice system. On August 6, Bigstone Restorative Justice and the Wabasca RCMP held a joint open house at the George D Auger Memorial Hall in Wabasca. “Our goal when we got started was to reduce the number of people in court and reduce the number of people going to jail,” said Raymond Yellowknee, manager of Bigstone Justice and Public Safety, at the meeting. RJ is open to anyone living...
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Manitoba Indigenous groups agree to work together on major infrastructure projects
By Brittany Hobson Two Indigenous groups in Manitoba have agreed to work together on major infrastructure and development projects. It comes as the federal government looks to fast-track projects across the country. The Southern Chiefs’ Organization, which represents 32 Anishinaabe and Dakota First Nations in the province, and the Manitoba Métis Federation have signed a five-year agreement. It outlines their shared commitment to ensure First Nations and Red River Métis voices are included in the approval of any project proposed by the Manitoba government and supported by federal legislation. A new federal law gives Ottawa sweeping powers to speed up permits for what it calls “nation-building projects.” The controversial legislation has faced pushback from Indigenous groups that argue elements of it could be used to undermine their rights. The Southern...
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Environmental concerns could halt construction at Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration jail
By David Fischer MIAMI (AP) — Construction of a makeshift immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed “ Alligator Alcatraz ” could be halted indefinitely as a federal judge considered Wednesday whether building on sensitive wetlands violated environmental laws. Last week, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered a 14-day halt on additional construction at the site while witnesses testify. The temporary order doesn’t include any restrictions on law enforcement or immigration enforcement activity. The first phase of “Alligator Alcatraz” opened in July atop a lightly used, single-runway training airport. Less than 1,000 detainees were being held there as of last week, and it’s designed to eventually hold up to 3,000 detainees. President Donald Trump toured the facility last month and suggested it could be a model for future lockups...
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Wildfire raging near Port Alberni, B.C., shows ‘extremely vigorous’ behaviour
By Brenna Owen A raging wildfire that has prompted a state of local emergency and forced evacuations on south-central Vancouver Island has grown to span more than 20 square kilometres as it displays some of the most severe kinds of fire behaviour. The British Columbia Wildfire Service says the blaze, located about 12 kilometres south of Port Alberni, is burning at rank four and five on a six-point scale, meaning “extremely vigorous” flames are consuming trees from trunk to canopy. Videos posted on social media show the Mount Underwood wildfire lighting up a slope and billowing thick plumes of smoke, while helicopters dump water on the flames. The fire discovered on Monday has spurred the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, City of Port Alberni and Tseshaht First Nation to declare states of...
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Kahnawà:ke police arrest man after crowd descends on house
Kahnawà:ke community defends women after online photos used in sexual acts posted online By Lynda Powless Editor The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke says it “stands with community safety” after a crowd descended on a local house alleging a man inside was posting photos of himself to Twitter engaged in sexual acts with photos taken from the internet of local women. The crowd of over 50 people stood outside a brick house shouting while Kahnawà:ke Peace Keepers attempted to keep the peace, the crowd moved closer to the house. As they moved closer Peacekeepers could be seen arresting a man and placing him a cruiser. As the police pulled out the crowd yelled at the vehicle and the man. The Kahnawake Peacekeepers said they received a report of a local man shooting...
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Federal cuts to First Nations could hit $4.51 billion by 2028-2029
By Lynda Powless Editor At least one First Nation may be fighting back against federal government plans that could see First Nations hit with up to $4.51 billion in Liberal government funding cuts by 2028-2029. In a move to offset the massive cuts Kahnawake says it may start implementing tolls on major highways. Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, (MCK) Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs Cody Diabo sounded the alarm last week. Diabo told media Prime Minister Mark Carney’s coming $4.51 billion in cuts to federal departments has Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) at the top of the list. Diabo called the move “flawed public policy.” In a statement the MCK condemned the federal budget cuts call it “racialized austerity.” MCK says the cuts are coming under the federal Liberals Bill C-5 and its broader...
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Councillor Amos Key appointed to school building committee
A long-time supporter of Indigenous language and the Six Nations community will help oversee the construction of Kawenni:io/Gaweni:yo Private Elementary and Secondary School. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) appointed Councillor Amos Key to the Kawenni:io/Gaweni:yo Private Elementary and Secondary School Building Committee. The update was included in a community notice issued on August 7 as an update from the Built Environment, Climate Adaptation, Lands and Membership Committee. Key will join the committee overseeing the construction of a long-awaited permanent facility for the language immersion school, which provides education in Cayuga and Mohawk. His appointment adds further community representation to the project. The school has operated for over 15 years in temporary accommodations, currently located on the second floor of a local arena, while seeking funding and support for a dedicated...
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Detection dogs to search former residential school site near Chapleau
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative, TimminsToday.com CHAPLEAU – Members of three First Nations are working together to investigate the grounds of the former St. John’s Residential School. From Aug. 1 to 3, historic human remains detection dogs (HHRDD) will comb through heavily overgrown areas near the site slightly southeast of Chapleau. The search is part of an ongoing initiative led by survivors and supported by Chapleau Cree First Nation, Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation. “We’re mostly led by the survivors group, which we call the survivors working circle,” said Deanna Dixon, residential school initiative lead for Chapleau Cree First Nation. “It also includes intergenerational survivors, but we’re also led by our communities and our respective chief and councils as well.” Dixon said work began with...
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Six Nations policed impaired driving charges
OHSWEKEN, ON- Six Nations Police have charged seven people in separate impaired driving-related incidents in less than a month. SNP charged the indivdiuals between June 20th, 2025, and July 15th, 2025. HAMILTON MAN CHARGED On Friday, June 20th, 2025, at about 7:12 PM, the Six Nations Police were advised of a possible impaired driving complaint on Fourth Line. The caller reported that the vehicle entered the ditch but was able to maneuver back onto the roadway. Police were successfully able to locate a vehicle matching the description provided. As a result of this investigation, police have arrested and charged Tylor Plank, 31, of Hamilton, Ontario with Impaired Operation- Dangerous Driving- Failure or Refusal to Comply- Assault Peace Officer x 2- Utter Threats – Death or Bodily Harm- Mischief under $5,000-...
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Work on Iroquois Lodge roof coming, bid approved in-camera
Roof repairs will begin at the Iroquois Lodge in the coming weeks. On August 7, SIx Nations Elected Council (SNEC) posted a community notice with several updates for community members. One of those included an update regarding the Lodge’s roof. Prior to the flooding that prompted a state of emergency on June 19, SNEC had secured Garland Canada to accept bids to repair the Lodge’s roof. SNEC passed a resolution during the in-camera portion of the General Finance meeting on July 21 to accept the tender and approved GRRC Roofing to begin repairs. SNEC is in the final stages of damage assessment and preparing to begin remediation work on the Lodge’s flooding damage. The flooding, caused by heavy rainfall, affected 13 community buildings and numerous private homes. Residents were evacuated...
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Tsleil-Waututh Nation restores bull kelp in Burrard Inlet
By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, North Shore News Early observations from researchers suggest that new bull kelp are growing in Burrard Inlet waters after nearly being wiped out by industrialization. The səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation)’s treaty, lands and resources department worked with the Kelp Rescue Initiative to plant kelp off Whey-Ah-Wichen/Cates Park in North Vancouver and New Brighton Park in Vancouver over the last two years. A scuba mission by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in July revealed bull kelp are growing healthy to a reproductive age. “I think going into this, knowing how restoration has occurred in other areas of the Northeastern Pacific, I was skeptical that we’d find any re-recruitment at all,” said Olivia Rhoades, program co-lead for DFO’s coastal environmental baseline program. “So that’s really neat.” In...
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‘Stand your ground’: Activist calls for Bill 5 protests to be escalated
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative, TimminsToday.com TIMMINS – Tristan Ashishkeesh is urging Indigenous communities and allies to blockade highways, railways, and fisheries as a way to oppose two controversial resource development bills. Ahishkeesh arrived in Toronto last week after he and a small group of protesters walked 700 kilometres from Timmins. An Aug. 8 rally at Queen’s Park, attended by more than 80 supporters, capped a three-week trek that began July 15 as a peaceful protest against Ontario’s Bill 5 and the federal Bill C-5. “This is a time in history where we can make a change,” Ashishkeesh told supporters at the rally. “We do this for the land we love. The water we love. The air that gives us breath. He urged Indigenous communities and allies to escalate...
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Rabies-positive bat in Brantford-Brant area stay safe
The Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) has confirmed a bat found in Brantford-Brant tested positive for the rabies virus. T GEPH sid the individual’s exposure to the bat was deemed low risk since no direct contact was made. Grand Erie Public Health reminds residents to report any animal bites or scratches to the health unit. The risk of coming across an infected animal and contracting rabies in Ontario remains low. Rabies is transmitted only when the virus is introduced into a bite wound, open cuts in skin (such as a scratch), or onto mucous membranes such as the mouth or eyes. Wild animals such as foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats can spread rabies. Below are some tips to avoid rabies exposure: •Avoid touching, approaching or feeding wild or unknown animals,...
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Six Nations keeping Mohawk Institute searches alive
By Lynda Powless Editor Ground searches are underway again at the former Mohawk Institute Residential School. Laura Arndt, executive director of the Survivors’ Secretariat said resuming searches on the grounds surrounding the former residential school is largely due to the help of Six Nations Health Services. A lack of federal government funding had cancelled the searches but Arndt says thanks to a “gift” from Six Nations Health Services “we have been able to scramble and pull together a search team for the summer.” She said a lack of federal funding forced the volunteer organization, made up of survivors of the notorious Mohawk Institute, to cancelled planned searches of the grounds this year. “We had originally canceled the searches because of no funding from Canada for the past year,” she said....
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Be fire safe in hot weather
In hot weather, fire safety is crucial due to the increased risk of wildfires and accidental fires. To prevent fires during hot weather, it’s important to be mindful of potential ignition sources, maintain a safe environment, and be prepared in case of an emergency. Key Fire Safety Tips for Hot Weather: Be mindful of heat sources: Barbecues: Keep barbecues away from flammable materials, never leave them unattended, and ensure they are completely extinguished after use, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Grills: Use propane, charcoal, and wood pellet grills outdoors only, and place them away from structures and overhanging branches, says the U.S. Fire Administration. Smoking: Avoid smoking in dry, grassy areas and properly extinguish cigarettes in designated containers, advises ServiceMaster Restore. Fireworks: Attend public firework displays instead of setting...
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Build a pipeline…or consent?
Prime Minister Mark Carney is calling on the Metis to work with him to help change Canada’s ‘economic trajectory’ Hmmm…to change Canada’s “economic trajectory.” Now why does that make one uneasy? The newly minted Prime Minister after meeting with Indigenous leadership and Inuit decided to call the Metis in to discuss with them working together to move the Canadian economy forward. Carney went into office claiming he would transform the economy and he would do it at a much faster pace than the country is used to. And he is moving.- He is working to get a country-wide pipeline in place. Carney is concerned with the nerve-wracking trade relationship President Donald Trump has with…well, just about everyone, and wants to get a pipeline built faster than Canada normally sees. To...
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Today in History
August 11 In 1984 -Alwyn Morris and Hugh Fisher Win Gold. Alwyn Morris and Hugh Fisher won Gold in the K-2 1,000m race at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. After receiving his medal on the podium, Morris held up an eagle feather to remember his late grandfather and in recognition of Indigenous peoples. Aug 11 In 2023, a B.C. judge rejected a class-action lawsuit linked to the wildfire that destroyed the village of Lytton two years prior. Plaintiff Chief Jordan Spinks of the Kanaka Bar Indian Band argued that the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways, Transport Canada and others caused or contributed to the wildfire that killed two people. The judge said there are deficiencies in the claim that make it obvious that the suit will fail. Aug...
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Chiefs advance to league final and await next opponent
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Chiefs have to beat just one more opponent before they can book some plane tickets to British Columbia next month in their quest to win a third consecutive Mann Cup championship. But the Chiefs have to wait a bit longer before finding out who they will square off against in the final of their own Ontario-based Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) circuit. Six Nations earned a berth into the MSL championship series this past Saturday. The Chiefs doubled the host Owen Sound North Stars 12-6 in a match held at the Meaford and St. Vincent Community Centre. With that victory the Chiefs swept their best-of-seven MSL semi-final series in the minimum four matches. Six Nations dominated the series, outscoring the North Stars 49-28. The...
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4th Annual Indigenous Ontario Championship Returns to Six Nations with Record Field
By BVM Sportsdesk The fourth annual Indigenous Ontario Championship is set to take place from August 11–13 at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, featuring a record 144 Indigenous golfers. This championship offers competition across Gross and Net Stableford divisions and aims to enhance access to the sport for Indigenous communities. Since its inception in 2021, the event has seen growing participation and aims to represent over 40 First Nation communities. The championship emphasizes talent, culture, and community, fostering friendships and sporting excellence. By the Numbers 144 golfers participating, the largest field in the event’s history. More than 40 First Nation communities represented. State of Play Strong competition with returning champions Ky Horn and Cheryl Mitchell. Participation numbers have consistently surpassed the long-standing average of 120 players. What’s Next...
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