Sarah Lewis representing Curve Lake First Nation at inaugural Miss Indigenous Canada
By Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Sarah Lewis, Peterborough’s inaugural poet laureate, is in the running for the Miss Indigenous Canada title. Lewis, a spoken-word artist from Curve Lake First Nation near Peterborough, is one of 26 contestants vying for the crown, which will be awarded on Saturday (July 27) as part of an event currently underway at the Courtyard by Marriott in Hamilton, which is Six Nations of the Grand River territory. Unlike other pageants, Miss Indigenous Canada is not a beauty contest. “Miss Indigenous Canada is a three-day event geared towards young Indigenous leaders of tomorrow,” states the Miss Indigenous Canada website. “Above all, we value self-development, community service, cultural involvement, empowerment, and authentic representation. The program was created in an effort to provide an outlet for...
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A tanker plane is missing in Oregon as Western wildfires spread
The Associated Press 26/07/2024 14:30 A single-pilot tanker plane disappeared in eastern Oregon while fighting one of the many wildfires spreading across several Western states, and the search has come up empty so far, authorities said Friday. The plane contracted by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management went missing Thursday while fighting the Falls Fire, near the town of Seneca on the edge of the Malheur National Forest. The blaze has grown to 219 square miles (567 square kilometers) and is 55% contained, the government website InciWeb shows. Thomas Kyle-Milward, spokesperson for Northwest Incident Management Team 8, said authorities received a report of a missing aircraft around 6:53 p.m. Thursday. The pilot was the only person on board. Climate change is increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the region...
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As caterpillars eat N.B. maple leaves, syrup producers consider insecticide solution
Canadian Press 26/07/2024 14:39 New Brunswick’s maple syrup industry is considering using an insecticide to kill off forest tent caterpillars that have chewed through a portion of the province’s northwestern woodlands this summer. The province’s Department of Natural Resources estimates that the fuzzy caterpillars have caused the defoliation of about 120 square kilometres of forests on or near male syrup farms — a tough blow for an industry that has grown steadily over the last decade. Producers are fearful the result will be unhealthy trees — and lower production of syrup in next spring’s runoff, Frédérick Dion, president of the New Brunswick Maple Syrup Association, said in an interview earlier this week. “You walk through the forest and you hear the sounds of millions of those caterpillars eating the leaves...
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Mi’kmaq lay claim to more than half of province in lawsuit
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 26/07/2024 The Higgs government is facing another lawsuit from First Nations asserting title to New Brunswick’s territory. Eight Mi’kmaq communities filed a notice of action in the Court of Kings Bench in Miramichi on Thursday claiming they have Aboriginal title to the entire eastern portion of the province – but also the northern part of the province all the way to Edmundston and territory even farther west than Saint John. In a media release, the organization representing the communities – Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc. (MTI) – said the provincial government left it little choice but to pursue legal action. Brunswick News requested comment from Attorney General Ted Flemming, but did not speak to him before deadline. “The Government of New Brunswick has just received notice...
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Crown must settle with First Nations for breaching Robinson treaties: Supreme Court
The Canadian Press 26/07/2024 Canada’s top court says the Crown dishonourably breached the Robinson Treaties and must negotiate a settlement with First Nations within six months. The two treaties were signed in 1850, ceding a large swath of land in Ontario to the Crown in return for annual payments to the Anishinaabe of lakes Huron and Superior. The treaties said the payments should increase over time, so long as the Crown did not incur a loss, but they have been frozen at $4 per person since 1875. In a ruling today, the Supreme Court says the Ontario and Canadian governments had a mandatory obligation to raise that amount when economic circumstances warranted. The top court says the Crown now has six months to negotiate a settlement with one of the...
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Banff, Canmore swelter under broken temperature records
By Jessica Lee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 A heat wave, comparable in duration to a 2021 heat dome event in western Canada, continues to shatter historic temperature records in the Bow Valley. Banff and Bow Valley Provincial Park broke three temperature records from Friday (July 19) to Sunday (July 21). “It’s been a very warm spell for much of the province,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor. “One of the most interesting things about this event has been the duration of temperatures above what we would consider [heat] warning criteria. We’re seeing some fairly significant durations of warm temperatures – even flirting with the heat dome of 2021.” Bow Valley Provincial Park set a new record July 19, reaching a high of 33.1 degrees Celsius. The...
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US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific Northwest
The Associated Press 25/07/2024 BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The U.S. government will invest $240 million in salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest to boost declining fish populations and support the treaty-protected fishing rights of Native American tribes, officials announced Thursday. The departments of Commerce and the Interior said there will be an initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization made available to 27 tribes in the region, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. The hatcheries “produce the salmon that tribes need to live,” said Jennifer Quan, the regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. “We are talking about food for the tribes and supporting their culture and their spirituality.” Some of the facilities are on the brink of failure, Quan said, with a backlog of...
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Indigenous corporation plans Kenora apartment project
By Mike Simpson Local Journalism Initiative Reproter 25/07/2024 KENORA – Federal funding is helping Kekekoziibii Development Corporation add dozens of housing units to the city on Lake of the Woods. The corporation, owned by Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, has obtained $8.7 million in federal money to buy 20.3 acres and put up “a 24-unit apartment building for affordable housing for urban Indigenous people who are living and taking training in the city of Kenora,” Kekekoziibii chief executive officer Diane Redsky said Wednesday. The land near 9th Street has water, sewer and hydro service connections, Redsky said. Construction is slated to begin next spring and the corporation aims “to build more apartment buildings on that site for affordable housing, because we know that there is an extreme shortage of housing...
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Can B.C.’s southern resident orcas be taken off the path to extinction?
The Canadian Press The southern resident killer whale known as Tahlequah captured global sympathy in 2018 when she pushed the body of her dead calf for more than two weeks in waters off British Columbia’s south coast. Some scientists and advocates called the scene a display of public grief. But the impact of the loss went beyond Tahlequah. It was a significant blow to the entire population that numbers just 74 individuals. A recent peer-reviewed paper suggests a baseline rate of population loss of roughly one per cent per year — based on modelling and 40 years of observations — putting the whales on a path toward a “period of accelerating decline that presages extinction.” Even that rate of loss is “optimistic,” the research says. The study lends urgency to...
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Government ignores paramedic calls
By Eve Cable, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 While provincial government representatives were this month gloating about the addition of 351 new paramedic technicians to the province’s health services, Kanehsata’kehró:non Robert Bonspiel has been once again let down by the lack of attention given to Indigenous communities. Despite the influx of emergency personnel elsewhere in the province, Indigenous communities are still largely left to fend for themselves – and no matter how frequently Bonspiel brings their problems to light, the provincial government seems content to ignore the real-world impacts of underfunding services. “It’s prevalent, there’s an issue here, and it’s not taken care of,” said Bonspiel, president of First Nations Paramedics. Bonspiel said he was hopeful when the Viens Commission published 142 calls to action in its final report in...
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Lethbridge homeless shelter receiving expansion
By Justin Sibbet, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 Living in the scorching heat and the bitter cold and everything in between, homelessness is a challenge faced by over 400 Lethbridge residents, but an expansion to the homeless shelter aims to reduce the issue. The Government of Alberta, in conjunction with the City of Lethbridge and Blood Tribe Department of Health, announced Wednesday a new construction project that will see over 100 new beds added to the city shelter. In addition to making the announcement, ground was also broken, officially beginning the construction process. In February of this year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the province and Blood Tribe Department of Health to have the Blood Tribe remain in control of the shelter and have this project funded...
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Simpcw First Nation, Thompson-Nicola Regional District sign Memorandum of Understanding
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 Simpcw First Nation and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week, committing representatives from both communities to meet at least twice a year. Simpcw First Nation drafted and signed a similar MOU with the Village of Valemount in March. In an interview with The Goat, Simpcw First Nation Councillor Tina Donald said these agreements are a valuable tool for strengthening relationships with other governments. “Through MOUs, we commit to meeting on a regular basis. So if we have a project in the future, this is the time and place that we can sit down and talk,” Donald said. “It also gives an avenue to call up someone at TNRD if we have a question. It’s creating...
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BC Parks does not expect damage to Ancient Forest boardwalk
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 BC Wildfire Service has been battling fires in the Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park, home to some of the oldest cedar stands and rarest lichen species in the province since its discovery on July 9th. As of writing on July 22nd, the fire is still out of control – meaning it may grow beyond its current size of 39 hectares. But the fire is unlikely to impact the boardwalk trails within the park, according to a statement BC Parks sent to The Goat last Thursday. “Fire is a natural ecosystem process. It is rare for a fire to occur in the type of forest in this park, but it can happen,” the statement reads. “The current fire location is not currently...
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All Nations volleyball squads to square off against Maori teams at Toronto event
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 Indigenous volleyball players from five Canadian provinces will get a taste of some international action this weekend in Toronto. The All Nations Volleyball Showcase will be staged at Toronto’s York University on July 27-28. The six-team event will include both the women’s and men’s Maori national teams from New Zealand. Also taking part will be four All Nations clubs – two women’s and two men’s teams – comprised of Under-20 Indigenous players from Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Members of the All Nations teams were recommended to tournament organizers in part for their efforts at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), held last summer, primarily in Halifax. The eldest category for volleyball at the 2023 NAIG was Under-19 categories. Current...
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Defence seeking six-year sentence for former fashion tycoon Peter Nygard
The Canadian Press 25/07/2024 Former fashion tycoon Peter Nygard should receive a six-year sentence for his sexual assault convictions, his lawyer told a Toronto court Thursday, arguing a lengthier sentence would be “crushing” for a man of his age and condition. Defence lawyer Gerri Wiebe asked the court to give Nygard 1.5 days of credit for each of the more than 1,000 days he has already spent in custody since his arrest on the charges in October 2021, which would leave him with just under two years left to serve. That sentence would be appropriate given her client’s age and medical condition, the “harsh” conditions in which he has been detained so far, as well as mitigating factors such as his lack of a criminal record, Wiebe told the court....
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Final number not set on addiction response funding
By Carl Clutchey Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 Indigenous Services Canada has clarified the breakdown of funding recently allocated to Fort William First Nation, including financial support for a new position to help the community cope with a drug-addiction emergency. A department spokesman said on Wednesday that funding approved last week for a public safety and emergency co-ordinator represents a new financial allocation for the community, although the amount is still being determined. “Given it is a new position, we do not have a confirmed funding number at this point in time,” the spokesman said in an email. The decision to fund the new position followed a meeting between FWFN band leadership and Indigenous Services Canada Minister Patty Hajdu (Thunder Bay-Superior North) regarding the addiction emergency. The department spokesman confirmed...
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Native Courtworker position in Kamloops left vacant, future of role uncertain
By Aaron Hemens Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 25/07/2024 Indigenous people involved in the criminal justice system who require legal guidance from a Native Courtworker at the “Kamloops” courthouse are currently without on-site support. Sources say the office has been vacant since the beginning of the month, with no clear timetable on when the Native Courtworker position will be filled, or if it will even resume. Speculation around funding and restructuring have left its future uncertain. Connie Allen had been serving as the Native Courtworker for “Kamloops” and “Merritt” in an interim role since November, working with around 80 clients over a period of seven months. By the time her tenure concluded at the end of June, she was still in the midst of supporting nearly 30 people, she said. “The...
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Former judge with disputed Cree heritage “most likely” has Indigenous DNA: report
The Canadian Press 25/07/2024 A DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree “most likely” has Indigenous heritage, a report from the Law Society of British Columbia revealed Thursday. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond previously served as B.C.’s representative for children and youth, and was well known as a lawyer on Indigenous rights. Her Indigenous identity was the subject of a 2022 CBC News investigation, which called into question her heritage, including claims her father was Cree. It also found Turpel-Laford misrepresented her credentials. The law society confirmed Thursday she did misrepresent certain credentials, and ordered her to pay $10,000 to a non-profit organization that supports Indigenous justice. But as part of its investigation, the law society says an independent geneticist found...
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Gang kills at least 26 villagers in remote Papua New Guinea, officials say
Associated Press 26/07/2024 MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — At least 26 people were reportedly killed by a gang in three remote villages in Papua New Guinea’s north, United Nations and police officials say. “It was a very terrible thing … when I approached the area, I saw that there were children, men, women. They were killed by a group of 30 young men,” acting Provincial Police Commander in the South Pacific island nation’s East Sepik province James Baugen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday. Baugen told the ABC that all the houses in the villages had been burned and the remaining villagers were sheltering at a police station, too scared to name the perpetrators. “Some of the bodies left in the night were taken by crocodiles into the swamp. We only...
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Investigation opened into circumstances of Salluit arrest
By Cedric Gallant Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Quebec’s police watchdog has launched an investigation of a Salluit arrest that recently went viral on social media. The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes announced the investigation Wednesday in a news release. A video surfaced online July 18 showing Nunavik Police Service officers driving their vehicle in front of a moving car, while braking to slow it down. But the other vehicle ultimately crashed into a house. Another video appears to show officers pulling a woman from that vehicle and dropping her to the ground. The officers were responding to call about a 24-year-old woman suspected of driving while impaired, said Nunavik Police Service deputy Chief Shaun Longstreet. The woman was seen driving erratically, he added. “Officers responded immediately to the call,” Longstreet said...
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