Today in History
Oct 27 In 2010, former junior hockey coach and convicted sex offender Graham James surrendered to police at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and was whisked to Winnipeg, where he had been wanted on nine charges on the sexual assault of three victims, including former NHL star Theo Fleury, who has published a tell-all autobiography alleging that James abused him starting when he was 14 years old. (He pleaded guilty and was initially given a two-year sentence, but that was increased to five on the Crown’s appeal.) In 2023, the CBC reported legendary musician Buffy Sainte-Marie’s birth certificate, marriage certificate and a U.S. census all contradict her claim that she is Indigenous. The network said the birth certificate lists Sainte-Marie as being born in 1941 in Stoneham, Mass., and states the...
Register
Louie provides updates on lands advisory board at Markham conference
By Sam Laskaris Writer Robert Louie believes First Nations across the country are taking steps in the right direction. Louie, the popular chief of the Westbank First Nation in British Columbia, was a panelist at the First Nations Leading The Way conference, which was held Oct. 8-9 in Markham. “We’re here to move First Nations from where we were and where we should be,” Louie said. “And we’ve got a lot of hard work to do. But we’re getting there.” Louie has also served as the chairman of the First Nations Lands Advisory Board since 1989. He spoke at a conference session which also included leaders from the institutions launched from the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, which was enacted in 2005. This marked the eighth year of the Leading...
Register
Six Nations Economic Development Trust provides funding to five grassroots initiatives
Five local volunteer organizations and initiatives will each receive a portion of a $47,000 investment from the Six Nations of the Grand River Economic Development Trust (EDT), to support important community-based projects throughout 2025. After a call for applications in August, the following recipients were selected through the EDT’s grassroots funding program. • Project Skate, who will receive $3,098 for lighting upgrades at the Six Nations Skate Park. • Tewateweyenhstha, who will receive $5,800 for their “Revitalizing Mohawk Language” program. • The Haudenosaunee Sports Development Group, who will receive $10,650 to host their “Dedwaye:na – Let’s Work Together, Help Each Other” gathering. • The Six Nations Agricultural Society, who will retroactively receive $12,510 for Kids Day at the Six Nations Fall Fair. • Kawenní:io/Gawęní:yo School, who will receive $15,000 for...
Register
Ironmen register lopsided victory over Coyotes
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Ironmen were looking to avenge a recent loss on Sunday. And they accomplished their goal in convincing fashion. The host Ironmen thumped the Halton Hills Coyotes 11-1 in a Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL) contest held at the Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre. The host Coyotes had downed the Ironmen 6-4 at the Acton Arena on Oct. 18. Sunday’s victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Ironmen, who are now sporting a 3-3 record in their inaugural season in the NPHL. Six Nations goaltender Tim Porter was among those caught off guard by his team’s lopsided triumph on Sunday. “I thought we could have played a lot better last week,” he said. “I expected a big game. But that was...
Register
Montour returns to Kraken lineup following brother’s death
By Sam Laskaris Writer Following a temporary leave of absence from the Seattle Kraken, Six Nations member Brandon Montour returned to the National Hockey League club this past Saturday. And prior to Seattle’s 3-2 home victory versus the Edmonton Oilers, Montour explained he left the squad to be with his ailing older brother Cameron Noble-Montour, who died this past Monday. He was 34. Montour’s brother had battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more known known as ALS, and is a disease affecting the nervous system. Montour, who is 31, was visibly shaken while meeting the media to discuss his brother, wiping tears away with a towel and taking moments to pause while speaking. He said his brother had been dealing with ALS for 3-4 years. “And it was a rough week,” he...
Register
Regional and national Tom Longboat Award winners announced
By Sam Laskaris Writer A longtime Six Nations resident has been named as the recipient of a prestigious award. Lacrosse player Mekwan Tulpin, a member of Fort Albany First Nation who has called Six Nations home for numerous years, was selected as Ontario’s female winner this year of the Tom Longboat Award. Tulpin was a member of the Haudenosaunee National women’s box lacrosse squad that captured the bronze medal at the inaugural women’s tournament in Utica in September of 2024. Meanwhile, Ben Maracle, a member of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, was named as Ontario’s male winner of the award. Maracle, a football player, was the star quarterback for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees before graduating this past spring. The Aboriginal Sport Circle, the governing body of Indigenous athletics in Canada, announced...
Register
B.C. presses its case ahead of Cowichan land meeting
By Wolfgang Depner The British Columbia government hasn’t yet filed its grounds for appealing against the landmark Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title case. But that hasn’t stopped the government from trying to impress on the public that the case could be crucial to the fate of private land ownership in the province, with officials staging a technical briefing for journalists, writing an opinion piece and telling reporters in the legislature why they believe the ruling cannot be allowed to stand. The information campaign came hours ahead of a Tuesday night meeting organized by the City of Richmond for landowners whose properties could be affected by the ruling. In August, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the tribes have Aboriginal title over about 750 acres on the Fraser River, that Crown and...
Register
Town looking to proposed energy projects to power microgrid
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com FORT FRANCES — Fort Frances’s mayor says he’s excited about a trio of proposed energy projects in the Northwestern Ontario community and what they could mean for emergency backup power in the area. Andrew Hallikas says three initiatives are in various stages of development: a solar farm and a battery storage facility both proposed by FirstLight (which also owns the existing Fort Frances Generating Station hydro dam) and a biofuel refinery by a partnership between Highbury Renewables and Wanagekong-Biiwega’iganan Clean Energy Corporation — a consortium of 10 area First Nations. The latter project is expected to create over 80 jobs, according to press materials released by the partnership in August. Hallikas told Newswatch it would also “position Northwestern Ontario, Fort Frances in...
Register
NDP leadership contenders have first face-to-face meeting ahead of French debate
By David Baxter Three of the five NDP leadership candidates had their first face-to-face encounter, which serves as a preview for next month’s French debate. Rob Ashton, Avi Lewis and Heather McPherson took part in a forum at the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation gala in Ottawa, while Tanille Johnston and Tony McQuail were not able to attend. The three contenders saw degrees of agreement on issues like the need to speak more plainly about issues and put greater emphasis on riding associations. Some differences are emerging: Lewis said that Canada cannot expand fossil fuel production and that the party has not been straightforward enough in communicating energy policy. “Thomas Mulcair supported the pipeline. Jagmeet (Singh) sent a lot of mixed messages on pipelines, and I think that hurt us,” Lewis...
Register
B.C. presses its case ahead of Cowichan land meeting
By Wolfgang Depner The British Columbia government hasn’t yet filed its grounds for appealing against the landmark Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title case. But that hasn’t stopped the government from trying to impress on the public that the case could be crucial to the fate of private land ownership in the province, with officials staging a technical briefing for journalists, writing an opinion piece and telling reporters in the legislature why they believe the ruling cannot be allowed to stand. The information campaign came hours ahead of a Tuesday night meeting organized by the City of Richmond for landowners whose properties could be affected by the ruling. In August, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the tribes have Aboriginal title over about 750 acres on the Fraser River, that Crown and...
Register
First Nation files lawsuit demanding Aboriginal title over lands in western Quebec
A First Nation has filed a title claim in Quebec Superior Court to large swaths of territory across the western part of the province. Jean-Guy Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, says his people must have a say in the way water, wildlife and forestry are managed in the region. The Aboriginal title claim covers eight areas, including islands in the Ottawa River; Gatineau park and adjoining lands in the city of Gatineau; two harvesting zones in the Gatineau regional county; the Papineau-Labelle wildlife reserve; and the Baskatong Reservoir. Whiteduck said the intention isn’t to dislodge private landowners, saying the lawsuit only covers lands that are owned or managed by governments. The lawsuit is also seeking $5 billion in damages from Canada, Quebec, Hydro-Québec and the Crown corporation responsible...
Register
B.C. presses its case ahead of Cowichan land meeting
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma says the provincial government’s argument in the landmark Cowichan Tribes land case was that Aboriginal and fee-simple title “cannot co-exist” on the same land in their full form. Sharma says there’s “perhaps nothing more important” to land owners than the security of their title, quoting directly from B.C.’s arguments in the case, which it lost. The government is pushing its perspective on the case ahead of a meeting organized by the City of Richmond for landowners whose properties could be affected by the ruling. In August, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the tribes have Aboriginal title over about 750 acres on the Fraser River, that Crown and city titles on the land are defective and invalid, and the granting of...
Register
Six Nations and Brantford Police receive Ontario funding to strengthen mental health crisis response
Six Nations and Brantford police will receive funding from the Ontario government to support their mobile crisis response teams, as part of the province’s plan to enhance public safety. Over the next two years, Six Nations Police Service (SNPS) and Brantford Police Service (BPS) will be allotted $240,000 and $207,655, respectively, through the Mobile Crisis Team Enhancement Grant. This investment will allow them to collaborate with trained crisis workers to provide appropriate support for people experiencing mental-health-related emergencies. Six Nations Police Chief Darren Montour is “tremendously pleased” to receive the funding, as it will help bolster mental health crisis response within the community. “On behalf of SNPS, I would like to extend a heartfelt nia:wen (thank you) to the Province of Ontario and to Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma who continues...
Register
Ford fast-tracking water permits despite environmental concerns
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative Despite strong public opposition, the Ford government is moving ahead with changes to Ontario’s long-standing rules for water use that critics say will weaken public oversight and eventually suck Ontario dry. The provincial environment ministry says the changes will “streamline” permit renewals by allowing companies to take over existing permits if they draw water from the same location, in the same amount and for the same purpose. Companies can also assume permits previously cancelled, revoked or expired. Under the previous rules, any company taking more than 50,000 litres of water a day from lakes, rivers, streams or groundwater — for farming, gravel mining or bottling — had to file a new application, undergo public review, an environmental assessment...
Register
Port of Churchill owners reviewing policy that put Northern Indigenous businesses last
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Arctic Gateway Group, the company that owns Manitoba’s Port of Churchill, says it’s reviewing a policy that put Northern Indigenous Businesses last in its Request for Proposal evaluation criteria. The under review policy in question listed preferences for Indigenous businesses to work with the port, where growing investment is opening Hudson’s Bay and the Northwest Passage as an increasingly important trade route. Indigenous business from Churchill, Manitoba were listed first in preference, non-Indigenous business in Churchill second, 29 Manitoba First Nations along with Indigenous suppliers from 10 municipalities third, and non-Indigenous suppliers from those First Nations and Municipalities fourth. Northern Indigenous businesses were listed fifth, with the preferences list labelled using the letters A to E. The policy does not...
Register
Fate of Hydro-Québec settlement with Labrador Innu unknown after too few people vote
The future of a reconciliation proposal between Hydro-Québec and Innu in Labrador is unknown after a ratification vote didn’t see enough people cast a ballot. A spokesperson for the Innu Nation says more than 50 per cent of eligible voters in both Innu communities in Labrador — Sheshatshiu and Natuashish — had to weigh in on the draft deal. Donna Paddon says voter turnout was good in Natuashish but did not meet the threshold in Sheshatshiu. The Innu Nation’s board of directors will meet and determine what happens next. The agreement in principle would end a 2020 lawsuit launched by the Innu Nation seeking compensation from the utility for building and operating the Churchill Falls hydroelectric station in traditional Innu territory. Hydro-Québec also agreed to make annual payments over 16...
Register
Missing Gull Bay man known to frequent city
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Provincial police are asking the public to help them locate a 58-year-old Gull Bay First Nation man who hasn’t been seen for a week. Police said Rene King was last seen in the Gull Bay area on Oct. 20 around 1 p.m. He is also known to frequent the Thunder Bay area, police said. According to police, King is described as six feet two inches tall and 250 pounds, with short hair that is dark grey and white. King may be wearing dark-blue jeans, a T-shirt, a fluorescent jacket and running shoes with yellow stripes, police said. Anyone with information can contact Armstrong OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal/LJI is a federally funded program ...
Register
Canadian scientists describe an extinct rhino species from Canada’s High Arctic
OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 28, 2025 — Scientists from the Canadian Museum of Nature have announced the discovery and description of an extinct rhinoceros from the Canadian High Arctic. The nearly complete fossil skeleton of the new species was recovered from the fossil-rich lake deposits in Haughton Crater on Devon Island, Nunavut and is the most northerly rhino species known. Rhinoceroses have an evolutionary history that spanned over 40 million years, encompassing all continents except South America and Antarctica. The “Arctic rhino” lived about 23 million years ago, during the Early Miocene and is most closely related to other rhino species that thrived in Europe millions of years earlier. The scientific paper describing this new species, named Epiatheracerium itjilik [eet-jee-look], was published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. “Today...
Register
quamish-Lillooet Regional District adopts Truth and Reconciliation Guide
By Ina Pace, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Squamish Chief The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has reinforced its ties with the First Nations, as they commit to ‘working in a good way.’ The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Board (SLRD board) is reinforcing its ties with the First Nations and Indigenous communities. The SLRD is home to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), St’át’imc Nation and Líl’wat Nation. Parts also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka’pamux, Tsilhqot’in, and Secwepemc Nations. The SLRD formally endorsed the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Indigenous Relations Truth & Reconciliation: In Practice: A Guide for Working in a Good Way during its Oct. 22 board meeting, as a means of strategic co-ordination and engagement. This “roadmap” will be used by elected officials and SLRD staff to direct...
Register
Six Nations police, firefighters: its all about a safe Halloween
By Carly McHugh Writer With Halloween approaching, it is important for families, homeowners and businesses to familiarize themselves with the best trick-or-treating safety practices, to guarantee a fun and successful evening for all. Six Nations Police and Fire and Emergency Services have shared some helpful tips to keep the community safe, aware and happy on Halloween night. Foremost, to ensure their personal safety, trick-or-treaters are encouraged to: Wear bright or reflective costumes or clothing. Carry a light source, such as a flashlight, glow stick or cellphone light. Avoid long, trailing fabric to prevent tripping and choose masks with unobstructed vision. Walk, not run, and watch for traffic when crossing the street. Stay on the sidewalk where possible and only go to houses with their lights on. Ask an adult to...
Register
