Innu rights advocates want public apology from Hydro-Québec
By Heidi Atter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent Innu rights advocates are calling for a public apology and a more appropriate funding offer from Hydro-Québec after a ratification vote on a proposed ‘reconciliation agreement’ between Innu Nation and Hydro-Québec failed on Monday. Jerome Jack, son of late Innu leader Bart Jack, said he’s proud of the ratification process results. “I’m looking forward to Hydro-Québec coming back again to really reconcile this time, so that they can see how Innu are banding together to request and demand a formal apology,” he told The Independent. “Hydro-Québec failed to come to the community and acknowledge the people.” In June Hydro-Québec announced a proposed deal between the public utility and Innu Nation, the organization that advocates and negotiates on behalf of Innu rights-holders...
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Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay gathers politicians, residents for ‘public safety’ discussion
By Heidi Atter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent A week after four suspicious fires were fought in a single night, political leaders from all three levels of government gathered in Happy Valley-Goose Bay to hear from residents and discuss public safety. Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor Bert Pomeroy said the Town convened the meeting after it was shaken by the four Oct. 24 fires, adding the local fire department responded to another fire in the community on Nov. 1. On the night of Oct. 24 and early morning hours of Oct. 25, emergency services responded to four fires, including one at the home of Deputy Mayor Jackie Compton-Hobbs. The RCMP said evidence suggests all four fires were intentionally set and the force is asking residents to review any available CCTV...
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What the federal Liberals are pitching in their 2025 budget
By The Canadian Press Over the past few weeks, the federal government has previewed items that will be included in the federal budget, being introduced today. Here is a running list of what has been announced by the Liberals ahead of budget day. Nov. 1: Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty says Budget 2025 will introduce a temporary five-year tax credit for personal support workers. She says eligible workers will be able to claim a refundable tax credit equal to five per cent of their eligible income, providing support of up to $1,100 per year. Oct. 30: Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s office says the coming fiscal plan will allocate $77 million over the next four years to the Canada Revenue Agency to address a problem the Canadian Trucking Alliance has...
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‘We have a way to save communities’: Cultural fire keepers share knowledge across colonial borders
By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Sitting among a group of fellow Indigenous fire keepers in syilx homelands, Rachel Cavanagh shared knowledge about cultural burns where she is from in Australia. “Ceremony,” she said, “has such a huge part to play in implementing fire.” A Minjungbal woman from the Bundjalung/Yugambeh Nations, Cavanagh journeyed more than 12,000 kilometres to attend the inaugural National Indigenous Fire Gathering in snpink’tn (Penticton). The summit brought together more than 100 Indigenous knowledge holders, leaders and experts from Canada, the U.S. and Australia between Sept. 23 to 25. As Cavanagh explained it, the practice of implementing cultural fires year-round is not just about taking care of the landscapes and ecosystems on her nation’s territories — what Indigenous peoples in her homeland call “Country.” “It...
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Elections Alberta says second legislature member, Angela Pitt, facing recall petition
By Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson A second member of the Alberta legislature is facing a citizen petition to recall her from her job. Alberta’s chief electoral officer Gordon McClure, speaking Monday to a legislature committee, said a recall campaign has been approved for United Conservative member Angela Pitt. McClure didn’t say what reasoning was given by the applicant, but the person can start collecting signatures Wednesday. He said the applicant has until early February to gather just under 15,000 signatures from residents in the riding. If the petition drive is successful and the signatures are validated, a vote would be held within four months in the Calgary-area riding and, if more than half the voters cast a ballot to remove Pitt, she would be unseated as a member of...
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PAGC First Nations policing initiative moving to next steps
By Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Albert Daily Herald In mid-October the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) hosted a two-day Policing and Community Safety Gathering at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre. The event brought together First Nations leaders, policing partners, and community safety staff to map out the next steps toward self-administered First Nations policing across PAGC’s 12 member Nations. PAGC Vice Chief Joseph Tsannie said the purpose of the gathering was to be a progress report. “We have until March to finish the feasibility study,” Tsannie said. “What that entails is a lot of community engagements, (and) talking to the stakeholders.” This will involve going to all 28 communities in the 12 First Nations under the PAGC banner. “We’re going in, doing a lot of engagement...
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Little Progress on NDP Promise to Reform Child Welfare, AMC Says, as First Nations Children Make Up 80% of Kids in Care
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is sounding the alarm over the continued and growing overrepresentation of First Nations children in the province’s child welfare system, saying the latest government data underscore a crisis that demands structural, not incremental, change. According to the Manitoba Families 2024/25 Annual Report, 9,172 children remain in care across the province. Of those, 7,377 are in care with provincially mandated First Nation child and family service agencies, representing a staggering 80 per cent of all children in care. “These are not just numbers; these are our children and families who continue to be caught in a system that was never designed for them,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “The system must shift its focus toward the...
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‘The price for growth shouldn’t be people’s lives’: Indigenous leaders tell Ottawa
OTTAWA-Indigenous leaders country wide are reminding Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government the country’s growth should not come at the cost of lives. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is focused on passing its first budget but the Mikisew Cree First Nation, along with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta, are calling on the federal government to reject the proposed treat-and-release of toxic oil tailings into the Athabasca River system. “Treat-and-release” refers to the treatment of toxic oilsands tailings in order to release them back into the environment. The Athabasca River system, which members of the Mikisew Cree First Nation and neighbouring communities rely on for essential needs like drinking water and food, is surrounded by large tailings “ponds” containing 1.4 trillion litres of...
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Wildfires burned nearly 6,000 square kilometres in Ontario this year: ministry
The Ministry of Natural Resources says nearly 6,000 square kilometres burned in Ontario this wildfire season, much more than last year and well above the province’s 10-year average. The ministry says 643 wildfires were recorded between April and October, with 597,654 hectares — or just over 5,976 square kilometres — burned. The province says 480 fires burned nearly 900 square kilometres in 2024 and the 10-year average for Ontario is 712 fires and about 2,100 square kilometres burned. Figures released by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre in August showed that Canada’s 2025 wildfire season was the second-worst on record. Those figures suggested the fires tore through 72,000 square kilometres, an area roughly the size of New Brunswick. Scientists say that climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels,...
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Alberta cuts funding mid-year to program for Indigenous mothers who have faced domestic violence
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News The provincial government has cut funding for an Aboriginal Counseling Services of Alberta (ACSA) program that provides support for Indigenous mothers who have faced domestic violence, forcing ACSA to seek to make up the cost in private donations by the end of the year. While the Circle of Safety program helps men, women and children aged 6 to 16 who have experienced violence at home, the Ministry of Children and Family Services informed ACSA in September that it would be discontinuing $135,000 in funding for the women’s program. ACSA executive director Keleigh Larson described the Circle of Safety as “almost like a treatment program for clients that are involved with domestic violence.” The timing couldn’t have been worse, coming mid-fiscal...
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‘Hurricane Bob’ Rae says he’s leaving the United Nations with no regrets
By Dylan Robertson Bob Rae knows that as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations he had a habit of going off-message with Global Affairs Canada but he has no regrets. He says it created a healthy tension, even if it meant he occasionally had to delete a tweet. “I once got a little desk thing that says ‘Hurricane Bob,’ because that was my nickname in the department,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview this week. “The mindset is very — prudence is the key. And you know, not making waves. And I’m afraid I’ve always been more of a wave-maker,” he said. “I don’t regret anything.” Rae wraps up his time as Canada’s ambassador on Nov. 17, after a five-year term that spanned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,...
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‘Our people are getting shot’: Eskasoni chief speaks to Ottawa about policing
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post An emotional and dramatic plea for change and understanding was presented to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs last week when Eskasoni Chief Leroy Denny testified about problems with policing in Mi’kmaq communities. “Look at the news,” Denny told the committee. “Our people are getting shot.” He said Indigenous people are reaching out for mental health support and there have been instances when they are shot by police. “That’s what happened to our fire chief and we’ve had enough.” Denny was referring to Eskasoni fire chief Fred Sylliboy who was tasered twice two weeks ago after being stopped by police and refusing a breathalyzer. Sylliboy’s first language is Mi’kmaq and it’s not clear if he...
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B.C. First Nation members vote in favour of treaty, moving toward self-governance
A First Nation from the northwest coast of British Columbia has voted in favour of a constitution and a treaty that it says opens a path to a new era of self-government. The Kitsumkalum First Nation, located west of Terrace, B.C., says 89 per cent of voters approved of the constitution while about 90 per cent supported the treaty. Elected chief councillor Troy Sam called it a “proud day,” adding in a statement that the approvals “open the door to a new era of self-government, accountability, and opportunity.” The Kitsumkalum Nation has a population of about 825 members, and its territory spans the Skeena Region from Terrace to Prince Rupert. Melissa Quocksister, communications and engagement consultant for the Kitsumkalum Treaty, says the vote allows the community to take advantage of...
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Portage Mayor calls for unified approach to economic reconciliation after forum
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader The path to a stronger Manitoba economy requires all of the province’s recognized governments to work together on economic reconciliation, according to Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox. Knox said she left the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) Binasi Economic Reconciliation Forum “inspired” and “more committed than ever” to shared prosperity after attending the gathering of leaders. The forum was held at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg from Oct. 28-29. “The path forward for Manitoba depends on all of us learning to work together,” Knox said in a statement. Knox highlighted the 202 recognized governments across the province, including the provincial government, 137 municipal governments, 59 Treaty First Nations, four Non-Treaty Dakota Nations, and the Manitoba Métis Federation. She emphasized...
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‘Moving mountains not always enough’ to bring home Indigenous family members
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette Families who grieve missing and murdered Indigenous children received “deepest sympathies” from a member of Alberta’s legislature last week, after at least two recent stories brought the issue to wide public attention. The remains of Samuel Bird were found Oct. 16 in a rural area near Edmonton the day after a man was arrested and charged with multiple offences tied to his death, including second-degree murder. Bird, 14, was identified on surveillance video in Edmonton on June 1, before going to a friend’s place. Darius Macdougall, a six-year-old Indigenous boy, lost physical contact with his family Sept. 21 in the Island Lake area west of Crowsnest Pass. The boy, who has autism, has not been found. Said Brooks Arcand-Paul, the...
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Mark Carney’s first budget plots a sharp departure from past fiscal plans
By Craig Lord Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is getting ready to table its first budget this week — one that will be markedly different from budgets of the past. “This one is important for a bunch of reasons that might actually be unique to this particular circumstance,” said Sahir Khan, vice-president of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at the University of Ottawa. This budget is the Liberals’ first fiscal update in almost a year and the first summary of Carney’s agenda since the party released its spring election platform. Since then, key Canadian industries have taken a sharp hit from the trade war with the United States. A weaker economy means lower revenues for government. Add to that a handful of tax cuts and a substantial increase...
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Gamebridge Solar Project paused as company seeks Indigenous partnerships
By Danielle Pitman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, OrilliaMatters.com The Gamebridge Solar Project is on pause until further notice. “We realized we could make the project stronger if we took more time to develop some stronger partnerships with some Indigenous communities,” said Darius Sokal, senior communications and stakeholder adviser with Atura Power. The proposal is led by Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, which partnered with James Dick Construction Ltd., operator of the Gamebridge quarry. The plan is for 120 acres of quarry land to be used for a solar farm. Plenty of work has been done to garner support for the project. In July, a public meeting was held and the company reported favourable feedback. At an August meeting, representatives presented to Ramara council in an effort to...
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Six Nations Police charge two with drug trafficking related charges
OHSWEKEN, ON- A Six Nations Police Drug Enforcement Unit investigation has resulted in police seizing bulk cocaine, oxycodone and laying trafficking charges. Six Nations Police executed warrants Tuesday, October 21, 2025, as part of a drug trafficking investigation at residence on Fourth Line near Cayuga Road. As a result of the Section 11 Controlled Drugs & Substances Act search warrants five persons were arrested and taken into custody, two of which had outstanding warrants with Six Nations Police. One individual was released from police custody unconditionally. A search was conducted resulting in the seizure of bulk cocaine, oxycodone, currency, a cell phone and drug packaging materials. As a result of the investigation, Robbe Beaver, 50, and Mackenzie Bomberry-Whitlow, 24, both of Ohsweken were arrested and charged with: Possession for the...
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Kahnawake Mohawk Council may use future tolls to offset Indigenous Services Canada funding cuts
By Olivier Cadotte, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) is making progress on its potential plan of setting up tolls on major roads that go through the community. The presence of those cars results in significant traffic as vehicles drive through the territory to the Mercier Bridge or to avoid slowdowns elsewhere. To that end, the MCK announced it is seeking to consult the community on the project, including at a community meeting and in the future through polling and kiosks, as well as launching a request for proposals (RFP) to determine the feasibility of tolling and creating an internal team to do so; which will include specialists in infrastructure, public safety, and financials, according to MCK grand chief Cody Diabo. Tolls have...
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Six Nations Police arrest two after spotting man with outstanding arrest warrant
OHSWEKEN, ON- A 27-year-old Ohsweken man is facing stolen vehicle and possession of house breaking tools after Six Nations Police spotted a man, “known to have an outstanding arrest warrant.” Police arrested a man while he was putting fuel in a vehicle police said was later found to have been stolen from another area. The man was taken into custody. Police seized tools from within the vehicle they said were commonly used to assist in the theft of vehicles. At the same time a male passenger was also taken into custody. Brayden Doxtator, of Ohsweken, Ontario was arrested and charged with: – Possession of Stolen Vehicle over $5,000 – Possession of House Breaking Instruments – Operation While Prohibited X3 – Driving While Under Suspension Dennis Hill, 43, of Ohsweken, Ontario has been...
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