B.C. to kill 25 deer to test for chronic wasting disease in Kootenay region
VICTORIA- The B.C. government says it will cull 25 deer in the Kootenay region to test for chronic wasting disease. The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says two deer in the region tested positive for the disease earlier this year. The ministry says the animals will be collected in a 10-kilometre area around where the two diseased animals were found. It says wildlife experts will use the samples to determine if more animals have the condition, which impairs brain function. The province says it has recently begun mandatory testing for chronic wasting disease of any deer, moose, elk and caribou killed on B.C. roads, and it has restricted how carcasses can be transported and disposed of around the area where it was first detected. The ministry says it...
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B.C. philanthropists donate $92 million, plan for the future of the Tula Foundation
VICTORIA- A pair of British Columbia philanthropists are donating the last $92 million from a “windfall” sale of their medical imaging company to the charitable foundation they founded. Eric Peterson says the donation with his wife Christina Munck to the Tula Foundation is the beginning of “handing off the baton” and planning for the future of the organization. The Tula Foundation, named after one of the couple’s dogs, supports several charitable initiatives, including the Hakai Institute, a Canadian science institute researching coastal ecology, and the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria. Peterson says the couple originally started the foundation after the multimillion-dollar sale in 2001 of his privately owned medical imaging company, Mitra, and they were advised that they would feel like idiots if they died with money...
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‘My job is not to be popular,’ Trudeau says after pressed to ditch carbon price hike
By Bill Graveland and Lauren Krugel THE CANADIAN PRESS CALGARY- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed back Wednesday on growing demands from premiers to dump the planned April 1 hike to the consumer carbon levy, saying leaders must tackle both affordability and climate change. “My job is not to be popular,” Trudeau said, briefly pausing and adding with a wry smile, “Although it helps.” “My job is to do the right things for Canada now and do the right things for Canadians a generation from now.” Trudeau made the comments to reporters in Calgary after meeting earlier in the day with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith for the first time since last summer. She and six other premiers have called on Trudeau to abandon the 23-per-cent hike to help Canadians already dealing...
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It’s Lil’ NHL time!
Former Six Nations chief inducted into Little NHL Hall of Fame By Sam Laskaris Writer Former Six Nations chief Ava Hill has become a Hall of Famer. And that’s not something that Hill had ever envisioned happening. “I’ve never ever dreamt of being a Hall of Famer for anything,” Hill said this past Saturday, after she was inducted into the Little Native Hockey League’s Hall of Fame. Hill was one of 15 inductees into this year’s class for the tournament, often simply called the Little NHL. Induction ceremonies were held at the Little NHL gala staged at the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre & Spa. The gala was held in conjunction with this year’s 50th anniversary tourney, which began on Monday (Mar. 11) and continues until Thursday, Mar. 14. Hill...
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Rush over to apply for controversial Drinking Water Settlement
By Lisa Iesse Writer When it came down to the deadline despite being told they would not see any money Six Nations community members rushed to apply for the controversial First Nations Drinking Water Settlement. The move came after community members began raising questions about a March 6 band council notice to apply for the drinking water settlement they are “not eligible” for. On March 6, the Six Nations band council posted a reminder on their facebook site about tonight’s application deadline for the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement. Applications for the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement. from First Nations communities deemed eligible and individuals can be submitted up to Thursday March 7, 2024 11:59 PM PST. Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller said she signed several forms for community members....
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Councillors want to exert sovereignty, setting up planning depart
Six Nations may set up a planning department to assert its sovereignty when it comes to development along the Haldimand Tract. Six Nations Elected Councillors (SNEC) Cynthia Jamieson and Helen Miller attended a meeting with Municipal staff and planners as well as provincial staff regarding housing and development and gave a report to council at the Political Liaison meeting on March 11. Miller suggested having planning staff dedicated to keeping tabs on development within the Haldimand Tract. “A planning person or department, it kind of ties into the CAP Team; they’re not doing everything these people are doing. It’s interesting to sit and listen to,” she said. Councillor Amos Keye said if SNEC is a sovereign nation it should stop “pussy footing around” and demand developers accommodate Six Nations. “I...
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Seat for Indigenous rep on Hamilton City Council being sought
By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON / SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – An Urban Indigenous advocacy group is calling for the city of Hamilton to make space for Indigenous representation on council. The Indigenous Consultation Circle, also known as the Circle of Beads, are a collective of Indigenous community leaders, advocates and organizations who joined forces in support of the safety of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the Hamilton area. Members of the Circle joined the city mayor and council at a February council meeting to announce the proposal of an Indigenous seat on council. “The Circle of Beads convenes to address colonial violence as it intersects with corrections, policing, courts, child welfare, housing, education, health care, and other space that our community experiences matters related to their...
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Six Nations Elected Council to sponsor Brantford Mayor Gala
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) plans to sponsor Brantford’s Mayor’s Gala for the first time. SNEC passed a motion to sign on as a Gold Sponsor for the 15th Brantford’s Mayor’s Gala at the General Finance committee meeting on March 4 at a cost of $3,000. Councillor Helen Miller said she didn’t believe SNEC had ever contributed financially to the event. “It would be the first time, if we do,” she said. Director of accounting Wayne Staats said he couldn’t confirm that it has never happened, but looked for a donation to the gala and couldn’t find one in the past two years, but would ensure that those funds would be written into the 2024 budget. “This would be out of next year’s budget, so we’ll ensure once the budget...
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Brant County Detour to affect Six Nations roads
The County of Brant will run a detour through Six Nations while nearby construction takes place. Two County of Brant employees, Mark Eby, director of infrastructure and asset management and Joe Murphy, capital project manager, presented its proposed detour to Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) at the Political Liaison meeting on February 26. Eby said the County of Brant will embark on repairs to a culvert on Old Greenfield Road sometime between July and September. “The Darnley culvert rehabilitation project just immediately west of the Six Nations Territory,” he said. “We’re asking for permission to use this detour.” Although SNEC accepted the presentation as information, director of Public Works Mike Montour said SNEC didn’t need to give permission as past processes have allowed for permissions to go through public works....
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COVID-19 changed the face of communities
A Six Nations COVID-19 community study is showing us how the community was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And how it changed the face of our communities. Suddenly people were gone. Faced with isolation, unable to meet as a community the aftereffects of the deadly disease resulted in massive losses to Indigenous communities. Losses we are still coping with. The study released this week showed not only how community infrastructure coped with having the world wide disease, but issues that sprang up during the three years the community and world battled the infectious disease. The study isn’t a surprise. Every community, town, city and nation has undergone COVID-19 studies with results showing a world not only under seige but mental health issues that pushed people to the limits. The pandemic...
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Emma Stone won, but Lily Gladstone didn’t lose
By Jake Coyle THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Academy Awards were full of sure-things, long-awaited anointments and easy predictions. The “Oppenheimer” romp. Ryan Gosling’s Ken stealing the show. That put even more focus on the category that was hardest to call: best actress. When Emma Stone was announced as the winner, a ceremony light on surprise got a genuine shock, perfectly illustrated by Stone’s stunned expression. Stone’s win, for her sensational performance in “Poor Things,” was hard not to cast as a defeat for Lily Gladstone. The “Killers of the Flower Moon” actress had been picked by most prognosticators and – as everyone knew – history hung in the balance. Her win would have been the first for a Native American in the nearly century-long history of...
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Whitlow racks up 12 points while Snipers’ goalie also scores in lopsided victory
By Sam Laskaris Writer Things were going the Six Nations Snipers’ way on Sunday. How good was it for the local Arena Lacrosse League (ALL) squad? Well, consider the fact Dylan Sprentz, who was originally penciled in to be the club’s backup goalie, was instead dressed as a runner. Sprentz played some offence and managed to score a goal in the Snipers’ 23-13 triumph over the visiting Peterborough Timbermen in a contest held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). While Sprentz’ goal was a highlight for team members, it was another Six Nations player who was the offensive star of the match. Wes Whitlow racked up a whopping 12 points in the game. Whitlow scored five goals and added seven assists. Snipers’ head coach Darcy Powless said he was told...
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Funding program returns for Indigenous hockey coaches
By Sam Laskaris Writer Hockey coaches from Six Nations are among those eligible to receive some new funding. Officials from the Hydro One Inc. (Hydro One) and the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) announced details of their Indigenous Hockey Coaching Grant on Monday. The grant, launched last year, aims to boost Indigenous representation in sports leadership by making hockey more accessible and affordable for coaches from Indigenous communities. Individuals can apply to receive up to a maximum of $1,500 each. That money will be used to cover costs such as training, equipment and travel. During the inaugural year of the grant there were a total of 38 recipients. Funding was used to pay for practice ice time, equipment and registration fees. “With the success of last year’s inaugural grant, I’m...
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Six Nations COVID study shows mental health issues widespread
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Findings from Six Nations’ COVID CommUNITY study show widespread physical, mental, and emotional impacts on relationships, work life, and education from the pandemic since 2020. Initial findings from the study were presented Saturday morning (March 9) at Six Nations Community Hall and was also live streamed on Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC)’s facebook page. The video attracted 1.3 K views on SNEC’s facebook page as of March 11. The three-year community-based study included surveys, and interviews along with blood samples. Blood sample data was used to assess exposure to Covid-19, and levels of antibodies (to combat the virus) present in the blood of participants over time. Sara Smith, who is an epidemiologist from Six Nations, worked on the study with...
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Overhaul of Ontario police law set to take effect five years after act passed
By Allison Jones THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO- An overhaul of Ontario’s 34-year-old law governing policing in the province is set to take effect next month, with its rules and regulations covering everything from oversight to discipline to more easily allowing the suspension of officers without pay. The Community Safety and Policing Act now has an implementation date of April 1, a full five years after it was passed, following a lengthy process involving more than 30 meetings with municipalities, advocates and police services and the filing of more than two dozen regulations to accompany the law. The new act is huge, with a whopping 263 sections, more than 100 sections longer than the law it replaces, but new rules allowing police chiefs to suspend officers without pay in some circumstances...
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Berkeley to return parking lot on top of sacred site to Ohlone tribe after settlement with developer
By Olga R. Rodriguez THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO (AP)- A San Francisco Bay Area parking lot that sits on top of a sacred tribal shell mound dating back 5,700 years has been returned to the Ohlone people by the Berkeley City Council after a settlement with developers who own the land. Berkeley’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt an ordinance giving the title of the land to the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, a women-led, San Francisco Bay Area collective that works to return land to Indigenous people and that raised the funds needed to reach the agreement. “This was a long, long effort but it was honestly worth it because what we’re doing today is righting past wrongs and returning stolen land to the people who once lived...
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Fishers say closure of lucrative baby eel fishery won’t stop poaching in Maritimes
By Keith Doucette THE CANADIAN PRESS HALIFAX- Ottawa’s decision to close the lucrative elver fishery on rivers in the Maritimes won’t prevent illegal fishing of the baby eels, a commercial licence holder in Nova Scotia said Tuesday. Stanley King said the federal Fisheries Department has moved too slowly to put in place enforcement measures that could have allowed for a 2024 season. “The poaching will continue unabated as it has for the previous two closures,” King predicted in an interview Tuesday. “The government should know by now that closures don’t work, especially when they are not enforced.” He added that only 60 arrests resulted from 1,400 complaints made last year to the federal Fisheries Department. In announcing this season’s closure the department said fisheries officers would enforce the ban and...
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Conference panel discusses aspects of Indigenous participation in the mining sector
By Sam Laskaris Local Journalism Initiative Reporter On March 5, Saga Williams was featured on a panel discussion at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference held March 3 to March 6 in Toronto. Williams, from the Curve Lake First Nation and owner/operator of AS Williams Consulting, works with the First Nations Major Project Coalition on membership outreach. She frequently advises on First Nations’ involvement in the critical mineral and energy sectors. She has worked alongside Indigenous communities on projects that exceed the $100-million cost mark. As part of the panel “Decarbonization: New avenues for Indigenous participation” William said an innovative approach to protecting the environment is “creating an economic benefit for communities who want to protect green space where the decarbonization happens naturally. “And we need to...
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`LIVES ARE ARE AT STAKE’: Nursing shortage leads to state of emergency in PCN
By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Despite opening a new health-care centre last fall, a northern Manitoba community is facing an “overwhelming” health-care crisis and is turning patients away because of a severe lack of nurses. “We are at a breaking point. Lives are at stake, and the health and well-being of our community members are in jeopardy,” Pimicikamak Cree Nation (PCN) band councillor and councillor responsible for health in PCN Donnie Mckay said. On Friday, officials with PCN, a remote northern community of about 6,200 on-reserve members that is also commonly referred to as Cross Lake, held a media conference where they announced they were declaring a “state of emergency” over health care in the community. In October, the community held a grand opening for their new Howard...
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