Îyârhe Nakoda Nation members to have day in court in Mînî Thnî
By Jessica Lee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Provincial court is in session in Mînî Thnî. Twice a month, council chambers at the Stoney Tribal Administration building will host virtual provincial court proceedings that would have otherwise required Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation members to travel to Cochrane. “We reached out to Cochrane RCMP inspector Dave Brunner and together we worked hand-in-hand to develop – along with Crown prosecutor Vince Pingatore – a virtual court to benefit Îyârhe Nakoda Nation members, who, for whatever reason, needed to be in provincial court and who may not have the transportation resources to get to court,” said Reg Fountain, Nakoda Emergency Services director. The first session was held in April and proceedings will occur on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, where necessary....
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Waste from mill worsening mercury contamination in river near Grassy Narrows: study
The Canadian Press Industrial discharge from a paper mill in northern Ontario is exacerbating mercury contamination in a river system near a First Nation that has been plagued with mercury poisoning for decades, a new study suggests. While the wastewater from the Dryden, Ont., mill doesn’t contain mercury, the sulphate and organic matter in it contribute to the elevated production of methylmercury in the Wabigoon River, researchers from Western University said Thursday. The levels of methylmercury — the most toxic form of mercury — in the river’s fish may be twice as high as they would be without the mill discharge, they said. “The mill operations today are making the methylmercury contamination problem worse in the Wabigoon River and delaying the recovery of mercury contamination and fish in that system,”...
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Native American tribes give unanimous approval to proposal securing Colorado River water
The Associated Press The Navajo Nation Council has signed off on a proposed settlement that would ensure water rights for its tribe and two others in the drought-stricken Southwest — a deal that could become the most expensive enacted by Congress. The Navajo Nation has one of the largest single outstanding claims in the Colorado River basin. Delegates acknowledged the gravity of their vote Thursday and stood to applause after casting a unanimous vote. Many noted that the effort to secure water deliveries for tribal communities has spanned generations. Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley and other officials stood outside the chamber in Window Rock, Arizona, under a clear blue sky as the wind whipped. She recalled learning about the fight over water rights in school when she was a girl. Momentous...
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Allan Hawco, Snotty Nose Rez Kids among familiar names behind upcoming CBC lineup
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 18:19 CBCs upcoming scripted lineup showcases diversity and familiar faces, with Indigenous hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids, writer-actor Allan Hawco and comedy collaborators Jennifer Whalen and Meredith MacNeill debuting new series. The public broadcaster announced a fall and winter slate Thursday that includes the half-hour scripted show “Snotty Nose Rez Kids,” bound for early 2025. It tells the “not even true, real life story” of the Haisla Nation artists’ rise to fame with show creators Quinton (Yung Trybez) Nyce and Darren (Young D) Metz putting their story on TV after earning accolades in the music scene. “For us, as native kids trying to pursue something, there weren’t a lot of people who stood behind us. It was two steps forward and 10 steps back, and...
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New bill would let Canadians pass citizenship rights down to children born abroad
By Canadian Press Staff A new government bill tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday would allow Canadians to pass citizenship rights down to their children born outside the country — a move that would add an unknown number of new citizens. In 2009, former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper’s government changed the law so that Canadian parents who were born abroad could not pass down their citizenship, unless their child was born in Canada. Those who have not had access to citizenship rights as a result of the amendments are known as “Lost Canadians.” The new bill looks to undo that change, which was struck down by a recent court challenge, and extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation born outside of Canada. The legislation would automatically...
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Sex assault charge stayed against former MP Saganash‘
A sexual assault charge against former Member of Parliament, Romeo Saganash, was stayed earlier this week. The charge against the Cree lawyer, who had represented the Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou riding in northern Quebec from 2011 to 2019, was stayed in by a Manitoba court judge Tuesday. Saganash had been arrested June 7, 2023 by Winnipeg police when allegations the former NDP MP sexually touched a woman at a meeting on May 1, 2023 surfaced.The sex assault charge was referred to the provincial justice department’s restorative justice programming last October. On Tuesday, May 23rd, Crown prosecutor Bruce Sychuk asked provincial court Judge Rob Finlayson to stay the charge. He asked the judge to order a one-year peace bond barring contact and communication with the complainant, Carmen Roy. The request came as a result...
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Waste from mill worsening mercury contamination in river near Grassy Narrows: study
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 14:40 Industrial discharge from a paper mill in northern Ontario is exacerbating mercury contamination in a river system near a First Nation that has been plagued with mercury poisoning for decades, a new study suggests. While the wastewater from the Dryden, Ont., mill doesn’t contain mercury, the sulphate and organic matter in it contribute to the elevated production of methylmercury in the Wabigoon River, researchers from the University of Western Ontario said Thursday. The levels of methylmercury — the most toxic form of mercury — in the river’s fish may be twice as high as they would be without the mill discharge, they said. “The mill operations today are making the methylmercury contamination problem worse in the Wabigoon River and delaying the recovery of mercury contamination...
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Métis National Council president not seeking re-election, citing growing family
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 13:58 The president of the Métis National Council is not seeking re-election, saying she is instead going to focus on her growing family. Cassidy Caron was elected in 2021 as the youngest person ever to lead the organization, which represents Métis groups in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. She says she is proud of her work and she is leaving behind a “strong, functioning and ethical organization,” despite recent infighting. The council was most recently thrust into the spotlight over a federal bill that seeks to recognize the self-government of Métis groups in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Caron maintained support for member groups’ self-government efforts, but First Nations and Manitoba Métis stand opposed to the bill and its progress in Parliament has stalled. The outgoing...
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B.C. mayor hopes wildfire evacuees can return to Fort Nelson early next week
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 13:56 The mayor of the regional municipality that includes Fort Nelson, B.C., that was evacuated due to a threatening wildfire says local officials are pushing for a Monday or Tuesday deadline to start allowing about 4,700 residents home after nearly two weeks. Rob Fraser says the “imminent risk” posed by the Parker Lake fire has been reduced, and officials are focused on rolling out a phased approach to residents’ return. He says in a video posted late Wednesday that some doctors had returned to the community along with grocery staff who were restocking shelves. Fraser says water, hydro and hydroelectric services were operational, and crews with FortisBC were in town examining the natural gas company’s infrastructure. The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality says officials...
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Navajo Nation approves proposed settlement to secure Colorado River water
The Associated Press 23/05/2024 13:48 WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation Council has signed off on a proposed water rights settlement that carries a price tag larger than any such agreement enacted by Congress would ensure water for two other Native American tribes in a state that has been forced to cut back on water use. The Navajo Nation has one of the largest single outstanding claims in the Colorado River basin. Delegates acknowledged the gravity of their vote Thursday, with many noting that securing water deliveries to tribal communities has been an effort that has spanned generations. “Thank you for helping make history today,” Navajo Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley told her fellow delegates as they stood and clapped after casting a unanimous vote. The Hopi tribe approved...
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Waste from mill worsening mercury contamination in river near Grassy Narrows: study
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 12:37 A new study suggests industrial discharge from a paper mill in northern Ontario is exacerbating mercury contamination in a nearby river system and its fish. Researchers from the University of Western Ontario say that while the wastewater from the Dryden, Ont., mill doesn’t contain mercury, the sulphate and organic matter in it contribute to the elevated production of methylmercury in the Wabigoon River. They say the levels of methylmercury — the most toxic form of mercury — in the river’s fish may be twice as high as they would be without the mill discharge. The Wabigoon River is upstream from the Grassy Narrows First Nation, which has been plagued with mercury poisoning for more than 50 years. Brian Branfireun, who led the research team, says...
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RCMP adds ribbon skirt to uniform in effort to build bridges with Indigenous people
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 12:19 The RCMP has added a traditional Indigenous ribbon skirt to its uniform. Commissioner Mike Duheme has announced on social media that officers can now wear the ribbon skirts when donning the red serge. He says the addition demonstrates the RCMP’s commitment to reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion. The RCMP did not immediately provide more details. Officers have also been allowed to incorporate eagle feathers and the Métis sash into their uniforms. The national force has aimed to build bridges with Indigenous communities for the role it played in colonialism. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2024. ...
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Plan to wake serial killer Robert Pickton from coma: Quebec police
The Canadian Press 23/05/2024 11:31 A spokesman for Quebec’s provincial police says British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton is in a medically induced coma after a prison attack and doctors planned to try to wake him soon. Sgt. Hugues Beaulieu says the plan to wake Pickton in the next few days and see if he can survive on his own was current as of Wednesday, but he wasn’t sure if it has since changed. Police previously said Pickton was in a life-threatening condition after Sunday’s attack at the maximum-security Port-Cartier Institution, about 480 kilometres northeast of Quebec City. Correctional Service Canada said Pickton was the victim of a “major assault” and prison officers had not been involved. Pickton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life...
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Special Chiefs Council confers over landmark agreement
Local Journalism Initiative The fight continues in earnest for First Nations children and families. The Special Chiefs Council of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) is meeting in Thunder Bay for two days, May 22 and 23, to discuss social services in NAN communities and the terms of a 20-billion-dollar long-term reform agreement for First Nations child welfare — one of two final settlement agreements. The meeting, which features presentations from community-led social services organizations and leaders, brings together Chiefs and representatives from across NAN’s traditional territories. Addressing those in attendance, Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler paid his respects to community members who have recently lost family members and brought the matter at hand into focus. “This is about our children. It’s about our kids and our communities – and it’s to...
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First Nations Health Authority in B.C. investigating cybersecurity incident
The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 21:47 The First Nations Health Authority in B.C. is investigating after being hit by a cybersecurity attack. The health authority, which bills itself as the first and only provincial one of its kind in Canada, says it became aware on May 13 of “unusual activity” on its corporate network. It says an “unauthorize entity” was intercepted after gaining access to the network. The health authority says there’s evidence that certain employee information and limited personal information of others was affected. However, it says there’s no evidence the attack affected any clinical information systems it uses. The cyberattack is the latest in a series of recent incidents in B.C., though the health authority says there’s no indication of any connection. It says law enforcement and the Office...
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‘One of the most hated men in Winnipeg’: Trial sees letters from serial killer
The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 The trial of admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki learned about him through his own words Wednesday, with pen pal letters in which he discusses everything from the persecution of Caucasians to his post-apocalyptic zombie novel. “A racist is someone who wakes up white in the morning,” Skibicki wrote to a fellow inmate in a series of letters entered into evidence at his trial. The letters, from over a year ago, also foreshadow Skibicki’s legal strategy and how he thinks he should not be held criminally responsible because of mental illness. Skibicki, 37, is on trial charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of four Indigenous women in 2022. The trial was originally to be heard by a jury. But both sides agreed to a judge-alone trial...
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‘Five feet nothing’: Pickton’s safety likely behind Quebec move, says ex-prison judge
By The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 17:13 When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia’s Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy. But Darryl Plecas, a former prison judge at Kent who went on to be Speaker of the B.C. Legislature, says he thinks he knows why — Pickton’s safety was likely at risk at Kent. Pickton is now in a Quebec City hospital with what police there called life-threatening injuries. Correctional Service Canada said Pickton, who was being held at the Port-Cartier Institution, about 480 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, was the victim of a “major assault” that did not involve guards on Sunday. Plecas, a criminologist who was...
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B.C. wildfires: Plans underway for residents’ return to evacuated town of Fort Nelson
The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 12:18 The mayor of the regional municipality that includes the evacuated community of Fort Nelson, B.C., says he’s optimistic crews have “a very good handle” on the wildfire burning outside town and plans are underway for residents to return. Rob Fraser says the first phase involved ensuring it was safe enough to move the Fort Nelson emergency operations centre back into town after it was moved as the fire threatened earlier this month, and the second phase involves utility services. Fraser posted a video update late Tuesday saying hydro, natural gas and telecommunications crews were in town working to ensure the services are safely up and running. The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality says officials are working to ensure hospital and ambulance staff are...
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Building influence: Cree Nation plays leading role at UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
By Patrick Quinn Local Journalism Initiative Reporter At the world’s largest annual gathering of Indigenous leaders and policymakers in New York City, the Cree Nation had a leading role in discussions about working collaboratively with state governments to advance self-determination. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is a high-level advisory body that has focused on raising awareness and gathering expert recommendations since 2002. Several side events examine pressing issues that help develop policies upholding Indigenous rights. Cree justice director Donald Nicholls moderated a side event April 18 – “Paving the Way for Future Generations: Reclaiming Indigenous Rights and Collaborating with State Governments for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Relations.” Grand Chiefs from the Cree, Algonquin-Anishinabeg and Atikamekw Nations were joined by Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Ghislain...
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Crown wraps evidence in Winnipeg serial killer trial, court to resume next month
The Canadian Press 22/05/2024 12:43 Crown prosecutors have finished calling evidence in the trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four Indigenous women. The Crown presented nine letters between Jeremy Skibicki and an inmate in Nova Scotia, but their content was not read in court. The trial is to resume June 3, with defence lawyers calling an expert to testify about Skibicki’s state of mind at the time of the killings. Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the 2022 slayings of Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Buffalo Woman. His lawyers say he killed the women but argue he should be found not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Prosecutors say the killings were racially motivated...
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