Investigators search for Native American items stolen decades ago in New Mexico
By Susan Montoya Bryan SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — The decades-old case file describes a medium-sized bowl crafted at Santa Ana Pueblo more than a century ago. Handed down over generations, this pottery piece adorned with dark red triangles was used for making bread. The bowl is among nearly 150 antiquities stolen from the Native American community’s ceremonial village during a series of burglaries that started in the summer of 1984. War shields, traditional clothing, moccasins, willow baskets and woven rugs were taken — all items that would fetch favorable sums given their rarity. Federal authorities and tribal police in New Mexico eventually busted the thieves. Pleas were entered, punishments doled out and the case was closed. Inexplicably, authorities never pursued recovery of the stolen items. Now, the pueblo’s...
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Former Fort Nelson Chief named in Business in Vancouver’s top 500 leaders list
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT NELSON, B.C. — A former chief of a northeast B.C. First Nation has been lauded for her efforts in building up relationships between First Nations and industry. Sharleen Gale has been named in Business in Vancouver magazine’s BC500 list of the top 500 business leaders across the province. A LinkedIn post from the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) highlights Gale’s commitment to “effectively create meaningful change in advancing reconciliation and Indigenous economic inclusion.” Currently, Gale serves as board chair of the FNMPC, having come to the board in 2017. A member of Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN), Gale was first elected to council back in 2009. She became FNFN Chief in 2022 and served in that capacity until she was...
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Cowichan’s lawyer says B.C. must reconcile property rights with land claim ruling
By Ashley Joannou The lawyer representing the Cowichan Nation in British Columbia says the provincial government must reconcile private property rights with a landmark court ruling that the nation has Aboriginal title over land on the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver. The BC Supreme Court ruled last week that the fee-simple ownership and interests in the lands, held by Canada, Richmond and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, “are defective and invalid,” but did not make a similar ruling for privately owned property. However, the ruling says B.C. owes a duty to the Cowichan to negotiate in good faith the reconciliation of Crown-granted private property on a portion of Lulu Island in Richmond, land that Cowichan ancestors used as a summer home. Lawyer David Robbins says the nation is looking forward...
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B.C. to appeal landmark Aboriginal title ruling over land in Metro Vancouver
By Ashley Joannou On Monday, members of the Cowichan Nation praised elders and those who have gone before them as they celebrated victory in a years-long legal fight to reclaim land on the Fraser River used by their ancestors as a summer home in what is now the Metro Vancouver municipality of Richmond, B.C. The trial had lasted 513 days, resulting in a ruling last week that is almost 280,000 words long. Justice Barbara Young ruled that the Crown’s grants of private property ownership rights over the lands “unjustifiably infringe” on Cowichan Aboriginal title, and need to be negotiated, while titles and interests in the lands held by Canada and Richmond were “defective and invalid.” But it soon became clear the conflict is not over, when B.C.’s Attorney General Niki...
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Federal Liberals looking to provide ‘certainty’ to investors in fall budget
By Craig Lord Major institutional investors are asking the federal government to give them a reason to invest more at home in the upcoming fall budget, says the Liberal MPs leading budget consultations across Canada. The federal Liberals are in the midst of consultations on the upcoming 2025 budget. While federal budgets typically are tabled in the spring, this one is set to land during the fall session of Parliament. The budget — which doesn’t yet have an exact release date — will be the Liberals’ first under Prime Minister Mark Carney and the first tabled by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, who was appointed to that cabinet position in May. The minister and some Liberal MPs are touring Canada to solicit feedback as part of the federal government’s typical pre-budget...
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SCAM ALERT: Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Text Messages
BRANT COUNTY, ONT-Brant County is warning residents fraudulent text messages related to Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) penalty orders or parking tickets are circulating. The County of Brant does not send text messages regarding ASE penalty orders or parking infractions. Official penalty notices are sent by mail only. If you receive a text message claiming to be from the County about a speeding ticket or fine, do not click any links or provide personal information. These messages are not legitimate and may be part of a phishing scam. To learn more about the County’s Automated Speed Enforcement program, visit brant.ca/ASE Let’s work together to keep our community safe—both on the roads and online....
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Extended heat warning issued for GEPH region starting August 11, 2025
August 11, 2025–The acting medical officer of health for Grand Erie Public Health is issuing an extended heat alert for the Grand Erie Public Health region (Brantford-Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk), effective August 11, 2025. An extended heat warning is issued when the daytime temperatures are expected to reach at least 31 degrees Celsius with overnight temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius for three or more days, or when the humidex is expected to reach 40 for three or more days. The warning will remain in effect until a cancellation notice is issued. While everyone is at risk from extreme heat, older adults, infants and young children, people with chronic illnesses, those working outdoors, and those without adequate housing or air conditioning are at greater risk of heat related illnesses. Symptoms of heat stroke and other heat related illnesses include: Dizziness or fainting Nausea or vomiting...
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At Penticton Indian Band, researchers work to find remedy for bighorn sheep disease
By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Researchers in the Okanagan are working to find a treatment for a skin disease in yilíkʷlxkn (bighorn sheep), as the animal’s population has been decimated in the region over the past two decades. A sheep pen at Penticton Indian Band (PIB) is the hub of a 12-to-18-month-long research project dedicated to developing a drug for treating Psoroptic mange. The life-threatening skin condition has resulted in “large scale die-offs” when it was introduced to the yilíkʷlxkn population in syilx territories around 20 years ago, explained Mackenzie Clarke, a senior tmixʷ (wildlife) biologist with the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA). “There was some really severe mange being seen in the population,” said Clarke. “They’ve had it for a number of years now, but we’re still...
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A heat wave scorches parts of Europe and fans wildfire threat in France
By Thomas Adamson PARIS (AP) — A heat wave gripped parts of Europe on Monday, sending temperatures up to 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in southern France and increasing risks of wildfires in wine country, while Bulgaria suffered blazes along its southern borders as Hungary saw record-breaking weekend temperatures and fires caused evacuations in Turkey’s northwest. Scientists say Europe is becoming the world’s fastest-warming continent. According to the U.K.-based Carbon Brief, 2025 is predicted to be the second- or third-warmest year on record. Europe’s land temperatures have risen about 2.3 C above pre-industrial levels, nearly twice the global rate, intensifying heat waves, the EU’s Copernicus climate service reports. EU data show burned area across the continent is already far above the long-term average this summer, with major outbreaks in Spain,...
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Indigenous groups question nearly $1 billion in government funding for Métis Nation of Ontario
By Alessia Passafiume First Nations in Ontario and the Manitoba Métis Federation say nearly $1 billion in federal funding went to a group they allege is fraudulently claiming Métis identity. The Chiefs of Ontario, which represents 133 First Nations in the province, shared with The Canadian Press data on more than 20 years worth of federal funding provided to the Métis Nation of Ontario. It suggests that $819,836,061 went from Ottawa to the MNO — an organization First Nations leaders say has no legitimacy and threatens their rights. “This data shows just how badly First Nations in Ontario are being harmed by the diversion of government funding to the MNO and away from the needs of First Nations and other legitimate groups,” the Chiefs of Ontario said in a media...
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Powwow lifestyle showcased in full-length film debut for First Nations director
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Hayley Morin recalls that some of her fondest childhood memories include attending the annual powwow on her First Nation. Morin, 29, is a member of Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta. Though she has produced various short films during her career, Morin is excited about the upcoming release of her full-length film as a director. Her film, Under The Arbor, will premiere across Canada on CBC Gem starting on Aug. 15. And those who live in Alberta and British Columbia will be able to watch the film on their local CBC Television channels on Aug. 16. The film follows dancers, singers, performers and families who take part in powwows in Alberta. “My family wasn’t the most involved in powwow growing up,” Morin said....
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B.C. First Nation wins rights, title along Fraser River’s south arm in Lower Mainland
A Vancouver Island First Nation has won back fishing rights and title for part of the land its ancestors used as a summer home in the Lower Mainland, despite opposition by two other Indigenous communities. A B.C. Supreme Court judge says in a written decision posted Friday that the Cowichan Tribes have established fishing rights on the Fraser River and title to a portion of almost 7 1/2 square kilometres of land they claimed on Lulu Island in Richmond, B.C. The Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations, along with the federal and provincial governments, the City of Richmond and the Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority all opposed the claim during the 513-day trial. Justice Barbara Young ruled that land titles grants issued by the Canadian and B.C. governments to others “are defective and...
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Métis Nation British Columbia declines to attend PM’s Bill C-5 summit after ‘disappointing’ observer invite
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca OTTAWA, ONT. — A meeting with the federal government and Métis Nations of Canada did not have representatives from British Columbia at the table. A press release on Wednesday, August 6th from the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) says the Nation decided not to attend the Métis summit on the Building Canada Act with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on Thursday, August 7th. The statement said MNBC was only asked to sit in the meeting as an “online observer,” which it branded a “disappointing step backwards” in the relationship between the Nation and the federal government. MNBC president Walter Mineault, who is from Dawson Creek, said the Nation “has committed to collaborating with Canada to address challenges, seize opportunities and uphold...
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B.C. First Nation wins rights, title along Fraser River’s south arm in Lower Mainland
A Vancouver Island First Nation has won back fishing rights and title for part of the land its ancestors used as a summer home in the Lower Mainland, despite opposition by two other Indigenous communities. A B.C. Supreme Court judge says in a written decision posted Friday that the Cowichan Tribes have established fishing rights on the Fraser River and title to a portion of almost 7 1/2 square kilometres of land they claimed on Lulu Island in Richmond, B.C. The Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations, along with the federal and provincial governments, the City of Richmond and the Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority all opposed the claim during the 513-day trial. Justice Barbara Young ruled that land titles grants issued by the Canadian and B.C. governments to others “are defective and...
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NDP names potential candidate for Kluane
By Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News A former White River First Nation council member is seeking the nomination to run for the Yukon NDP in the upcoming territorial election for the district of Kluane. John VanderMeer’s intention to run for election was announced by the Yukon NDP on Aug. 7 via press release. VanderMeer is a citizen of White River First Nation, and the president of the First Nation’s development corporation Copper Niisüü Limited Partnership. The Partnership recently launched a solar power installation in Beaver Creek, allowing the community to shift from diesel to renewable sources for its electricity. VanderMeer also sits on the Yukon Police Council, per the release. According to the Council’s webpage, the Council liaises between Yukoners, the territorial justice department, and the Yukon...
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Residents in Alaska’s capital city prepare for possible glacial flooding
By Mark Thiessen ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Residents and officials in Alaska’s capital city prepared Friday for the possibility of glacial flooding that in past years has swept away houses, swamped several hundred homes and eroded the river fed by the popular Mendenhall Glacier. The state, federal, city and tribal officials who would run an incident command center during any flooding held a briefing to outline steps and to issue pleas to the public to be prepared. The threat of so-called glacier outburst flooding has become an annual concern in parts of Juneau since 2011. The Mendenhall Glacier — a thinning, retreating glacier that is a major tourist attraction in southeast Alaska — acts as a dam for a basin that fills each spring and summer with rainwater and snowmelt....
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Chiefs heard little or nothing about Bill 5 consultation sessions
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY — Indigenous consultations relating to the controversial Bill 5 were scheduled for Friday in the Lakehead, but who was consulted and where the sessions took place are unclear. Newswatch contacted several First Nations chiefs who said they were not aware of the sessions. Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon and Marten Falls First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum said they were not informed of the consultation sessions. Eabametoong Chief Solomon Atlookan said by text message that he “arrived too late” for the meetings. Aroland, Marten Falls and Eabametoong are all First Nations in or near the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region that the province wants to declare a “special economic zone” under Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy...
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Artist honours rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot at National Mosaic Art Exhibition
By Fatima Raza One artist’s work at a mosaic exhibition in Toronto is honouring a French sexual abuse survivor who galvanized a global movement to better protect women. Valerie Brownell remembers closely following Gisèle Pelicot during the trial in her case. Titled Gisèle and the Unity of Women, Brownell’s piece is on display at the National Mosaic Art Exhibition in the city’s west end. Pelicot, 72, was drugged and raped by her husband, who was found guilty last year of inviting dozens of strangers to also abuse her over nearly a decade. She is lauded globally for her courage in testifying against her abusers, and paving the way for consent to be included in France’s legal definition of rape. “Many women showed their support for her by coming to the...
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Portage la Prairie Prepares for Wildfire Evacuees at Former MDC Site
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader The Manitoba government plans to reopen the former Manitoba Developmental Centre (MDC) site in Portage la Prairie as a temporary shelter for wildfire evacuees starting Friday, August 8. The announcement, made by Mayor Sharilyn Knox, signals the community’s role in addressing the urgent need for accommodations for those displaced by ongoing wildfires across the province. Mayor Knox shared the update via social media, emphasizing that this is a “short-term solution” while the province works to secure more suitable, long-term accommodations. The initiative involves a collaborative partnership between the provincial government, the City of Portage la Prairie, and First Nations leadership, all working to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for the incoming evacuees. “We know the site’s history, and I...
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Mandela, Einstein and ‘Hey Jude’: Larry Audlaluk takes the Proust Questionnaire
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Larry Audlaluk is a person of many titles. Writer, politician, activist, High Arctic’s unofficial ambassador and the “Holy Land’s best-known Inuk” after a 1996 visit to Israel — Audlaluk says he is a different person depending on the topic of conversation. When talking about polar bears, Audlaluk is first and foremost a hunter. When talking about the Middle East, he’s a “worried Canadian.” Most of the time, he is one of the world’s few Inuk philosophers, he says. The 74-year-old Grise Fiord resident, who was relocated to Canada’s northernmost community in 1953 at the age of three, took time to answer the Proust Questionnaire. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I don’t know if there’s such a thing as perfect...
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