B.C. Conservative leader reveals plans to address toxic drug crisis ahead of debate
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has laid out his solutions for the toxic drug crisis in the province, which include cutting wait times for voluntary treatment, a virtual program to connect people with addiction specialists and building “regional recovery communities” that would allow for 12-month live-in treatment. He says his party plans to hold overdose prevention sites accountable to make sure they are “meeting the highest standards” and if not, his government would not hesitate to shut them down. Rustad says if a Conservative government were elected after Oct. 19, he would ensure there are “no financial barriers to detox and treatment.” He didn’t say how long the plan would take or what the cost would be, saying his party would be laying out its full platform “within the coming...
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Report suggests decrease in condom use among Canadian youth, lack of safe-sex education
Canadian Press A new report that looks at the sex lives of Canadian youth suggests more needs to be done to encourage safe sex, including reversing a decrease in condom use. In a survey conducted by Angus Reid for the charity LetsStopAIDS, 24 per cent of participants said they use condoms “all the time.” That’s compared to 53 per cent who said they always used condoms in 2020. One in five said they’d never used a condom. LetsStopAIDS released Tuesday the results of its annual national survey of more than 1,100 Canadians aged 18 to 24. Six per cent of survey respondents said they were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection or HIV in the previous six months – up two per cent from 2023. And seven in 10 sexually...
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Paintings at art exhibit created by residential school survivors
By Odette Auger Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A recent exhibit of colourful paintings was held in the British Columbia city of Port Alberni. The exhibit, held at the Alberni Valley Museum on Sept. 28, featured paintings created by children forced to attend the Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS) in the 1950s and ‘60s. The show was an opportunity to learn from survivors’ experiences, and the connection between art, healing and storytelling. When Port Alberni artist and teacher Robert Aller passed away in 2008, his family donated a collection of paintings to the University of Victoria. Aller had volunteered art classes, pushing chairs to the edges of the room and inviting children to sit on the floor with him. He taught children how to paint, not what to paint. Dr. Andrea...
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Kent Monkman, Gisèle Gordon among finalists for Governor General’s Literary Awards
The Canadian Press Artists Kent Monkman and Gisèle Gordon say a Governor General’s Literary Award nod for their latest collaboration suggests their gleeful recentring of Indigeneity is entering the mainstream. “The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: Vol. 1: A True and Exact Accounting of the History of Turtle Island,” is among dozens of finalists for the prestigious book awards announced Tuesday morning. “We’ve been making art to challenge the dominant narrative,” Monkman said in an interview. In Monkman and Gordon’s work, Miss Chief pokes fun at the gravitas and inevitability with which white settlers treat the colonial project by reminding the writers of history that Indigenous people were here all along, not as observers or victims but as participants. “So this recognition is rewarding because it means we’ve managed...
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Quebec court grants injunction to stop illegal dumping in Kanesatake
The Canadian Press A Quebec court has granted a temporary injunction against several residents of the Mohawk community of Kanesatake to stop the illegal dumping of contaminated soil on waterfront properties. Quebec Superior Court Justice Benoît Emery issued the 10-day injunction Monday from a courtroom in St-Jérôme, Que., following a request from the provincial environment department. Government lawyers will return to court on Oct. 18 to seek an extension of the order. The decision comes after the Quebec government carried out a soil-sampling operation in Kanesatake in late August, which it claims revealed that contaminated soil had been dumped on several properties along the shores of the Lake of Two Mountains. That investigation followed months of media coverage and public pressure from community members, who say illegal dumping has been...
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First Nations education centre celebrates growth on 25th anniversary
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Another First Nation has joined the ranks of Manitoba’s Indigenous-run school board as the education hub in charge of it marks 25 years of operations. The Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre celebrated its anniversary and ongoing efforts to revitalize Indigenous languages and cultures at a conference in Winnipeg last week. Members of Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation — the 12th First Nation to enter into a partnership with the centre to deliver education — were among the hundreds in attendance. Principal Adeline Travers said the change has resulted in more funding per student, a fully-stocked computer lab, and new desks and maintenance equipment. “We’re a small school so every penny counts,” said the leader of a kindergarten-to-Grade 10 school located on the west shore...
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Defendant pleads no contest in shooting of Native activist at protest of Spanish conquistador statue
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man pleaded no contest Monday to reduced charges of aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting of a Native American activist during demonstrations about abandoned plans to reinstall a statue of a Spanish conquistador. Ryan David Martinez skuttled his scheduled trial this week at the outset of jury selection on previous charges including attempted murder. Under terms of the plea arrangement, he accepted a combined 9 1/2-year sentence but ultimately would serve four years in prison with two years’ parole if he complies with terms including restitution. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss a possible hate-crime sentence enhancement. Restitution will be determined later by state probation and parole authorities. Martinez was arrested in September 2023 after chaos erupted and...
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Value of Indigenous spending on city to be examined
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter THUNDER BAY-A new project implemented through a partnership between the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), the Anishnawbe Business Professional Association (ABPA) and the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF) aims to evaluate the economic impact of Indigenous business in Thunder Bay. The project involves a comprehensive survey that will be prepared by the Indigenous and Community Engagement (ICE). Jamie Taylor, chief executive officer of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, said it’s crucial to engage directly with Indigenous business owners through the exploration of the economic impact of Indigenous spending in Thunder Bay. “Their insights and experiences are invaluable in shaping a future where our community thrives as a regional hub,” she told The Chronicle-Journal. I strongly encourage all Indigenous entrepreneurs...
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Grassy Narrows on the cusp of a housing boom
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Thunder Bay Source GRASSY NARROWS – Chief Rudy Turtle disclosed on YouTube recently that his First Nation northeast of Kenora has secured a federal commitment for scores of new housing units in the next few years. A meeting last month with Indigenous Services Canada produced a $24-million pledge to fund 50 new modular homes and a 20-unit apartment complex in the Anishinabe community, Turtle said. The department also committed to funding construction of 10 houses a year for three years, for another 30 homes, he said. A government spokesperson clarified in an email to Newswatch that the 100-dwelling commitment is “a commitment in principle that was made to the Chief in a letter during an in-person meeting on September 5 in ISC offices...
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Gas in this Northwest Territories town now costs nearly $5 a litre
The Town of Norman Wells told residents “we are all in this together” on Friday as the price of gas shot up – the latest economic issue the community is facing By Ollie Williams and Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Cabin Radio The abandonment of the summer barge season because of low Mackenzie River water levels has driven up costs, while the town said home heating fuel prices were also “skyrocketing.” The future of Imperial Oil’s Norman Wells facility, which is the town’s economic engine, is uncertain after the Sahtu Secretariat, a body representing the region’s Dene and Métis peoples, triggered environmental assessment processes for some of Imperial’s operations last month. Imperial has previously said any regulatory delays could mean the facility closes earlier than planned. In any case, it...
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Markham signs 3-year agreement to host Little Native Hockey League Tournament
By Scarlett Liu. is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter As part of its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, the City of Markham, along with Destination Markham Corporation, has signed a three-year agreement to host the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) annual tournament through 2027. The 51st tournament, Ontario’s largest youth ice hockey event for First Nations, is set for March 2025, in partnership with the First Nations of the Chippewa Tri-Council. “We are honoured that Markham will host the next three LNHL tournaments,” said Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “After celebrating the 50th anniversary this year, we look forward to welcoming athletes and families from across Ontario and continuing to support the positive impact this tournament has on Indigenous youth.” “With the memories of the 50th anniversary still fresh, we’re excited to host...
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Idaho state senator tells Native American candidate ‘go back where you came from’ in forum
KENDRICK, Idaho (AP) — Tensions rose during a bipartisan forum this week after an audience question about discrimination reportedly led an Idaho state senator to angrily tell a Native American candidate to “go back where you came from.” Republican Sen. Dan Foreman left the event early after the outburst and later denied making any racist comments in a Facebook post. He did not respond to a voice message from The Associated Press seeking comment. Trish Carter-Goodheart, a Democratic candidate for the House District 6 seat and member of the Nez Perce Tribe, said the blowup left her shaken and thinking about security needs for future public events. It also forced some tough conversations with her two young children, Avery and Lavender, who were in attendance. “Having conversations about racism with...
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Former owner of water buffalo that roamed Iowa suburb for days pleads guilty
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a water buffalo that ran loose in a Des Moines, Iowa, suburb for days pleaded guilty for having an animal at large. The owner was fined $105 and court costs Thursday, the Des Moines Register reported. The owner was taking the animal to slaughter when it escaped in August. Police spent days searching for it as it roamed Pleasant Hill, a town of 11,000 residents. Fans named the animal PHill after the city. Police at one point shot PHill while trying to capture the animal, but it escaped and continued to roam for several days before being tranquilized with help from zoo and animal rescue workers. The former owner gave custody of PHill and two other water buffaloes — now named Sal...
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NDP House leader laments ‘agents of chaos’ in precarious Parliament
The Canadian Press NDP House leader Peter Julian said there’s more work his party wants to get done in the House of Commons before the next election, despite how chaotic the first weeks of the fall sitting have been. But if other parties make that work impossible, it could factor into the NDP’s voting decisions, he said Friday. In just three weeks, two Conservative non-confidence motions have failed to bring down the Liberal government — but the Opposition promises more to come. The New Democrats have said they will decide how to vote on those motions on a case-by-case basis based on what they believe is in the best interests of Canadians. “We think all parliamentarians should be stepping up at this difficult time so that Canadians get the benefit...
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Clam Garden Series: Dennis Hetu and the ancestral clam farm
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie, Toquaht citizen Dennis Hetu couldn’t believe his eyes the day he stumbled upon an ancient clam garden in his ḥaḥuułi (traditional territory) on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The action unfolded over 20 years ago, but Hetu remembers it like it was yesterday. Having just acquired a commercial licence to harvest oysters, Hetu was out on the water scouting beaches when he came across an inviting spot for clamming. It was low tide, he had a rake on hand, plus his aunt had requested clams for dinner…so he boarded the beach and started digging. “I was very weary of the beach because I knew that bears were around. My head was on a swivel....
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Documentary wins award prior to its world premiere in Vancouver
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter It took about four times longer for director Kim O’Bomsawin than she had originally planned to complete her latest film. But as it turned out, O’Bomsawin, a member of Abenaki First Nation is more than happy now with the delays she experienced while filming Ninan Auassat: We, the Children. The documentary’s world premiere is set for Oct. 4 at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). A second VIFF screening will be held on Oct. 6. Even before being screened to the public for the first time, the movie had become an award-winning one. VIFF officials selected Ninan Auassat: We, the Children as the festival’s Best Canadian Documentary. The award includes a $15,000 cash prize. Ninan Auassat: We, the Children tells the inspiring stories...
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Alberta threatens new legal action over Ottawa’s revised environmental assessment act
(CP)-Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is threatening another legal challenge against Ottawa’s environmental assessment law, a move federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is dismissing as a political stunt. The federal Impact Assessment Act was enacted in 2019, but a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last year found much of it unconstitutional. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government made changes to the bill in the summer. But Smith said in a Thursday letter to Trudeau that the changes aren’t good enough. Smith said the province would mount a legal challenge in four weeks if Ottawa doesn’t commit to further changes. “The federal government continues to play politics and cater to activists,” she said in a Friday news release, accusing the Liberals of failing to meaningfully consult with Alberta. Smith’s ultimatum...
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‘There was nothing I could do’
First Lytton, then Jasper: the emotional toll of wildfire destruction weighs heavy for survivors and their families By Eva Takakenew Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Amy Romer, works as a mentor for Megaphone’s peer newsroom called The Shift in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.The Shift is made up of a diverse group of individuals with lived experience of poverty, who are reporting from the DTES instead of being reported on. On the day of the wildfire disaster in Lytton, B.C. — which destroyed the village on June 30, 2021 — Megaphone vendor Peter Thompson, whose hometown is Lytton, was living in Vancouver. Upon hearing the news, his immediate thought was to find a way to help, but being so far away without a vehicle, he felt powerless. “I felt really bad that there...
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First Nations leaders say Saskatchewan court workers sent home for orange shirts
The Canadian Press-Indigenous leaders say two staff at a Saskatchewan courthouse were told to go home and take off the orange shirts they wore for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Meadow Lake Tribal Council is demanding an investigation. Richard Derocher, a vice-chief with the council, says the two First Nations women had been proud to wear the shirts, as well as orange skirts, for work Monday at the courthouse in Meadow Lake, northwest of Saskatoon. But he says they were told to go home and change and left feeling ashamed. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice says it can’t speak to government policies or programs during the ongoing provincial election campaign. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said at a campaign stop this week that he’s open to expanding legislation...
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Closing arguments begin Monday in sexual assault trial against native healer
By Keith Lacey Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Closing arguments will begin Monday in the trial of a traditional native healer from the Williams Lake area charged with sexual assault while performing native healing sessions against several women in Penticton two years ago in the fall of 2022. Donald Wayne Ashley was charged with sexual assault after several different women accused him of inappropriate touching during traditional native healing sessions over a four-day period two years ago. Ashley, who did not testify during the trial and is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the seven-man, five-woman jury (there is also one male and one female alternate jurors) at the Penticton courthouse. On Friday, defence counsel Mark Norha and Crown attorney Andrew Vandersluys made legal arguments before Justice Michael Brundrett relating to...
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