Wendy Cocchia sworn in as B.C.’s 31st lieutenant-governor
-CP-Premier David Eby has introduced British Columbia’s new lieutenant-governor, saying Wendy Cocchia’s lifelong leadership and dedication to community service sets an example for everyone. Cocchia, a longtime businesswoman and philanthropist, was sworn in at a ceremony at B.C.’s Parliament buildings on Thursday before an audience of family, friends, Indigenous leaders, members of the legislature and other dignitaries. One of Cocchia’s first acts in her role was to inspect a 50-person Guard of Honour provided by Maritime Forces Pacific and Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy played The Viceregal Salute, consisting of the six opening bars of God Save the King, followed by the four opening and four closing bars of O Canada. A 15-gun salute was fired by troopers of the 5th Field Regiment,...
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Diabo sends letters to Trump, Trudeau
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase LJI is a federally funded program Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief sent official letters to both United States President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week asserting Kahnawake’s independence from both countries. “It was an idea I got when Trump was elected last November,” Diabo said, and a lack of a good relationship with Canada’s federal government prompted the letter to Trudeau. “We have no interest in aligning ourselves with a government that has committed genocide upon us throughout history.” He called the community’s relationship with the federal government “non-existent.” Diabo added that the letter to Trudeau was sent in response to his call for First Nations communities to support the Canadian government’s efforts to lobby against Trump’s...
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B.C. fires Victoria School Board over ban on police in schools
By Marcy Nicholson -CP-British Columbia’s education minister has fired the entire Victoria School Board after a lengthy dispute over its refusal to allow police in schools except in emergencies, in a rare move the ousted chair called “profoundly undemocratic.” The elected board of School District No. 61 has said the ban, in place since 2023, was based on reports that some students and teachers — particularly those who are Indigenous or people of colour — did not feel safe with officers in schools. But B.C. Education Minister Lisa Beare said Thursday that students were at risk in the district from the board’s failure to implement a revised safety plan, as she fired the nine-member board and appointed a lone trustee to oversee the district until municipal elections set for the...
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A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori
By Charlotte Graham-mclay WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A mountain in New Zealand considered an ancestor by Indigenous people was recognized as a legal person on Thursday after a new law granted it all the rights and responsibilities of a human being. Mount Taranaki — now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Māori name — is the latest natural feature to be granted personhood in New Zealand, which has ruled that a river and a stretch of sacred land are people before. The pristine, snow-capped dormant volcano is the second highest on New Zealand’s North Island at 2,518 meters (8,261 feet) and a popular spot for tourism, hiking and snow sports. The legal recognition acknowledges the mountain’s theft from the Māori of the Taranaki region after New Zealand was colonized. It...
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Health minister calls on NDP to give Liberals more time to sign pharmacare deals
By Sarah Ritchie -CP-Health Minister Mark Holland is calling on the federal NDP to give the Liberal government more time in power to sign bilateral deals on pharmacare. “I would put it back to (NDP Leader) Jagmeet Singh … why are you in such a rush for an election? If pharmacare is the priority that you say it is, then why don’t you wait until October so that we can get the business of the nation done?” Holland told a news conference in Halifax, where he met with his provincial and territorial counterparts this week. Pharmacare and the national dental-care program were key parts of the supply-and-confidence deal that saw the NDP keep the minority Liberals in power for more than two years. The New Democrats pushed particularly hard for...
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Jaime Battiste drops out of running for Liberal leadership
By Kyle Duggan and Catherine Morrison Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste says he is dropping out of the Liberal party leadership race and backing former central banker Mark Carney. The MP for Sydney—Victoria made the announcement in a statement sent out late Thursday by his campaign. Battiste was the only Indigenous candidate in the running and sought to put First Nations issues on the agenda during the contest. He says the best way for him to advance the issues he cares about — reconciliation, the environment and affordability — is by supporting Carney’s leadership bid. “After careful consideration and many discussions, I believe that the best way forward to advocate and advance the priorities, which I outlined earlier this week during my campaign, of advancing reconciliation, protecting our environment,...
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Little NHL tournament to feature record number of participating teams
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Organizers of the Little Native Hockey League tournament will once again have an important reason to celebrate this year. Last March, the tournament which is often simply called the Little NHL, staged its 50th anniversary. A record number of 245 clubs participated in that event, which was primarily held in the Ontario city of Markham, located just north of Toronto. Another record will be established this year. That’s because a total of 276 squads have registered for the tourney, which will be staged Mar. 9-13. The majority of the games will once again be held at rinks throughout Markham. Arenas in nearby Stouffville will also be utilized for some matches. “It’s pretty amazing,” Chico Ralf, the president of the Little NHL executive said...
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Escalating costs for fans and venues strain Canadian live music industry: report
By Cassandra Szklarski -CP-An association representing the live music industry says budget-conscious concertgoers are getting pickier about which shows they go to and spending less money when they get there, posing “a worrisome trend” for an industry facing economic uncertainties and razor-thin margins. The Canadian Live Music Association released an economic report Thursday that touted $10.92 billion in contributions to gross domestic product in 2023, but also noted fan budgets are being squeezed by escalating ticket prices for top-tier acts, leaving them with less money to also see mid-range or smaller events. On top of that, the “Hear and Now Survey” found younger audiences drink less alcohol, putting a dent in what has traditionally been a steady revenue stream for venues, and that people are more frequently buying tickets last-minute,...
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New report focuses on how to achieve Indigenous sovereignty and shared prosperity
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter (ANNews) – A new report says Canada can advance Indigenous sovereignty by fostering respectful nation-to-nation relationships rooted in co-existence and non-interference, and giving Indigenous laws equal weight to Canadian law. The report, Honouring Indigenous sovereignty towards a future of collective prosperity, is the fifth and final edition of international consultancy firm Deloitte’s series that asked Indigenous youth leaders for their perspectives on various aspects of reconciliation beginning in 2022. The Indigenous youth leaders interviewed for this edition identified four priorities, which the report is divided into: Indigenous Peoples and Land, Self-Governance, Nationhood, and Truth-telling and Learning. Byron Jackson, the former CEO of Piikani Nation in Treaty 7, is Deloitte Canada’s director of nation building services. He told Alberta Native News that while there...
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Father convicted of manslaughter in killing of Métis hunters denied full parole
By Aaron Sousa -CP-An Alberta father convicted of manslaughter for aiding his son in the 2020 killings of two Métis hunters has been denied full parole. A trial heard that in March 2020, Roger Bilodeau and his son Anthony confronted Maurice Cardinal and Jacob Sansom, shot them and left them on the side of the road near Glendon, Alta. Anthony Bilodeau was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter, while his father was convicted of manslaughter. The Parole Board of Canada says the elder Bilodeau showed a “profound lack of judgment” on the day of the killings and made poor decisions based on unfounded assumptions. The board says he has shown good behaviour while on day parole, but to grant him full parole as he requested would be premature. Bilodeau is...
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Police issue warning fraudsters are posing as police to scam banking information
OTTAWA, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning the public fraudsters are using the OPP’s non-emergency telephone number in an attempt to legitimize fraudulent bank investigator scams. The scams see victims being misled into believing they must help catch a dishonest bank employee or resolve suspicious transactions by providing personal information or transferring funds. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are also warning about ongoing phishing schemes where those behind the scams claim to represent the RCMP. The OPP has seen an increase in the spoofing of business, government and law enforcement telephone numbers, email addresses and websites. How the schemes work Individuals engaged in these fraudulent activities often impersonate financial institutions, claiming that unauthorized transactions have occurred on your account or...
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Saskatchewan report calls for more services to combat intimate partner violence
-CP-The Saskatchewan government is being urged to increase services for victims of intimate partner violence and to make the topic of healthy relationships a mandatory part of the school curriculum. They are among the recommendations in the Domestic Violence Death Review released Thursday — the second report of its kind from the Saskatchewan government since 2016. The report, compiled by people from different provincial ministries, reviewed 31 deaths that occurred between 2015 and 2020. It says many victims reached out for support before their deaths but faced barriers in receiving adequate help. “Tragically, family members noted that each of their loved ones had reached out to law enforcement, shelters, or other support services prior to their death. Their loved ones sought out the safety they needed, however, they did not...
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B.C. to see its first-ever Indigenous-led port logistics facility
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Canada Infrastructure Bank is loaning $60 million to the Metlakatla Development Corporation (MDC) and the Prince Rupert Port to develop the first-ever Indigenous-led port logistics facility in British Columbia. The funding will be used for extensive site preparations covering 56 acres for the upcoming South Kaien Import Logistics Park (SKILP) project. This flat, serviced land is close to the Fairview Terminal, CN Rail, and the CANXPORT transloading facility on Kaien Island. Most of the site preparation work is expected to be completed within two years and involves heavy civil construction, land clearing and levelling of bedrock. “This project is part of Metlakatla’s long-term vision for enabling regional growth and benefiting the next generation of its members,” said CIB in a Jan. 30...
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B.C. fires Victoria School Board over ban on police in schools
By Marcy Nicholson -CP-British Columbia’s education minister has fired the entire Victoria School Board in a dispute over a safety plan in which the board barred police from schools except in emergencies. Minister Lisa Beare said student safety was at risk in the district and she had appointed a lone trustee to oversee the district until the next municipal elections, set for the fall of 2026. “Our government has given this board multiple opportunities to act, and they have not delivered,” Beare said in a statement. She said the appointment was effective immediately, clearing the way for the completion of a safety plan for the district. “The decision to remove an elected board is a difficult one, but it is necessary to bring our collective focus in School District 61...
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Caregiver charged with murder of toddler on Manitoba First Nation
-CP-Manitoba RCMP say a woman has been charged in the death of a toddler in her care. Police say the injured two-year-old was brought last week into the nursing station on the Bloodvein First Nation, where she later died. An autopsy deemed her death a homicide. Police say officers searched the child’s home and charged her caregiver with second-degree murder. Burma Skye, 56, has been remanded into custody. Police say the death is a loss for the girl’s family and the entire community. “This is a senseless crime that will have a profound impact on the community, first responders and investigating officers,” Sgt. Laura LeDrew, lead investigator with major crime services, said in a statement Thursday. Bloodvein First Nation, a community of about 1,200, is about 200 kilometres north of...
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Armed Forces name former MP as first Indigenous Knowledge Keeper
-CP-The Canadian Armed Forces have named its first Indigenous Knowledge Keeper. T he military is set to host a ceremony tonight in Winnipeg for Warrant Officer Robert-Falcon Ouellette, who is also to be promoted to captain. The military says the new position is part of its effort to embrace and welcome Indigenous spirituality with its members. Ouellette is a former Liberal member of Parliament who also ran for mayor of the province’s capital. He has served in the military for 29 years, starting with the navy league and sea cadet program. He is currently an associate professor of education at the University of Ottawa. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2025. ...
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Saskatchewan report calls for more services to combat intimate partner violence
-CP-A report is calling for more education about intimate partner violence in Saskatchewan, including making healthy relationships a mandatory part of the school curriculum. The Domestic Violence Death Review is the second report of its kind from the Saskatchewan government since 2016, and it reviewed 31 deaths that occurred between 2015 and 2020. The report says many victims reached out for support before their deaths but faced barriers in receiving adequate help. It also says the rate was higher in rural areas than in urban ones, and Indigenous people were overrepresented, making up 57 per cent of adult victims. The report recommends teaching kids about healthy relationships in school and seeking longer sentences for repeat offenders. It also calls for specialized courts in rural and remote locations, as well as...
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MLA Brittny Anderson receives ministerial mandate
By Rachael Lesosky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Premier David Eby’s cabinet have received their ministerial mandate letters. The letters lay out priorities for action, and hone in on specific directions unique to each minister. Kootenay Central MLA Brittny Anderson is also the Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities. Anderson’s role is new in cabinet, and the first time for a Minister of State to report directly to the premier. “British Columbians have trusted us with a mandate to deliver for them in ways that make a tangible difference in their daily lives,” says Eby in Anderson’s letter. “They expect us to listen and learn from people of different perspectives – and work together to make things better for everyone.” Key points for Eby’s government as a whole...
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Ex-priest sentenced to six years for sex abuse of Nunavut children
-CP-A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to indecent assault against seven Inuit children more than four decades ago has been sentenced to six years in prison. An Iqaluit court heard Eric Dejaeger assaulted six girls and one boy between 1978 and 1982 in the hamlet of Igloolik, Nvt. “He destroyed their childhood, hurt their relations with their families and ruined their relationship with their church,” Justice Faiyaz Alibhai said in his sentencing decision Thursday. “The trauma reverberated to the next generation, as the children of his victims also suffered from the consequences of his actions.” Court heard harrowing accounts last week from five abuse survivors, who were between the ages of four and nine when the assaults took place. The judge paused frequently to allow an interpreter to repeat...
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Ottawa names a new chief adviser on combating human trafficking
By Émilie Bergeron -CP-The federal government says it has appointed a new “chief adviser” on combating human trafficking. Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree says Jennifer Richardson, who served as the first director of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Office, has deep knowledge of human trafficking. As chief adviser to the federal government, Richardson will offer recommendations to Public Safety Minister David McGuinty. In recent weeks McGuinty has been working to convince the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that Canada takes border security seriously. Richardson is also expected to work with Anandasangaree to respond to many of the recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Richardson’s appointment is part of a national strategy to combat human trafficking. This report by The Canadian Press...
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