Ottawa will appoint commissioner to oversee treaties with Indigenous Peoples: Trudeau
The Canadian Press The federal government is planning to create a new agent of Parliament to oversee modern treaty implementation, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says will ensure Ottawa is held to account no matter who is in power. He announced the plan to appoint a commissioner for modern treaty implementation Tuesday in Gatineau, Que., at a second annual meeting of self-governing Indigenous governments. “This is a lasting commitment to be a better treaty partner,” he said. “To honour our agreements with Indigenous Peoples, we need to ensure that trust, transparency and accountability remain at the heart of our efforts to build renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown and government-to-government relationships.” The government is planning to wrap up consultations on the role by late June, table legislation sometime after that and budget $10.6...
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‘Thunderhead’ LGBTQ national monument breaks ground in Ottawa
The Canadian Press After a rainy night in Ottawa, the sun broke through Wednesday afternoon ahead of a ceremony to break ground for a national LGBTQ+ monument. That was no coincidence, Albert McLeod told a crowd gathered under a bridge near the Supreme Court of Canada and the Ottawa River, or the Kitchissippi, as it’s known to Algonquin Peoples. “Those thunderers came last night and cleared the way for us to be here today — to celebrate being human, and to share that courage and strength,” said McLeod, a two-spirit elder and member of the monument’s design team. The “Thunderhead” monument will mark historic discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community at the hands of the federal government, as well as societal injustices against the community. In Anishinaabe teachings, thunderheads are clouds...
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Two men have been charged after the Ministry of Finance and OPP seized tobacco products
BRANT AND HALDIMAND COUNTIES, ON – The Ministry of Finance (MOF), Haldimand OPP, and HSD/TIME, charged two men in connection with the seizure of what they are calling “contraband” tobacco products during a two-day initiative April 22 and 25, 2024, that resulted in a tax loss to Ontario and “His Majesty the King” they estimate at $2.9 million. OPP said they seized a total of 8,422,800 “unstamped contraband” cigarettes, equivalent to 842.3 cases, during two traffic stops . They said the tax loss to Ontario was estimated at $1,556,112.30, calculated at $0.18475 per cigarette and the tax loss to “His Majesty the King is estimated at $1,396,163.32, calculated at $0.16576 per cigarette.” The OPP said the total tax loss recovered from the seizure amounts to $2,952,275.63. Summary of results in...
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Report on RCMP, government responses to mass shooting inquiry offers no evaluation
By Michael MacDonald Canadian Press An independent committee has released its first report on how governments and the RCMP are responding to the inquiry into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia, but it does not offer any assessment of the progress made so far. The report released Wednesday from the Progress Monitoring Committee includes a thorough accounting of actions taken by the federal and Nova Scotia governments and the Mounties, but chairwoman Linda Lee Oland declined to say whether the committee was satisfied with those measures. Oland, a former judge with the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, said the seven-month-old committee recently developed a rating system to track progress or lack thereof. But the system won’t be used until after the committee meets again with government and RCMP officials...
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B.C’s auditor general to review government’s response to 2021 Lytton wildfire
The Canadian Press British Columbia’s auditor general says his office is doing a review of the province’s response to the 2021 wildfire that devastated the community of Lytton, B.C. Michael Pickup says in a video statement that the report will focus on the B.C. government’s roles and responsibilities for disaster recovery, its support for Lytton, including funding, challenges that came with rebuilding and how the province can improve. On June 30, 2021, just one day after Lytton hit a Canadian temperature record of 49.6 C, a wildfire swept through the village, killing two people and levelling almost the entire community. Efforts to rebuild and return people to their homes have been slow, leading to protests from residents. Thousands of artifacts were discovered while digging up the area, which was the...
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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals’ federal budget
The Canadian Press NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Wednesday ended any speculation his party would pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government by finally agreeing to support the government’s budget. Singh said his party wanted time to digest the document, which was tabled April 16, but is ultimately voting in favour of it because of shared initiatives that it proposes. That includes creating a national school lunch program and providing free birth control and diabetes medicine for anyone with a health card. “These are things that would have never been in the budget if not for us,” Singh said. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have previously said they wouldn’t support the budget. The minority Liberals needed the support of at least one other party to get the...
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Ontario suspends chemical plant approval over benzene emissions
By Allison Jones The Canadian Press Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment has ordered a petrochemical facility in Sarnia to suspend its production operations after high benzene emissions, first flagged by a neighbouring First Nation. Aamjiwnaang First Nation, which is surrounded by industrial facilities and monitors air quality readings, recently said citizens fell ill and there were high emissions of the cancer-causing substance from Ineos Styrolution. The company said in a statement Tuesday that its own monitors didn’t detect any emissions outside prescribed limits, but that it temporarily shut down to perform maintenance and address a mechanical issue. But the ministry said Wednesday evening that “despite several previous provincial orders requiring the company to reduce benzene emissions, recent readings at this site continue to be above acceptable levels.” “Today, the decision...
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Brantford city’s Chief of Police is leaving
BRANTFORD, ONT- Brantford’s Chief of Police is moving on. Police Chief Rob Davis, the first Indigenous Chief of Police to serve the city, will be leaving the policing service June 21, 2024 which is also the 28th annual National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day celebrating Indigenous culture in Canada. Davis is Mohawk from the neighbouring community of Six Nations of the Grand River. The Brantford Police Services Board announced his departure date in a post today (Wed., May 1, 2024.) saying he has advised the board he is moving to other opportunities, He did not say what those opportunities are. He has already begun to transition his responsibilties to the Brantford Police Deputy Chief Jason Saunders. Saunders will serve as Interim Chief of Police. Police Chief Davis joined the force...
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‘A place that nobody wants to be:’ Police search Saskatoon landfill for missing woman
By Canadian Press The father of a missing woman looked out over the Saskatoon landfill Wednesday, as police wearing white chemical-resistant suits scoured through piles of debris looking for evidence of his daughter. “It’s a cold morning,” said Paul Trottier. “This is a place that nobody wants to be.” Mackenzie Lee Trottier was 22 when she was last seen in December 2020. She said she was going to get a lift with a ride-booking service when she left her family’s home. She was in good spirits, said her father. More than three years later, Paul Trottier looked on as officers accompanied by dogs specialized in searching for human remains began examining a specific area of the landfill. Officers went in and out of a large white tent, moving wheelbarrows of...
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Woman accusing ex-MP Saganash of sex assault files suit after criminal case diverted
BY DYLAN ROBERTSON THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA:A woman accusing former New Democrat MP Romeo Saganash of sexual assault has filed a civil suit, saying she never wanted prosecutors to divert his criminal charge to a restorative justice program. Carmen Roy, who fought to have her name released in the case, alleges she was sexually assaulted a year ago, and now lives with “psychiatric, psychological, emotional and physical injuries.” In a statement of claim filed Tuesday, Roy publicly details the specifics of her allegations for the first time. None of the allegations has been tested in court and no statement of defence has been filed. Saganash’s lawyer declined comment, but Ethan Pollock has previously said that his client is presumed innocent. He has also requested that Saganash’s privacy be respected. “My...
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Deputy Minister announces First Nations loans program
BUSINESS: Electrification strategy and details of Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program revealed at Toronto conference By Sam Laskaris Writer Some major news was shared at this year’s First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference. The two-day event, which concluded on Apr. 23, was held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. About 1,700 delegates attended the conference. The FNMPC is a national group made up of more than 150 First Nations elected councils, hereditary chiefs, tribal councils and development corporations. One of the conference sessions was titled the National Indigenous Electrification Strategy. Niilo Edwards, the FNMPC’s CEO, and JP Gladu, the founder and CEO of the consultancy Mokwateh, were panelists for the session which unveiled details of the strategy released that day. The FNMPC and Mokwateh had joined forces to create the...
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Six Nations Elected Chief takes personal day as council goes behind closed doors
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) went behind closed doors last week to hold its first fully closed political liaison meeting but they went without Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill. Instead of attending the closed session that comes under her tenure, Elected Chief Hill took a “personal day,” Turtle Island News has learned from numerous sources. Closing the meeting was approved by band councillors. The Chief’s absence left a band councillor to have to chair the first closed session. Elected Chief Hill did not respond to the Turtle Island News questions on the timing of her personal day off. It was the first of two “personal” times off the elected chef would take within a week. The Elected Chief also left a council session saying she was taking...
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Councillors learn Elected Chief holds secret meeting with Minister at Six Nations without them
Six Nations Councillors want Elected Chief Sherri -Lyn Hill to include them in meetings with federal and provincial ministers. Six Nations Councillors were not pleased to find out Elected Chief Sherri Lyn Hill had met with Ontario Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo on the reserve, in a private meeting recently. Councillor’s didn’t learn from the Elected Chief about the meeting but from her political Advisors Christopher Mahon and Claire Pietron during the General Council meeting on April 23. Elected Chief Sherri Lyn Hill had excused herself from the meeting to attend her son’s birthday celebration. Mahon and Pietron delivered the Chief’s Update and during the update councillors learned Elected Chief Hill had met with Minister Tibollo on Six Nations in April. Mahon said the pair spoke about...
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Hamilton bridge replaced undergoes archaeological investigation
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND / HAMILTON – Representatives from Six Nations Band Council, the Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas are working with the city of Hamilton on plans for a multi-stage archaeological investigation by the site of a $58 M bridge replacement. Susan Jacob, who is manager of design and engineering at the city, said First Nations were engaged for the completed Stage 2 assessment. “First Nations were involved in the investigations to date and will continue to be engaged for further investigations,” said Jacob. “Stages 3 and 4 within the proposed corridor and additional lands as identified through short term mitigation strategy are required to be undertaken,” she said. On April 11, Jackie Kennedy, engineering services director at Hamilton public works, submitted a report to the...
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SNEC wants to meet with Ontario Hydro after community complaints
Six Nations is demanding a meeting with Hydro One executives due to “lazy” installations and untenable wait times for hook-ups and underground line location services. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) passed a motion at its General Council meeting on april 23 to push Hydro One executives to come to the reserve and meet with councillors and departments to explain why hydro poles are not installed on road allowances and why there are months-long delays in services requested on Six Nations. Councillor Cynthia Jamieson introduced the motion after the Chief’s political advisors Christopher Mahon and Claire Pietron gave the Chief’s Update in her absence. Elected Chief Sherri Lynn Hill excused herself from the meeting to attend her son’s birthday celebrations. Pietron told SNEC Hydro One staff would come to Six Nations...
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Native Horizons Centre “Phoenix rising” as program expands
MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT FIRST NATION – The Native Horizons centre is seeing their “Phoenix rising” with not only a restoration but an expansion of programs and services at their rebuilt facility. Their residential treatment programs are back and will likely increase from six weeks to eight weeks in length. Just last week, the centre officially re-opened their doors after a devastating fire in 2018. After five years of group programs run in temporary office spaces in Six Nations, Native Horizons Treatment Centre celebrated their grand reopening on April 17, at their newly rebuilt centre in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. “Despite the difficulties, we have emerged stronger and more resilient, transitioning from a period of uncertainty into a new era of hope and healing,” said a message from...
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Ancient Indigneous cemetery now under investigation
By Lisa Iesse Writer An ancient Indigenous cemetery in Long Point considered the “first true cemetery in Ontario,” is currently part of a burial site investigation. But provincial officials would not comment on why the site is under investigation. Dakota Moniz, interim director of communications and legislative affairs, with the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism (MCM) told Turtle Island News April 19th the ” Port Royal site, also referred to as the “Bruce Boyd” site” is currently part of a “burial site investigation (BSI).” MCM did not respond to questions about when and how the burial site investigation began. Archaeologists reported that many First Nations people were buried at the ancient cemetery across different time periods going back about 10,000 years. One known grave held both an elder and a child,...
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Pssst… there’s a minister here, but don’t tell anyone!
Six Nations Elected councillors may have learned a quick lesson during their council session last week. It seems not just the community is being left out of meetings these days. So are they. The councillors weren’t invited to meet with a Minister who recently visited Six Nations and no one is quite sure where the meeting even took place. In the past whenever a minister visited the community Elected Chiefs notified councillors, usually at an open council session, so they could meet the minister, have lunch and express any concerns or ask questions. A one-on-one with council members often led to program enhancements or raised concerns about programs not working and why. Not just the councillors were told either by the way. In the past a photo op was held...
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Council Helen Miller: Election code says its last term on council
By Helen Miller Well folks, according to the 2023 Revised Election Code this is my last term as an elected councilor. According to the Code, councilors can only serve two consecutive terms. There are many important, some critical, issues on the 59th council’s plate. Of course, the current lands court case tops the list. Right now, the lack of a community decision-making process is the most critical issue to resolve. Once the court case gets down to the nitty gritty of negotiations, the community will be asked to make a decision. The problem is Six Nations does not have a community decision-making process that gives voice to all Six Nations members. The absence of a community decision-making process has been stuck in my craw since being elected to council 21...
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