Pay inequality persists for women, minorities in federal public service: report
By Catherine Morrison While the federal government has made gains on diversity and equity in the public service, inequities persist when it comes to pay, a new Treasury Board report says. Compared with the entire core public service, employees who fall into “equity groups” — women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities and people with disabilities — are more likely to fall into the lower income groups and less likely to be among employees making over $100,000 a year. The Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada report for 2023-24 divides employees into six income groups, starting at those who make less than $50,000 a year and topping out with those who make $150,000 or more a year. The data shows that about one-third of all employees made less than $75,000,...
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Minister Rickford sees new Bill 5 as ‘opportunity’ for Indigenous communities
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor NORTHERN ONTARIO—Tariffs—the economic thunderclaps shaking supply chains and squeezing profits—becomes the perfect storm that two seemingly opposing parties are reaching into the same toolbox to wield. While federal Bill C-5 and Ontario’s Bill 5 appear to address different policy areas—one focused on “sustainable jobs,” the other on “economic zones”—their timing and structure suggest a shared approach: easing regulatory constraints in order to accelerate private-sector-led development. One sets a national framework; the other operates at the provincial level. The promise: cut the red tape and clear a fast lane for investment to race through. Bill C-5, tabled by the federal government on June 6—just one day after Ontario passed Bill 5—positions itself as a jobs and climate transition strategy. It...
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Uniting Brantford’s youth with free sports event
By Kimberly De Jong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brant Beacon Nearly 40 children participated in the B United Sports Clinic at Waterworks Park on Friday, June 6, 2025. At the event, children ages six to 14 had the chance to learn the basics of soccer, cricket and lacrosse under the guidance of various athletes and coaches, including players from the Six Nations Arrows Jr. A lacrosse team, Cricket Canada and the Brantford Galaxy Youth Soccer Club. “The turnout today has been great, and it’s so wonderful to have a diverse group of kids from all different equity groups within the city out here having fun, running around and just playing together,” said Nicole McKinney, event organizer and Founder of WAKING THE unCONSCIOUS (WtC). “All of the coaches here have been...
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Living Lakes Canada launches water mapping projects in Slocan Valley to support wildfire response
By Rachael Lesosky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice Living Lakes Canada is collaborating with two Slocan Valley communities to inventory, measure, and map water resources, with the goal of supporting wildfire response. Residents around Winlaw (Pedro Creek to Lemon Creek), and the Red Mountain Road and Enterprise Creek area, are invited to share information about potential water sources and key infrastructure. The project aims to combine local knowledge, water monitoring data, and streamflow modelling to help emergency crews respond quickly and effectively to wildfires. “This is an opportunity for community members to share the information they want BC Wildfire Service – and other response crews – to have in advance, so it can be incorporated into their response plans,” said Paul Saso, hydrology consultant for Living Lakes. The final...
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Carney’s contentious major projects bill clears committee
Running roughshod over the environment. Spawning the next Idle No More movement. Picking economic winners and losers. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Building Canada Act is anything if not a magnet for criticism. The Liberal government’s controversial legislation that would let cabinet quickly grant federal approvals for big industrial projects like mines, ports and pipelines sailed through committee in the early hours of Thursday. A House of Commons panel sat from Wednesday afternoon to after midnight reviewing Bill C-5 in a hurried study, as the Liberal government seeks to pass it through the chamber by week’s end. Indigenous and environmental groups, along with opposition MPs and senators, raised concerns that the bill is being rushed through parliament and will grant cabinet sweeping powers to override other laws to plow ahead with...
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Territorial Liberals hold leadership convention to replace Yukon premier
The Yukon Liberal Party will choose its next leader today and he or she will also become the territory’s 11th premier. A leadership convention is being held in Whitehorse where more than 1,000 eligible party members can vote for either Doris Bill, a former Kwanlin Dun First Nation chief, or local businessman Mike Pemberton. They are running to replace outgoing Premier Ranj Pillai who announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election and would step down after his successor was chosen. Eligible voters will be using a ranked preferential ballot and the candidate who receives 50 per cent plus one of the total number of votes will be declared the winner. The next territorial election must be held on or before Nov. 3. The Liberals hold a...
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Six Nations hit by severe rainstorms saw flooding across the community
Six Nations and surrounding areas were hit by the first summer rainstorm today (Wednesday June 18 2025) with ditches overflowing onto roadways and parking lots turning into mini-lakes. Chiefswood Road between Fifth and Six Nations lines flooded out slowing traffic and in some cases causing vehicles to stall and left parked by the side of the roadway while front yards of some homes and businesses yards were flooded. Meanwhile Grand River Enterprises found its warehouses turned into islands and ditches and roadways were flooded out. Photos by Turtle Island News photojournalist Jim C. Powless ...
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Federal judge to deny Trump administration’s motion to dismiss lawsuit over block on wind projects
By Jennifer Mcdermott And Alexa St. John A federal judge in Massachusetts said Wednesday he plans to deny a motion by the Trump administration to dismiss a lawsuit over its blocking of wind energy projects, siding with a coalition of state attorneys general. Led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C. are suing in federal court to challenge President Donald Trump’s Day One executive order halting leasing and permitting for wind energy projects. Judge William G. Young said during a hearing that he plans to allow the case to proceed against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, but will dismiss the action against Trump and cabinet secretaries other than Burgum named as defendants. He said he thinks states do have standing to sue, which...
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Nunavut puts in another strong showing at national science fair
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News The Kivalliq contingent of Ivalu Leishman-Brocklebank and Kayalaaq Leishman-Brocklebank, of Chesterfield Inlet, and Millie Aaruaq, of Baker Lake, put in a strong showing at the Canada-Wide Science Fair held at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton from June 1-6. Ana Leishman of Chesterfield Inlet accompanied the three to the national fair and said they did Nunavut proud at the event. Grade 10 student Ivalu had the top project in the intermediate category for her project ‘Testing Ivalu’ (caribou sinew used as thread). Aaruaq was looked upon as the “darling” of the event, according to Leishman, while Kayalaaq presented a strong project on willows. The latter was an expansion of her 2024 entry —determining climate data for the past 30 years...
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Ford’s controversial Bill 5 puts Ontario’s at-risk species at even more risk
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative The boreal caribou roams more than 1,000 square kilometres each year across Ontario’s northern forests, relying on vast, undisturbed land to find food, escape predators and raise its young. But under Premier Doug Ford’s new controversial Bill 5, that critical habitat has been reduced — on paper — to just a calving site. The rest can now be cleared, mined or developed. The law, widely seen as favouring developers and extractive industries, replaces Ontario’s Endangered Species Act with weaker rules that eliminate recovery goals, shrink the definition of “habitat” and allow development to proceed without environmental studies or expert review. Critics call it one of the most sweeping environmental rollbacks in provincial history. They warn it sidelines science,...
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Ford’s controversial Bill 5 puts Ontario’s at-risk species at even more risk
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative, Canada’s National Observer The boreal caribou roams more than 1,000 square kilometres each year across Ontario’s northern forests, relying on vast, undisturbed land to find food, escape predators and raise its young. But under Premier Doug Ford’s new controversial Bill 5, that critical habitat has been reduced — on paper — to just a calving site. The rest can now be cleared, mined or developed. The law, widely seen as favouring developers and extractive industries, replaces Ontario’s Endangered Species Act with weaker rules that eliminate recovery goals, shrink the definition of “habitat” and allow development to proceed without environmental studies or expert review. Critics call it one of the most sweeping environmental rollbacks in provincial history. They warn...
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Major projects bill moving ahead despite pushback from Indigenous groups, MP
-CP-A House of Commons committee is scheduled to sit until midnight Wednesday as MPs study legislation that would give the government sweeping powers to drive forward major projects. It appears Bill C-5 will be pushed through the House this week with the support of both Liberal and Conservative MPs, despite warnings from environmental and Indigenous groups. The legislation would allow the federal government to designate projects in the “national interest” and fast-track them by granting approvals within two years. A handful of environmental groups said Wednesday the federal government is hastily pushing the bill through Parliament and could be endangering species and sidestepping its duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples in the process. “For all these reasons and more, we say go back to the drawing board,” said Charles Hatt,...
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The Latest: Hegseth taking questions as Trump demands Iran’s surrender to Israel
(AP) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is returning to Capitol Hill on Wednesday for another potentially combative hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee as airstrikes between Iran and Israel threaten a potentially devastating wider war. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that joining the Israeli strikes will “result in irreparable damage” for the United States.” TikTok still isn’t banned: Trump is expected to sign yet another order extending the deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to divest the popular video-sharing app. Despite a ban on the app in the U.S. that went into effect the day before Trump’s inauguration, this will be the third time Trump has extended the deadline. A federal judge has blocked the administration from limiting passport...
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Investigation: Are the Alberta Oil Sands Killing First Nations? (Part 1)
By Jacob Cardinal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News “The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.” Gin Rummy. There will be blood Fort Chipewyan is a small community in Northern Alberta located on the southwest shore of Lake Athabasca. The town is only accessible by plane, boat or ice-road travel. A 2021 Canadian census recorded 847 permanent residents, though the population is estimated to be closer to 1,000. While Fort Chipewyan was established as a trading post in 1788, making it the oldest European settlement in Alberta, the majority of residents are Mikisew Cree, Athabasca-Chipewyan Cree and/or Metis. Approximately 250 kilometres North of Fort McMurray, the land is considered by many as the Chipewyan Cree’s traditional territory. The previously mentioned Athabascan-Chipewyan Cree (ACFN) has a designated...
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Membertou cannabis law proposal led by former senator Dan Christmas
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post Former Canadian senator Dan Christmas is using his retirement days and his wisdom to help his home of Membertou First Nation wind its way through cannabis law that will help his own community and perhaps other First Nations across the country. The federal government legalized cannabis in Canada in 2018. Although First Nations are subject to the same laws as off-reserve retail stores, most have been asserting treaty rights to implement their own cannabis regulations within their communities, including regulations on sale, use, and cultivation that fall under what some legalists are calling “grey areas.” Christmas says he was approached by Membertou Chief Terry Paul and band council about 18 months ago and asked to consider leading an initiative to...
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Indigenous tourism feels the pinch from decline in US visitors and funding cuts
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Dean Werk was supposed to be gearing up for a busy summer on the Fraser River in British Columbia. Instead, the Métis owner of Great River Fishing Adventures is watching his calendar empty out as American clients, once the lifeblood of his business, cancel trips one after another. Earlier this year, Werk’s company — known for helping clients catch and release some of the biggest sturgeon on the river — lost a US group worth $85,000. “We worked for two years to put this package together for them. And that booking got cancelled,” Werk said. Soon after, a $65,000 booking was also lost. Werk is concerned this is just the beginning and the sector could face a situation similar to...
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Heat dome will blanket much of the US, with worrisome temperatures in Midwest
By Isabella O’Malley Summer will make a dramatic entrance in the U.S. this week with a heat dome that will bring stifling temperatures and uncomfortable humidity to millions. The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from Midwest to the East Coast, said Tom Kines, a meteorologist at the private weather company AccuWeather. “A lot of those folks have been saying, where’s summer? Well, buckle up, because it’s coming,” said Kines. The humid conditions will make places that exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) feel as much as 20 degrees hotter, said Kines. Heat dome forming A heat dome occurs...
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Pair of ribstones returned to Blackfoot Crossing
By John Watson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Strathmore Times Two sacred cultural artifacts have been returned to Siksika Nation after more than a century of being held in the Canadian Museum of Natural History. The two artifacts are ribstones, which are carved objects which bear spiritual significance. Shannon Bear Chief, CEO of Blackfoot Crossing Museum and Historical Park, explained they were previously used for mediation and prayer by previous generations. “Why they were taken, I believe it was just like everything else – language, culture, that was stripped from the Blackfoot people. It was also just another act of removing them rocks to remove the meditation and the prayer,” she said. “Bringing home our objects is also a significant historical event because our spirits are coming home. And then we’ll...
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Los Angeles mayor lifts downtown curfew she imposed during protests against immigration raids
By Michael R. Blood And Jaimie Ding LOS ANGELES (AP) — Downtown Los Angeles businesses hoped customers would return quickly after Mayor Karen Bass lifted a curfew she had imposed last week to prevent vandalism and break-ins during nighttime protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The protests, which have been largely concentrated in a few blocks of downtown where federal and local government buildings are, were in response to Trump’s immigration crackdown in the city and subsequent deployment of the National Guard and Marines. The curfew set in place June 10 provided “successful crime prevention and suppression efforts” and protected stores, restaurants, businesses and residents, the Democratic mayor said Tuesday. It covered a relatively tiny slice of the sprawling city. Little Tokyo neighborhood hit hard On Tuesday afternoon, the...
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KEPA Summit focuses on environment and culture
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald The 11th annual Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association (KEPA) Summit was held last week and consisted of three days of learning from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Elders, along with others who care for the land. The theme for this year is Ksaahkomma ki Sokinaapi-Environment and Health and hosted several panelists, including schools located on the Kainai Reserve and the Blackfeet Community College. The summit began on Wednesday at the Aahsotapi Elementary School in Lavern, which recently opened for the 2024/2025 school year. The summit was opened with a pipe ceremony led by Elders Peter Weasel Moccasin and Mike Bruisedhead. Following the pipe ceremony, Charlie Crow Chief (Mai’stonia) co-founder of KEPA and designer of the KEPA Flag and Lodge (tipi) was honoured and...
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