Art exhibit explores what it meant to Tom Wilson to be removed, then reconnected to his Mohawk heritage
By Sam Laskaris Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Tom Wilson has had his share of highlights throughout a multi-faceted artistic career. As a musician, Wilson attainted fame with a number of bands, including as the frontman for Junkhouse, a rock group formed in 1989 that still occasionally performs. But it is Wilson’s writing and skill as a painter that has him back in the spotlight. His art exhibit titled Mohawk Warriors, Hunters & Chiefs opened to the public Feb. 2 at the Cultural Goods Gallery located in Toronto. On Feb. 3, Wilson will provide an artist’s talk at the gallery and be available to sign copies of a new book he co-authored, also titled Mohawk Warriors, Hunters & Chiefs. Wilson, who is 64, grew up in Hamilton. In his best-selling...
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‘It’s sickening’: Protesters outside Confederation Building in St. John’s call for Marlborough Hotel in Manitoba to be shut down
By Sanuda Ranawake Local Journalism Initiative Reporter St. JOHN’S, N.L.- Nathan Catcheway knows a lot about violence toward Indigenous women in Manitoba, he is from there, and his sister was murdered there. Catcheway is a member of the Ojibwe First Nation in Manitoba, but has lived in St. John’s since 2008. A big reason for moving to Newfoundland was safety, he says. “My late sister, she was murdered back in 2012. I really try to do everything I can to spread the word about missing and murdered Indigenous women,” Catcheway said as he attended a demonstration on Jan. 27 at the Confederation Building in St. John’s that called for the shutdown and investigation of the Marlborough Hotel in Winnipeg. The hotel was recently the centre of a controversy over video...
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Could a YMCA be coming to Curve Lake First Nation?
By Brendan Burke Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Thanks to interest from community members, Curve Lake First Nation could be the future home of a YMCA ,a move that would see the community become the second First Nation in all of Canada to host a YMCA facility. Curve Lake First Nation, YMCA Canada and YMCA Central East Ontario are exploring the idea of building a sustainable YMCA centre for the community as part of a “transformational” project that reflects the YMCA’s commitment to truth and reconciliation, states a letter sent jointly from YMCA Canada and Curve Lake First Nation. Interest for the proposal is currently being gauged through a survey that encourages Curve Lake First Nation members to voice their views on what a potential project could and should look like...
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Breaking down barriers to get Indigenous businesses online
By Isaac Nay Local Journalism Initiative Reporter From starting his own business to founding an Indigenous business accelerator with one of the largest e-commerce platforms on the planet, Kyle Brennan Shawinipines? has become the “go-to guy” for Indigenous entrepreneurs looking to grow their companies. Meeting him, it’s clear to see why. He’s quick to speak about systemic barriers in business, the political environment in Ottawa and intricacies of government in his First Nation. “Algonquin,” is embroidered on his hat, a nod to his Anishinaabe heritage, and his jacket boldly sports the logo of SECTION 35, a streetwear brand founded by an entrepreneur from the Samson Cree Nation. He’s the senior lead of Build Native with Shopify, the e-commerce platform’s initiative to work with Indigenous entrepreneurs across North America. Shopify is...
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Tseshaht and Alberni Valley advocate for fully funded detox centre with new strategy
By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Port Alberni, BC – On Jan. 31, Maht Mah’s filled with Alberni Valley organizations and community members for the unveiling of a four-pillar strategy to combat the toxic drug crisis in the region. At the gathering the Tseshaht First Nation, in partnership with Port Alberni’s Community Action Team and Kuu-us Crisis Line Society, proposed their plan, which includes advocating for a fully funded, inclusive detox and recovery facility. “This isn’t just an Indigenous issue, this isn’t just a Port Alberni issue, or a B.C. issue, or a Canadian issue; this is a human issue and it deserves all of our thoughts, our minds coming together,” said Ken Watts, Tseshaht’s elected chief councillor. He added that this document provides a clear way forward among...
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City of Thunder Bay Indigenous ‘spend’ to be analyzed
By Sandi Krasowski Local Journalism Initiative Reporter An analysis of the City of Thunder Bay is underway to explore how Indigenous spending supports the growth and development of the city as a regional service hub. A joint effort between the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), Fort William First Nation, Anishnawbe Business Professional Association (ABPA) and the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF) will work in collaboration with Indigenous and Community Engagement (ICE) Inc. and Big River Analytics (BRA) who will serve as the vendor for the analysis. Jamie Taylor, the CEDC chief executive officer, said the collaboration is a significant step forward in shaping a sustainable future for Thunder Bay.“When we talk about building a sustainable future for Thunder Bay, if you look at our strategic plan, we have...
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Turning Rideau Cottage into prime minister’s permanent home comes with cost: docs
By Stephanie Taylor THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- Turning Rideau Cottage into the permanent residence of the prime minister would come at the cost of creating staff offices and other “residential infrastructure,” an internal government document says. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been living in the house on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence, since he came into office. Making that situation more permanent is one of three options the government is considering as the historic home for Canada’s prime ministers, 24 Sussex Drive, sits in disrepair after decades of neglect. The saga over what to do next lands in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, as the Liberals struggle to soothe Canadians’ anxieties about affordability and are chided by the Opposition Conservatives for their spending. “Any decision...
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Campaign seeks to support ’60s Scoop survivors
By Miranda Leybourne Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Educating the public about the lasting impacts of the ’60s Scoop on Indigenous individuals and families is the mission behind the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s newest education and awareness campaign. “It is essential we recognize the lasting impacts of the ’60s Scoop on Anishinaabe and Dakota citizens,” Jerry Daniels, grand chief of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) said in a press release sent out on Jan 17. The campaign, called “Stronger Than the Scoop,” will honour and care for survivors of the ’60s Scoop and their families. The Scoop saw the removal of Indigenous children from their communities, families and cultures from the 1960s to the ’80s. An estimated 20,000 to 40,000 First Nation, Metis and Inuit children were removed from their families and...
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Federal government launches new pay transparency website for four key groups
GATINEAU, Que.- Ottawa is launching a new pay transparency website that will offer comparable data on workforce representation rates and pay gaps experienced by four key groups at federally regulated private sector employers. The new site includes data on four designated groups under the Employment Equity Act: women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities and members of visible minorities. Using a visualization tool, users can compare data on workforce representation rates and the pay gaps experienced by members of the four groups. The data can be searched based on employers, sectors or locations. Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan says if we’re going to close pay gaps and representation gaps, we have to know where those gaps are. The data comes from figures submitted by federally regulated private sector employers with 100 or...
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Kahnawake Sovereign Wealth Fund closes Toronto Stock Exchange
The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, joined Robert Peterman, Chief Commercial Officer, Toronto Stock Exchange, to close the market and celebrate the Kahnawà:ke Sovereign Wealth Fund. By Eve Cable Local Journalism Initiative Reporter As representatives of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) walked up the stairs of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on Wednesday afternoon, they were greeted by a huge billboard that read “Welcome Mohawk Council of Kahnawake.” “For the longest time in our history, no one thought about doing business with First Nations. We were left on the sidelines. We were always in a kind of poor economic state,” said MCK grand chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, who was at the TSX this week to ring the bell, a ceremonial action signifying the end of a day’s trading. The event came...
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Residents concerned lobster facility threatens ‘trees, ocean and quiet’
By Andrew Bates Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The chief of a First Nation looking to build a contentious lobster holding facility in Chamcook Harbour asked a roomful of its potential neighbours to “make a partnership” for mutual benefit. Chief Allan Polchies of Sitansisk (St. Mary’s) First Nation spoke Monday night to a special meeting of Saint Andrews’ Planning Advisory Committee. Sitansisk is seeking approval for a lobster holding facility on St. Andrew’s Road North in Chamcook, which was originally approved pre-amalgamation by the regional service commission planning board in 2022 before residents appealed to the province, which sent it to the Town of Saint Andrews with recommendations. “We want to move forward and bring economic opportunity to our people and to your people,” Polchies said. The 7,000 square-foot facility would...
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The battle to change Native American logos weighs on, but some communities are reinstating them
By Brooke Schultz THE ASSOCIATED PRESS It was a passionate student letter in 2020 that caused the Southern York County school board to reconsider its logo: a Native American man, representing the “Warriors.” Though the conversation had come up before in the suburban district located in southern Pennsylvania, 2020 was a turning point of racial reckoning after death of George Floyd. Less than a year later, the school board voted to retire the warrior logo after it considered research that depicted what impact the reductive imagery had on Native and non-Native students. “I understand the attachment people have to that at the school,” said said Deborah Kalina, who served on the school board at the time. “But it’s more than that. And I think we did the right thing.” Three...
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Canada lauds plans to search Prairie Green landfill
By Marc Lalonde Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs plans to search the Prairie Green landfill in Winnipeg for then remains of a pair of missing women were met with support and thanks by federal Crown-Indigenous Relations minister Gary Anandasangaree earlier this week. The plan, which the AMC unveiled last week, says the search of the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two murdered First Nations women could cost less and take a shorter amount of time than previously reported. Full details have not yet been made public. Last Thursday, AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said copies of the report addressing safety concerns around searching the landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran was sent to the federal and provincial governments, as well as to...
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The battle to change Native American logos weighs on, but some communities are reinstating them
By Brooke Schultz THE ASSOCIATED PRESS It was a passionate student letter in 2020 that caused the Southern York County school board to reconsider its logo: a Native American man, representing the “Warriors.” Though the conversation had come up before in the suburban district located in southern Pennsylvania, 2020 was a turning point of racial reckoning after death of George Floyd. Less than a year later, the school board voted to retire the warrior logo after it considered research that depicted what impact the reductive imagery had on Native and non-Native students. “I understand the attachment people have to that at the school,” said said Deborah Kalina, who served on the school board at the time. “But it’s more than that. And I think we did the right thing.” Three...
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Two Native American boys died at a boarding school in the 1890s. Now, the tribe wants them home
By Jim Salter THE ASSOCIATED PRESS When two Native American boys from Nebraska died after being taken to a notorious boarding school hundreds of miles away in Pennsylvania, they were buried there without notice. Nearly 130 years later, the tribe wants the boys’ remains back home. So far, the Army has refused to return to the Winnebago Tribe the remains of Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley. A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the tribe accuses the Army of ignoring a law passed more than three decades ago aimed at expediting the return of the deceased to Native American lands. Samuel had been at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania for just 47 days when he died in 1895. Edward spent four years at the school before dying in...
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OxyContin marketer, opioid maker announce settlements totaling $500 million
By Geoff Mulvihill THE ASSOCIATED PRESS An advertising agency that helped develop marketing campaigns for OxyContin and other prescription painkillers and a drugmaker announced separate agreements Thursday worth a total of $500 million to avoid going to trial on claims that they bore some responsibility for the nation’s opioid crisis. Publicis Health, part of the Paris-based media conglomerate Publicis Groupe, agreed to pay $350 million, part of which will flow to every state in the next two months, and most of which will be used to fight the overdose epidemic. Hikma Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $115 million in cash and provide $35 million worth of an overdose reversal drug to state, local and Native American tribal governments. Publicis is the first advertising company to reach a major settlement over the...
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National chief calls on Ottawa to resume policing talks after mass stabbing inquest
By Kelly Geraldine Malone THE CANADIAN PRESS SASKATOON- The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says a coroner’s inquest into a mass killing in Saskatchewan shows Ottawa must return to the table to negotiate long-promised legislation declaring Indigenous policing an essential service. “This tragedy is a systemic failure of the police and the justice system,” Cindy Woodhouse of the Assembly of First Nations said in Saskatoon on Thursday. “All the evidence presented throughout the (inquest) further demonstrate that if a First Nations police service had been equitably funded in the James Smith Cree Nation, this tragedy could have been avoided.” Myles Sanderson killed 11 people and injured 17 others on the First Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon, on Sept. 4, 2022. He...
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The debate over Native American mascots persists as some schools reinstate the logos
By Brooke Schultz THE ASSOCIATED PRESS It was a passionate student letter in 2020 that caused the Southern York County school board to reconsider its logo: a Native American man, representing the “Warriors.” Though the conversation had come up before in the suburban district located in southern Pennsylvania, 2020 was a turning point of racial reckoning after the death of George Floyd. Less than a year later, the school board voted to retire the warrior logo after it considered research on the impact the reductive imagery had on Native and non-Native students. “I understand the attachment people have to that at the school,” said Deborah Kalina, who served on the school board at the time. “But it’s more than that. And I think we did the right thing.” Three years...
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Brantford Police : WANTED – Brandon Christopher PFEIFFER
February 1, 2024 Brandon Christopher PFEIFFER, 37-years-of-age, is wanted in connection with a criminal incident which occurred in the City of Brantford on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, where a Brantford police officer was struck by a motor vehicle. As a result of the incident, the officer was transported to hospital for medical attention and has since been released. PFEIFFER is described as a white male, approximately 5’8” tall, 160 lbs., with a muscular build, bald with light brown facial hair and blue eyes. PFEIFFER is currently wanted by the Brantford Police Service for numerous Criminal Code offences including: Dangerous Operation Flight from Police Officer Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Failure to Stop After Accident Possession Contrary to Prohibition Order Failure to Comply Assault...
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Two Native American boys died at a boarding school in the 1890s. Now, the tribe wants them home
By Jim Salter THE ASSOCIATED PRESS When two Native American boys from Nebraska died after being taken to a notorious boarding school hundreds of miles away in Pennsylvania, they were buried there without notice. Nearly 130 years later, the tribe wants the boys’ remains back home. So far, the Army has refused to return to the Winnebago Tribe the remains of Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley. A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the tribe accuses the Army of ignoring a law passed more than three decades ago aimed at expediting the return of the deceased to Native American lands. Samuel had been at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania for just 47 days when he died in 1895. Edward spent four years at the school before dying in...
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