Alberta independence petition approval faces legal challenge from First Nations
By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Shootin’ the Breeze Piikani Nation has launched a court challenge to Alberta’s chief electoral officer over the approval of a citizen initiative petition seeking a referendum on Alberta independence. On Jan. 21, Piikani Nation, along with Siksika Nation and the Blood Tribe, filed the application in the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta for judicial review, following the controversial approval of the petition last month. The application argues that the petition question violates treaty rights and the Constitution. The petition, led by Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, asks: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” Gordon McClure, the chief electoral officer, issued the petition Jan. 2...
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Parents of B.C.’s Piper James grieve on Australian beach where she died
The parents of Canadian teenager Piper James have walked in the surf and taken part in a traditional Aboriginal ceremony on an Australian beach where their daughter was found dead last month, surrounded by a pack of dingoes. Todd and Angela James from Campbell River, B.C., arrived in Brisbane in Queensland state on Tuesday before heading to the beach on the island of K’gari where their 19-year-old daughter lost her life. Wednesday’s ceremony was closed to media except national broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corp., which showed the parents kneeling at the shoreline and embracing members of the Butchulla Indigenous people. Piper James was working on K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, when she went for an early morning swim on January 19. Her body was found a short time later...
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Former employee admits using company gas card illegally
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A 55-year-old man who pleaded guilty Jan. 20 in Quesnel Provincial Court to unauthorized use of credit card data received an eight-month conditional sentence. Kyle Bradley Boyson worked for Chu Cho Industries Ltd., a Prince George-based heavy construction and services contractor owned by Tsay Key Dene Nation. He was given a credit card to buy gas but racked up a bill for personal purchases and loaned it to his co-accused to pay off a debt owed. The company reported to the RCMP that Boyson’s unauthorized purchases totalled $35,975.50 while he had been off work due to COVID-19. The other man accused charged well over $29,000 for gas to fill up his tidy tank. Boyson admitted in court to using the...
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Medical staff leave Kashechewan First Nation as parasite contaminates water
Medical staff have left a northern Ontario First Nation that was largely evacuated last month after its water system failed and a parasite that causes gastrointestinal illness contaminated its water supply. Indigenous Services Canada says all remaining nurses left Kashechewan First Nation on Monday after consultation with community leaders. The department says people who remain in the community will be able to access health services at a hospital in neighbouring Fort Albany, and Ornge air ambulance has also been notified and will provide emergency medical transport as needed. Officials at the fly-in community on the western shore of James Bay declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4 after infrastructure damage created a public health and safety issue, with sewage creeping into people’s homes and contaminating fresh water systems. The...
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B.C. minister says Ottawa is missing from the table on flood mitigation planning
By Nick Murray British Columbia’s minister of emergency management is accusing the federal government of being absent from flood mitigation planning meetings following two major flooding events in her province in the last five years. Kelly Greene held a press conference this morning on Parliament Hill, where she called on the federal government to commit to working with local authorities. Green said the problems of flood mitigation are too large and complex for local authorities to manage without federal help to identify critical infrastructure and fish habitat improvements. Greene, Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens and Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver are expected to meet with federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski and Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson. B.C.’s Fraser Valley was hit with extensive flooding in December, which Siemens...
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Proposed future Iroquois Lodge draws blunt criticism from councillors
A proposed design for the new Iroquois Lodge long-term care home drew blunt criticism from councillors. HDR Consulting presented its design for the lodge building during the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) General Council meeting on Jan. 27, with one councillor calling the layout “ugly” and another warning the chosen site could create serious long-term risks. “Can I say it’s ugly?” Councillor Amos Key asked during the meeting as he questioned the safety and practicality of the courtyard-style layout for the new Iroquois Lodge building presented by HDR Consulting and Two Row Architect. Key later apologised for the comment. Councillor Alaina VanEvery followed with concerns about the lodge’s proximity to sewage lagoons, saying she was raising “a red flag” over the site itself. The comments came during a presentation outlining...
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Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman who helped save Washington’s army, is honored on $1 coin
By Savannah Peters EDGEWOOD, N.M. (AP) — The reverse side of the U.S. Mint’s 2026 Sacagawea $1 coin will feature Polly Cooper, a woman from the Oneida tribe known for helping George Washington’s Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The release of the coin this week coincides with celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It recognizes Cooper’s role in a 1778 relief expedition from Oneida territory in what is now central New York to the rebel troops’ winter encampment in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where they were facing a food and supply crisis. “Polly Cooper symbolizes courage that is not just found on the battlefield but in compassion and willingness to help others, which is just a part of Oneida culture and hospitality,” said...
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Etobicoke man arrested twice facing drug trafficking charges
For the second time in less than two months Six Nations Police (SNP) arrested an Etobicoke man believed to be selling illegal drugs at Six Nations. SNP charged the 26-year-old with drug trafficking and possession of the proceeds of crime. Six Nations Police officers had travelled to Toronto just 10 days before Christmas where they arrested a man believed to have been supplying illegal drugs at Six Nations. Just six weeks later they arrested him again. SNP said in December 2025 officers searched an Etobicoke home and the accused’s vehicle where they said they found fentanyl, cash and drug packaging. The man was charged with drug trafficking and possessing the proceeds of crime, and released. But not six weeks later SNP allege the man was back in the drug business....
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Across the border, Indigenous fears spike amidst ‘U.S.’ immigration crackdown
By Crystal Greene, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Inuvik resident Harley Minakis was on his way home from visiting his daughter in Costa Rica last week — transiting via “Houston” airport — when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer stopped him. Despite having his Canadian passport, Indian status card, and Gwich’in tribal card, he found himself turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. They held him in a room for roughly two hours, he told IndigiNews, with about 20 other detainees on Jan. 22. “‘You’re staying here,’” he recalls the agent saying. “There were a whole bunch of other people that were detained in there. They were all speaking Spanish, but they look like they’re Native.” Minakis said an agent told him his three identification documents were...
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Six Nations Elected Council outlines work on budget and finances
Six Nations may not waive as many rental fees for community groups. The Community Committee and Finance Committee gave updates during the Jan. 27 Six Nations Elected Council General Council (SNEC) meeting, outlining progress on infrastructure planning, rental budget pressures and ongoing work to strengthen financial accountability. Councillor Dean Hill, Community Committee Chair flagged concerns related to the rental fee budget, which is currently overspent. He said staff are working together to bring forward a detailed report to council. “Jessica is going to be working with Jennifer [Court, Chief Financial Officer] to come forward about the rental fee budget currently being overspent,” Hill said. “That’s going to come to council as well, just to see how much more we want to approve for various community organizations.” Hill said updated information...
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Is there a choice if there’s only one?
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) got its first glimpse at a new residential lodge for the community’s elders last week. And it didn’t come without questions and raised eyebrows. Six Nations Iroquois Lodge was closed when flooding hit the community June 18, 2025. The 42-year-old structure, built in the heart of Ohsweken, was a licensed 50 bed Long-Term Care Home. It provided the much needed 24-hour nursing and personal care for Six Nations elders. But this past summer’s flooding finally claimed the lodge that had been built in 1984. It suffered serious flooding and water damage that showed the building had outlived its life. Several councils over the years have discussed the need to build a new lodge but until the flood hit this past summer it did not get...
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Today in History
February 1 In 1958, James Gladstone, an Alberta Blood Indian, became Canada’s first aboriginal senator. In 2020, Ontario’s Saugeen Ojibway Nation overwhelmingly rejected a proposed underground storage facility for nuclear waste near Lake Huron, likely bringing an end to the multibillion-dollar, politically fraught project that had been years in the making. February 2 In 2016, NDP candidate Melanie Mark became the first indigenous woman elected to the British Columbia legislature after winning a byelection in the party stronghold of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. February 3 In 1843, pioneer railway executive William Cornelius Van Horne was born in Chelsea, Ill. Named general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882, Van Horne supervised completion of Canada’s first nation-wide railway. He became CPR president in 1888, and was knighted six years later. Van Horne...
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Six Nations member represents Toronto Rock at Indigenous Heritage Night
By Sam Laskaris Writer This past Saturday marked the seventh game of the Toronto Rock regular season schedule. But it had added meaning for Justin Martin, a Six Nations member who is in his third season with the professional squad that competes in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). That’s because the Rock, which plays its home games at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, celebrated its annual Indigenous Heritage Night. “It’s a special night,” Martin said. “It’s always awesome to honour the game and recognize where it came from. So yeah, I usually mark it on a calendar and get excited for the game.” Martin, a defender, was also pumped following the contest as the Rock registered a 17-10 victory over the visiting Ottawa Black Bears. For the third straight year...
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Ironmen quest for first place dashed with loss to Blitz
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Ironmen are still hoping for a lengthy playoff run. That’s even though the local senior men’s hockey squad had its hopes of finishing atop of its division come to an end on Sunday. The Ironmen were downed 7-5 by the visiting Orangeville Blitz in a Northern Premier Hockey League contest held at the Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre. The Six Nations club entered the match hopeful that it would still be able to end up in first place of the North Division in the league’s Metropolitan Conference. But with the Orangeville victory, it will be the Blitz that finishes in top spot. That’s because the Blitz, who are sporting a record of 12-6-0, have 24 points. And the Ironmen have 20...
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Métis curler skips her squad to championship at The Scotties
By Sam Laskaris Writer There was some Indigenous representation at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts. And when all was said and done at the 10-day national women’s curling championships, it was Métis curler Kerri Einarson and her teammates who were celebrating a title. Einarson skipped her rink, representing the Gimli Curling Club in Manitoba, to a 4-3 victory over another Manitoba team, skipped by Kaitlyn Lawes, which was representing Winnipeg’s Heather Curling Club. For Einarson, this was the fifth time she had captured the national tourney, often simply called The Scotties. Einarson and her teammates, finalists at last year’s nationals, entered the 2026 tourney as Team Canada. They were awarded that spot as last year’s champs, skipped by Rachel Homan, did not take part in this year’s event as...
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Former Manitoba star curler coaching Nunavut women’s squad
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Colin Hodgson still gets to participate in elite curling competitions these days, but instead of playing, Hodgson, a Red River Métis, now concentrates on coaching. As a player, Hodgson, a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation, competed six times at the Brier, the national men’s curling championship. His last Brier appearance was in 2023. For the past two years, however, Hodgson has coached a Nunavut team that represents the Iqaluit Curling Club. The Nunavut rink, skipped by Julia Weagle, recently competed at its second consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women’s tournament that concluded Feb. 1. The Hodgson-coached squad registered one victory in its eight round-robin matches at this year’s nationals, held at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont....
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Graphic novel series Kaboom! lifts off with a blast for Jay Odjick and Scholastic
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Kid superhero Zack Commonda may have got his moniker “Kaboom” by accident, but a loud kaboom is the exact impact creator and writer Jay Odjick is aiming for with his new graphic novel. “If I’m going to do a book with a company as big as Scholastic, that’s why it’s called Kaboom! (because) we’re going to make some noise,” said Odjick, a member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation in Quebec. “We need our own people to do things that are big and splashy, that we think about, we care about, that we love… But we still need the platforms and the stages that these bigger non-Native companies can give us.” Odjick is no stranger to the big stage. In 2023,...
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Manitoba government eyes marine conservation area in western Hudson Bay
The Manitoba government announced $250,000 Tuesday toward a possible conservation area in the waters of western Hudson Bay — the same region that could be home to a future energy pipeline and terminal. The money is to help support federal consideration of western Hudson Bay as a national marine conservation area. There are already five such areas, including a big stretch of Lake Superior, and the federal government has promised 10 additional marine and four new freshwater conservation areas by 2030. “These ecosystems are changing rapidly and the need for action has never been more urgent,” Manitoba Environment Minister Mike Moyes said. Oceans North, an environmental charitable group, said the region is a special ecosystem, home to roughly one-quarter of the world’s beluga whale population. The announcement comes at a...
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Tiny’s ‘garden therapy’ initiative aims to give caregivers a break
By Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, MidlandToday.ca Staff ‘pretty much guaranteed’ one-time seed funding to support caregiver respite at the Perkinsfield Park community garden this spring. In alignment with the township’s 2025 age-friendly community plan, the proposed initiative would allow older adults living with frailty, including dementia, to participate in safe outdoor activities while their caregivers receive respite in terms of short-term relief from their regular duties. At the recent committee of the whole meeting, recreation and special events director Josh Pallas expanded upon a report which outlined the funding opportunity from an application to North Simcoe Muskoka Specialized Geriatric Services. “There’s been a funding opportunity that’s come forward to us; it’s pretty much guaranteed,” said Pallas during the meeting. “We’ve been given a thumbs up, for the most...
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Territorial Ambitions – Cree Nation’s GIS mapping highlighted at industry conference
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation The Cree Nation Government’s GIS (Geographic Information System) team proudly presented its regional geospatial strategy at the Esri Canada User Conference in Toronto November 4. Selected from over 600 applicants to present at the country’s largest GIS event, the five team members shared the Cree Nation’s journey toward integrating traditional Cree knowledge with modern spatial technology. Building technical capacity and data sovereignty, GIS tools are supporting an ever-expanding range of applications across the Cree territory. “GIS technology allows you to create maps to visualize areas of interest but also transform spatial data into meaningful statistics to communicate complex information clearly,” said GIS program manager Jonathan Elkhoury. “The room was very full with a lot of good feedback. Other First Nations were...
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