SNEC provides additional funding to local language program after HCCC/HDI funding falls through
By Lynda Powless Editor Financial help from both Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs’ Council (HCCC) has helped the Six Nations Language Commission (SNLC) keep Haudenosaunee languages alive in the community over the years. But this year SNEC had to come to the program’s rescue a second time when the HCCC’s Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) funding fell through. The HCCC does not release it annual audits or post them publically. SNEC approved additional funding for the SNLC after a discussion over how to support language revitalization while managing community funding sources. The decision was made at the October 6 General Finance Committee meeting to provide an additional $330,000, after councillors weighed various options for sourcing the funds, including from the Ontario First Nations Limited Partnership (OFNLP), the...
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Six Nation Elected Council says triple killer can’t be buried here
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-A man responsible for the triple homicide of three Six Nations people, including a pregnant woman, has died in prison but will not be buried at Six Nations. Nicholas Shipman, involved in a gruesome homicide in 2018. died in Millhaven Institution’s Regional Treatment Centre, near Bath. Shipman, 43, died on Oct. 2 at the facility. His death sparked controversy on Facebook when a community member asked if he should be buried at Six Nations. One of the victim’s families approached Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill telling her that plans were being made for Shipman to be buried at the Stump Hall cemetery on First Line Road. Elected Chief Hill told SNEC, in a closed emergency session, Oct. 8, 2025, that she had...
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Ontario court orders the estate of multi-millionaire the late Ken Hill to be divided by his 9 children
BRANTFORD,ONT- An Ontario Superior Court has ordered that all nine of the late multi-millionaire Ken Hill’s children will share in his estate after ruling circumstances surrounding his “purported will’ were “odd.” Hill’s children challenged the will arguing it was “suspicious.” Hill’s estate is estimated at over $38 million. Ken Hill was a partner and the public face of Grand River Enterprises, Six Nations most successful tobacco company. Hill died at the age of 62 in Florida of a blood clot “associated with COVID.” He owned businesses, properties in at least three countries, a car collection, yacht and a huge mansion at Six Nations. Court was told Hill left behind a simple will. Court received a photocopy of a computerized will, that was dated just four months before his death. The will...
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Six Nations Development Corporation and Boralex honoured for monumental clean energy project
TORONTO, ONT. – Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC) and energy production company Boralex are this year’s Canadian Renewable Energy Association’s (CanREA’s) Innovative Canadian Clean Power Project of the Year. SNGRDC received the award, for their upcoming Hagersville Battery Energy Storage Park. The Haldimand County, Ont., site could become the largest battery storage facility in Canada, according to a press release. Once complete, it will provide 300 MW/1.2 GWh of flexible capacity. That will help alleviate the provincial grid during peak times, At the same time it will set a new standard for large-scale energy storage. SNCRDC and Boralex accepted the award at the CanREA Gala, at the Electricity Transformation Canada Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto. The project is the second clean energy initiative the two...
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MCFN administrator tells Chiefs of Ontario Early Childhood education means family engagement
By Sam Laskaris Writer Katharine Brown has more than two decades of experience working as an early childhood educator in her First Nation. Brown is currently the Early Years Administrator for Mississauga of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), where she manages a team of more than 40 staff in various programs. Brown provided some details of her work at the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) Early Learning & Child Care Conference. The two-day event, which concluded Oct. 3, was held at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites in Mississauga. Brown was one of five panelists for a conference session. It was titled COO Early Learning and Child Care Regional Panel on Providing Wisdom and Seeking Guidance. During the session Brown was asked for ways MCFN officials interact with families to...
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Brantford hospital unveiled Indigneous health strategy
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator A hospital near the most populous First Nation in Canada has debuted its first Indigenous health strategy. Around five per cent of Brantford’s population identified as Indigenous as of the 2021 census profile. But the Brantford General Hospital and Willett Urgent Care Centre in Paris — both overseen by Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) — also serve residents from the neighbouring Six Nations of the Grand River, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. “We want to ensure First Nations and Indigenous people feel safe when receiving health care at BCHS and stay connected to their culture, language, and traditions,” Michelle Bomberry said in a media release. Bomberry is the manager of BCHS’s Indigenous Health Services, which was introduced in...
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It comes down to transparency
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy Council (HCCC) and its development arm, the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) need to start answering for the millions of dollars in income they receive on behalf of Six Nations. For over a decade the HDI has received, on behalf of the HCCC, millions of dollars that it has used to invest in among other things off reserve properties, including a high rise in Toronto, houses near the community and more. The dollars have been received over the years from developments taking place on unceded Six Nations Haudenosaunee lands. Lands that belong to Six Nations Haudenosaunee and are being used by Ontario and Canada to building towns, cities, roadways and more on unceded lands that belong to ALL of the Six Nations Haudenosaunee right here in southern Ontario...
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Today in History
Oct 8 1951 Princess Elizabeth arrives at Dorval Airport to start cross-country tour with her husband Prince Philip, later Duke of Edinburgh; her First Royal Tour lasts until November 12, 1951; she will be crowned Queen Elizabeth II the following year. Montréal, Québec 1971 Supreme Court of Canada rules that Aboriginal women cannot be deprived of Indian status because of marriage to non-Indian; under the Bill of Rights. Ottawa, Ontario Oct 10 1613 John Guy explores Trinity Bay with 18 men, to establish contact with the Beothuk Indians. Trinity Bay, Newfoundland 1615 Samuel de Champlain and his party of 500 Huron warriors move to attack Onondaga and Seneca strongholds. Syracuse, New York Oct 11 1615 Samuel de Champlain and war party of 500 Hurons are ambushed by Onondagas and Senecas...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY – Respect Mother Earth On Your Hunt
By Xavier Kataquapit Gold has arrived. Here in the north of Ontario we see vast streams of gold shimmering across the landscape as autumn is here and the the leaves are turning. There are also flashes of red and brown as though a huge blanket has descended onto Mother Earth from the heavens. This is my favourite time of the year as it is not too hot or too cold and the wilderness beckons us to wander and wonder at the sights and scents of fall. It was an extremely hot summer, there were terrible forest fires and many alerts of dangerous storms and even tornadoes here in northern Ontario. Climate change is reminding us of the damage we have done to the environment with the rise of global warming...
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Local players capture bronze medal at international tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer One of the Haudenosaunee Nationals teams was able to capture some hardware at the World Lacrosse Super Sixes tournament. The Haudenosaunee men’s squad edged Australia 14-13 in its bronze-medal match held on Sunday at Oshawa’s Civic Fields. The Haudenosaunee roster included three players – Justin Martin, Nonkon Thompson and goaltender Warren Hill – that helped the Six Nations Chiefs win a third consecutive national Mann Cup championship last month. Meanwhile, the Haudenosaunee women’s squad just missed out on a medal at the international tournament. It was downed 14-8 by the Canada White club in its bronze-medal outing. The Canada Red team won the women’s gold-medal matching, downing Australia 14-11. Canada also took home the gold in the men’s final, beating the United States 16-12 in the...
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Late goal secures win for Ironmen over host Lakers
Tyler Hill scored the game-winning goal for Six Nations Ironmen in a road win against the Woodstock Lakers. (Photo by Honee Anderson) By Sam Laskaris Writer Tyler Hill wasn’t sure if he was going to be the hero or possibly the scapegoat in his hockey game this past Saturday. As it turned out, it was the former. Hill, a member of the Six Nations Ironmen, scored the winning goal with 94 seconds remaining in the third period as his squad edged the host Woodstock Lakers 6-5 in a Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL) contest. “It was pretty exciting,” Hill said of his winning tally, which was his second goal of the game. “Unfortunately, I ran into the goalie after I scored. So, I wasn’t exactly sure whether the goal counted...
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Senior women’s hockey returns to Six Nations
By Sam Laskaris Writer After an absence of more than four decades senior women’s hockey has returned to Six Nations. The Six Nations Stars have joined the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association and will compete in a 10-team league during the 2025-26 season. The Stars’ regular season opener is scheduled for Friday versus a team from Ilderton. The local squad will play all of its home contests at the Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre. Puck drop for Friday’s historic match is scheduled for 8 p.m. Kristen Smith, one of the Stars’ founders, said it is believed that Six Nations last had a senior women’s team in 1982. Smith, who is also a forward with the Stars, said a lack of Indigenous representation in the Ontario association led to the...
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Brantford police, Chief Coroner investigating sudden death on trail
BRANTFORD-Brantford police and the Chief Coroner’s office are looking into the sudden death of a man found on a walking trail over the long weekend. On Monday, Oct. 13, at around 10:30 a.m., officers were called to the area of Birkett Lane and River Road, after receiving a report of a deceased male on one of the trails near the embankment. The man has since been identified and the investigation is now before the Office of the Chief Coroner, to determine the cause and manner of death. Police do not have any reason to believe the death is suspicious or criminal, nor does the incident pose a risk to public safety. No further details will be released at this time, as it is now a Coroner’s case....
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Canadian flotilla activists released from Israeli detention share their experiences
By Cassidy McMackon Two Canadians who were on board a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces say their experience in detention was “horrific” and they are relieved to finally be home. Ontario residents Khurram Musti Khan and Mskwaasin Agnew were among six Canadians on board the Conscience vessel that was intercepted on Oct. 8. The members of the Canadian Boat to Gaza, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, were aiming to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade. Both activists returned home this weekend, along with Quebec doctor Nimâ Machouf. Devoney Ellis, Sadie Mees and Nikita Stapleton, all of Newfoundland and Labrador, were expected to return to St. John’s on Tuesday. Reached by phone Monday at his home in Milton, Ont., Musti Khan said he...
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B.C. Premier Eby says lifting the tanker ban would sink billions in ‘real’ projects
By Wolfgang Depner Lifting the oil tanker ban off British Columbia’s North Coast for a nonexistent pipeline from Alberta would endanger billions in other real investments that Premier David Eby says will need the support of coastal First Nations. “This is a pretty straightforward issue for British Columbia,” Eby said. “The oil tanker ban off the coast is the social licence with First Nations along the coast to be able to do significant economic development in the region,” he said on Tuesday at an unrelated news conference. Eby said he’s asking the federal government to reaffirm its support for the tanker ban off the West Coast, after Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday that lifting the ban would depend on a number of factors. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has...
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First Nations have moral authority for nature, AFN convention hears
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post Indigenous people have a responsibility to nature, Sen. Dan Christmas said last week as a special conservation gathering held at Membertou First Nation welcomed Indigenous knowledge keepers and land protectors from British Columbia to Canada’s North to Hunters Mountain in Nova Scotia. “We (Indigenous people) have a moral authority to do sustainable development,” Christmas said. “And it is not up to any outside government. It falls on our shoulders. We have that responsibility.” Hosted by the national Assembly of First Nations, Membertou First Nation in Cape Breton was chosen as the site for hundreds of delegates. The gathering was called “Upholding our Relationship to Mother Earth and Stewarding for Abundance.” The event was opened and closed by Christmas who said...
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‘We need to get them out’: Beluga trainer fired by Marineland speaks out
By Liam Casey Marineland’s crumbling infrastructure, staffing shortage and lack of resources have created dangerous conditions for its belugas and they should be moved immediately, a fired beluga trainer says. Kristy Burgess, who worked at the Niagara Falls, Ont., park when a young beluga was put down in February, said Marineland’s threat to euthanize all 30 of its remaining belugas if it doesn’t receive emergency funding is a “repulsive” tactic that uses the whales as leverage. “We need to get them out,” Burgess said of the last captive whales in Canada. “Immediately.” Burgess is speaking out for the first time about her experience at Marineland as the very whales she loved now face possible death. Nineteen belugas, one dolphin and one killer whale have died at the park since 2019,...
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Displaced Iroquois Lodge residents could find temporary home in Brantford
By Carly McHugh Writer Six Nations elders evacuated from the Iroquois Lodge after a June rainstorm caused community-wide flooding may soon return to their own land. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is in the process of securing a lease at the Fox Ridge Community in Brantford, a long-term care home the city has put a bid in to purchase from Sienna Living. The three-year lease will allow the approximately 50 displaced residents to live closer to home, while a new facility is built on Six Nations. At their social services committee meeting on Wednesday, the City of Brantford detailed tentative plans to begin moving the residents to Fox Ridge once the sale closes on Oct. 30. The current arrangement is to house them on one side of the building, while...
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Natuashish band council office, cultural stage burn down hours after election
The Mushuau Innu First Nation band council office in Nautashish was destroyed by fire early Friday morning. Aaron Poker. By Heidi Atter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent RCMP are investigating after the Mushuau Innu First Nation Band Council Office and a cultural stage burned down early Friday morning. Police say at approximately 3:09 a.m. on Friday morning they spotted smoke coming from the band council office and local fire crew arrived on scene shortly thereafter. No one was injured but the building sustained “significant damage,” RCMP say. The cause is under investigation. In a statement on Facebook, newly-elected Chief Patricia Andrew said “what happened last night was wrong, and not the kind of news anyone wants to start their day with.” “Our community has been through enough, and violence...
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Some Indigenous Peoples Day events strike conciliatory tone amid Trump’s focus on Columbus
By Terry Tang From Seattle to Baltimore, many Americans were celebrating Monday as Indigenous Peoples Day, determined to see it as a triumph of perseverance over centuries marked by trauma. Tribal nations and communities gathered at powwows, markets and musical performances among other joyful events to honor their culture and their history. Some states and cities have for decades now made the second Monday in October about honoring Native Americans alongside the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, for whom the federal holiday was declared in 1937. And President Joe Biden signed a declaration recognizing both days. President Donald Trump, keeping a vow he made in April, reversed that last week, pledging “to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy...
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