MPs reflect on an eventful spring
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter KENORA – Local Conservative MP Eric Melillo believes his party has done a fine job standing up for Canadians squeezed by inflation. “I think overall I’ve been proud of our advocacy as the Official Opposition advocating for trying to make life more affordable for Canadians,” he told Newswatch as the House of Commons neared closing for the summer. “Of course, that’s been a concern that we’ve had for quite some time is as the cost of living continues to soar, whether it’s groceries, housing, home heating – many essential things that are becoming more expensive for people. “So I’ve been very, very proud of our advocacy holding the government to account on that and advocating for some common sense solutions – as well...
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Grassy Narrows holds protest at Dryden mill
By Mike Stimpson, Journalism Initiative Reporter 20/06/2024 21:15 DRYDEN – On Thursday, Grassy Narrows First Nation members took their fight to the source of the mercury contamination that has affected them for more than 50 years. Chief Rudy Turtle joined Grassy Narrows residents and supporters in a protest in front of Dryden’s paper mill, where tonnes of mercury was discharged into the Wabigoon River in the 1960s and ’70s. The mill stopped releasing mercury decades ago, but the mercury hasn’t entirely gone away. Recent research has found that sulfates and organic matter released by the mill have been elevating levels of methylmercury, an especially dangerous form of mercury. “Something needs to be done,” Turtle told Dougall Media. The province needs to step in for the well-being of people in Grassy...
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Federal Court approves first Claims Process for First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement
Globenewswire 21/06/2024 TORONTO, June 21, 2024– The Federal Court approved the first Claims Process for the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement (“the Settlement”), marking a significant milestone towards providing compensation to individuals included in the historic $23.34 billion Settlement Agreement. The first Claims Process focuses on two Classes—the Removed Child Class and Removed Child Family Class. These Classes include First Nations individuals who were removed from their homes as Children, on Reserve, or in the Yukon, and placed into care funded by Indigenous Services Canada between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2022, as well as their eligible Caregiving Parents or Caregiving Grandparents. “The Court’s approval of the first Claims Process marks a pivotal step towards providing compensation for First Nations Children and their families,”...
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Salish Seas Regenerative Farm Society plans expansion
By Jordan Copp Coast Reporter’civic and Indigenous affairs reporter Salish Seas Regenerative Farm Society is expanding to a six-acre urban farm, with thanks to a grant secured earlier this year and a recent investment from Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET). In May, the farm society received a $845,361 Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) grant meant to help the society reach its goal of creating a six-acre “model urban farm utilizing organic compost and the principles of regenerative agriculture to restore local ecosystems and cultivate local healthy food on the Sunshine Coast.” Created by the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (JEDI), the program supports projects that promote economic diversification, resilience, clean growth opportunities and infrastructure development. In June, it was announced the farm society also received a...
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‘We’re going to try:’ Manitoba outlines search plan for slain First Nations women
The Canadian Press 20/06/2024 18:10 About a dozen trained workers will begin searching this fall through mounds of material deposited at a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two slain First Nations women, the Manitoba government announced Thursday. The province released a timeline for its plan to search the Prairie Green landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran after announcing last week that environmental regulators had approved the search. “When somebody goes missing, we go looking,” Premier Wab Kinew told reporters during a briefing. “We hope that it is successful. We cannot guarantee success, but we can guarantee that we’re going to try.” Kinew said the province has come up with a “robust, comprehensive and thorough search plan.” The government will lead the search and work with...
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As former chief sues Assembly of First Nations, minister says Ottawa won’t weigh in
The Canadian Press Published: 20/06/2024 17:30 The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations says Ottawa’s role is not to govern the internal accountability of the Assembly of First Nations, as its former chief launches a lawsuit against the advocacy group. Gary Anandasangaree: Minister of Crown-Indigenous relationssaid in an interview Thursday that the AFN is a trusted, “valued partner” for the federal government, and he wouldn’t weigh in on the legal case. RoseAnne Archibald, who was ousted from the post as national chief last July and was the first woman to lead the organization, is suing the Assembly of First Nations and its executive for defamation and breach of contract. In a statement of claim filed this month, Archibald alleged the Assembly of First Nations and its executive engaged in a “number...
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Minister wants B.C. to be model for aquaculture as it moves to containment
The Canadian Press 20/06/2024 16:52 Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier says the country’s “strict rules” on banning open-net salmon farming are necessary, since the goal is to make British Columbia “a model” in global aquaculture. During a separate funding announcement on salmon restoration in Vancouver, Lebouthillier noted that Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne would be in B.C. soon to meet with First Nations affected by the pending open-net farm ban. When asked if federal money is coming to support the transition away from open-net farming, she said there’s work to be done to help communities and the aquaculture industry to propel them towards the future. Lebouthillier announced the ban in Ottawa yesterday, saying aquaculture must move to land by 2029, giving communities and businesses five years from the original deadline to...
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Town prepares for National Indigenous Peoples Day
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 20/06/2024 21:44 The Town of Strathmore is gearing up to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, with an event scheduled to take place in Kinsmen Park on June 21. “We are pretty excited for it, we have a lot of dancers, some elders, (and) some vendors coming out as well,” said Astokomii Smith, Indigenous Liaison for the Town of Strathmore. “We have a little bit of a schedule from 2-4 p.m., we are going to having the opening ceremonies with the land acknowledgement and opening prayer, and a blessing provided by an elder.” Following the opening of the event, the town will raise the Treaty 7 flag, which has previously never been done at the Strathmore town hall. Throughout the day, attendees will be...
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Province invests in local, regional Indigenous transportation initiatives
By Austin Campbell Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The province is providing funding to help First Nation communities with transportation. On June 13, MPP Kevin Holland announced the Thunder Bay Friendship Centre, Marten Falls First Nation, and the Red Rock Indian Band are set to receive $225,000 in funding from the Ontario government to enhance transportation infrastructure. The funding is provided through the Indigenous Transportation Initiatives Fund (ITIF) to support economic growth, mobility and transportation safety in First Nations communities across Ontario. Speaking with Dougall Media on June 19, Holland outlined how this funding will be used by the groups involved – which will each receive around $75,000 – and how improvements in infrastructure stand to benefit vital quality-of-life services. He also touched on the importance of inclusivity, collaboration, and economic...
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Search for remains of slain women at Manitoba landfill to start in fall
The Canadian Press 20/06/2024 16:41 The search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two slain First Nations women is scheduled to begin in late fall. The Manitoba government has released a timeline and other details from its plan to search the Prairie Green landfill. Premier Wab Kinew says the province is to lead the search and work with an oversight committee, which includes the victims’ families, an Indigenous elder and anthropology experts. Construction of a healing centre at the landfill is expected to be completed next month. The government announced last week that environmental regulators had given it the green light to search the landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. The province’s former Progressive Conservative government refused a search, saying asbestos and other toxic...
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Six Nations Police Traffic Stop Results In Charges
OHSWEKEN, ON- A Six Nations woman is facing an impaired driving charge after police spotted a vehicle been driven “erratically” on Tuscarora Road. Six Nations Police said, officers on patrol activated their emergency lights and sirens and pulled over the vehicle Friday, June 14, 2024. Police approached the vehicle that had pulled over to the side of the roadway and found a woman, alone in the vehicle, they said was displaying signs of impairment. Police arrested and charged Holly Styres, 34, of Ohsweken, Ontario with the following criminal offences: – Impaired Operation – Alcohol per se Offence Styres was also issued a Provincial Offence Notice under the Liquor Licence Act had her drivers’ licence suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle was impounded for 7 days. The accused is scheduled...
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Six Nations man facing multiple driving charges after collision
OHSWEKEN, ON-A 22-year-old Six Nations man is facing a series of charges including dangerous driving and impaired driving after the Six Nations Police K9 Unit tracked a man from the scene of a single vehicle collision on Cayuga Road Saturday, June 15, 2024. Six Nations Police responded to a collision at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday (June 15) and found witnesses on scene who provided a description of the driver of the motor vehicle. The driver had fled the scene before police arrived and found a “severely damaged vehicle,” that had collided with guard rails along the S bend in the road. The Six Nations Police K9 Officer was called in and the service dog located a person matching the description provided to police. The man had injuries, police said, that...
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Liberals plan talks to launch school food program before end of next school year
The Canadian Press The government hopes to see kids eating meals under a universal, national school food program before the end of the next school year, but it will take time for organizations to scale up their operations, the families minister said Thursday. The Liberals set aside $1 billion over five years for the program, which they promised during the 2021 election campaign. The deals will be similar in nature to the child-care agreements the government signed with provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to lower the cost of daycare, Families Minister Jenna Sudds said in an interview Thursday. “We will negotiate these agreements, incorporating our vision and our principles into these agreements, and then it will be incumbent on the provinces to move forward,” she said. The school food program...
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GrandBridge Energy working to build positive relationships with Indigenous Peoples
Cambridge, ON (June 20, 2024) – In honour of National Indigenous People’s Month, GrandBridge Energy is proud continue its partnership with the Woodland Cultural Centre in a collaborative effort to support Truth and Reconciliation. GrandBridge Energy delivered Truth and Reconciliation Awareness sessions to all employees in early June as part of the organization’s commitment to truth and reconciliation and building positive relationships with Indigenous Peoples. The training was facilitated by Chris Ashkewe, Associate Director of Woodland Cultural Centre, and provided employees with an opportunity to learn about Indigenous history and the journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. The Truth & Reconciliation sessions were even more meaningful as they were scheduled to coincide with National Indigenous History Month and took place just prior to National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is recognized annually...
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Gender pay gap in Canada’s tech sector almost tripled between 2016 and 2021: study
The Canadian Press 20/06/2024 13:36 A new study shows the gender pay gap in Canada’s tech sector almost tripled between 2016 and 2021. Researchers at The Dais, a public policy organization based at Toronto Metropolitan University, says the average woman tech worker was making $71,400 in 2021 compared with $91,000 earned by their male counterpart. They say that gap has widened significantly since 2016, when men earned $7,200 more than women. The gaps continued when researchers looked at the earnings of visible-minority tech workers, who made an average of $78,800 a year in Canada in 2021 compared with $93,000 for those not considered to be part of a visible minority group. The average Indigenous tech worker was found to make roughly $14,000 less than non-Indigenous counterparts. The research The Dais...
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Former Assembly of First Nations national chief suing organization for $5 million
The Canadian Press 20/06/2024 13:19 The former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is suing the organization and its executive for defamation and breach of contract, asking for $5 million in damages. RoseAnne Archibald, who was ousted from the job last July, alleges that a “number of illegal and unlawful steps” were made against her, including suspending her as national chief. After she was elected, she had called for the AFN to hire a forensic accounting firm to review their books. The suit alleges that the executive then “embarked on a campaign to sideline her and ultimately oust her as national chief.” In a statement, the Assembly of First Nations says it won’t comment until the matter is resolved through a legal process. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree...
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National Indigenous People’s day – Advertiser’s Special
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Feds create national space for Algonquin Anishinabe on Parliament Hill
By Marc Lalonde Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Grand Chiefs and council members from Anishinabe Algonquin communities joined the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations in Ottawa recently to sign an agreement on a dedicated space for them on Parliament Hill. Those nations’ representatives joined Crown-Indigenous Relations minister Gary Anandasangaree in signing what the government called a “landmark” agreement for the construction of a dedicated Algonquin space as part of Canada’s commitment to establish a national space for Indigenous peoples on Parliament Hill. Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council Grand Chief Savanna McGregor said the move – which will give her people their own space in Canada’s federal-government buildings – “means everything.” “For our Anishinabe Algonquin Nation members to see us acquire our own space in the heart of our territory means everything,”...
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Coalition of drug user groups wants court to quash B.C. drug ‘recriminalization’
Canadian Press-When the federal government allowed British Columbia to walk back its experiment with drug decriminalization, the move wasn’t surprising to Brittany Maple, executive director of the Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society. “It’s disheartening,” Maple said. “We are effectively criminalizing people for existing in public spaces when they have nowhere else safe to exist.” Now, Maple’s society has teamed up with a coalition of drug user advocacy groups to take the federal government to court, claiming the decision to recriminalize public drug possession in B.C. puts users at increased risk of death. The group of 13 non-profits, which includes the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and the Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society, alleges in an application filed in Federal Court that the government recriminalized public drug possession in B.C. “with minimal...
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Study finds coal mine contaminants blown onto snowpack in Alberta, British Columbia
The Canadian Press Cancer-causing chemicals are being blown downwind from coal mines in southern British Columbia in concentrations that rival those next to oilsand mines, newly published research has concluded. “Our results reveal, for the first time, clear evidence that coal mining contaminants are spread far downwind from their sources,” says the paper, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The research, conducted by scientists from the Alberta government and the University of Alberta, studied the snowpack around four coal mines in British Columbia’s Elk Valley. They sampled 23 sites at varying distances from the mines in 2022 and 2023, melting a surface-to-ground column of snow and analyzing the results. “In a winter snowpack, you’re capturing everything that’s being deposited as long as that snowpack is on the ground,”...
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