Time served, fine and another driving ban after man fled from police
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A Prince George Provincial Court judge sentenced a man to 134 days’ time served after he pleaded guilty Jan. 7 to fleeing from a police officer and driving while prohibited. Crown prosecutor Astitwa Thapa said Jason Matthew Ryan Farquhar would probably have received only a Motor Vehicle Act violation ticket for broken taillights Jan. 2, 2025. “He turned a simple traffic stop into a dangerous incident when he met with an accident,” Thapa told the court. “Thankfully, he was not injured and the passenger in his car was safe.” Judge David Simpkin agreed with the Crown and defence proposal of 120 days’ time served for flight from police and 14 days’ time served for driving while prohibited. Farquhar had served...
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Blueberry River First Nation school fire caused ‘tremendous loss’ to community
By Wolfgang Depner Leaders of the Blueberry River First Nation in northeastern B.C. say the community has suffered a “tremendous loss” after a Saturday morning fire destroyed a local school, but they are also planning to rebuild it as soon as possible. A statement from the First Nation’s council says that the multi-use Blueberry Community School has hosted everything from community gatherings and funerals to adult education and cultural events for more than 30 years. It says that the building could not be saved, because of a lack of water, adding that the First Nation has no agreement with the City of Fort St. John for firefighting due to the distance. The statement says that council is thankful nobody was hurt during the fire, but won’t speculate about its cause...
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Few hundred people remain in Kashechewan as water crisis force evacuations
By Maan Alhmidi Only a few hundred people remain in a northern Ontario First Nation community after failures of local water supply and sewage systems forced many to evacuate their homes. Kashechewan First Nation’s executive director Tyson Wesley said about 400 people will be left in the 2,200-member community by Sunday. Officials at the fly-in community that’s located on the western shore of James Bay declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4 after infrastructure damage had created an urgent public health and safety issue, with sewage creeping into people’s homes and contaminating fresh water systems. “I think four planes are flying out today, and we’ve been getting five to six planes a day,” Wesley said in an interview on Saturday. “We had issues with the sewage infrastructure and the...
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N.B. opens new anti-racism office, but leaves examination of police racism in limbo
The New Brunswick government’s first official response to a 2022 report on systemic racism includes the creation of a new anti-racism office, but the province is not committing to moving ahead with key recommendations related to racism in policing. On Friday, Jean-Claude D’Amours, minister of post-secondary education, training and labour, highlighted the new office tasked with tracking the government’s response to 86 recommendations made by former systemic racism commissioner Manju Varma three years ago. “Our immediate goal for the office is to continue the work to address the recommendations in the report while building key partnerships,” D’Amours told reporters. “In the longer term, we will develop a more robust anti-racism action plan in collaboration with those partners.” D’Amours was vague about which of the recommendations the government would pursue, however....
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Killer of Lapu Lapu suspect’s brother calls festival attack a ‘ripple effect’
By Brieanna Charlebois The murderer of a man whose brother was later arrested for the Lapu Lapu festival attack that killed 11 people in Vancouver last April has called it a “ripple effect” from his own crime 15 months earlier. Dwight Kematch, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the January 2024 killing of Alexander Lo in July, told his British Columbia Supreme Court sentencing hearing that what followed was a “horrendous tragedy.” “I deeply apologize for what I’ve done,” he told the court Friday, before Justice F. Matthew Kirchner handed him a sentence of life imprisonment with no eligibility to apply for parole for 13 years. The hearing in Vancouver was attended by video by Adam Kai-Ji Lo, who is charged with 11 counts of murder and 31 charges...
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8-year-old girl who went missing on Navajo Nation found dead
TUBA CITY, Ariz. (AP) — An 8-year-old girl who went missing on tribal lands in northern Arizona was found dead Friday, authorities said. Navajo Nation officials say Maleeka Boone was last seen Thursday evening in the Coalmine Canyon area, located 240 miles (386 kilometers) north of Phoenix. A spokesperson for the FBI, which is conducting the investigation with tribal police, declined to provide details of her death. A Navajo Police Department spokesperson said they did not have any further information. In a social media video, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said Maleeka’s death was devastating. “This tragedy weighs heavy on my heart,” Nygren said. Her disappearance led to the issuance of a Turquoise Alert, an alert system for Native Americans who have gone missing. In Arizona, the legislation creating the...
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Border mayors react to First Nation’s ICE advice
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source FORT FRANCES — Mayor Andrew Hallikas said Friday he hasn’t heard of any of his border town’s residents having negative experiences with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, so far. “We do have an excellent relationship with International Falls, Minn.,” he said in a phone interview. “They’re our sister city and we have very close ties with them, so people from Fort Frances are back and forth all the time. And nobody has reported any incidents or any issues where they’re concerned. “But that’s not to say that can’t happen, right?” Hallikas said he saw the post Rainy River First Nations’ chief made on Facebook, advising members to “be careful” and always carry ID when south of the border,...
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Dozens rally in Iqaluit for Greenland as Trump renews threats to control island
-CP-As thousands marched Saturday in Greenland to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take control of the island, about 825 kilometres away, dozens did the same in Nunavut’s capital. Aaju Peter, the lawyer and activist who organized the morning rally in Iqaluit, says about 70 rally-goers chanted “Greenland is owned by the Greenlandic people” in Inuktut as they marched for an hour in freezing and windy weather. “After I found out that the Greenlanders were going to hold their own demonstration at 1 p.m. their time, I decided let’s show our support and that’s what we did today, which was 10 a.m. in Iqaluit,” said Peter, who also teaches Inuit languages in Iqaluit. “The rally was incredible. It’s cold up here. I was really impressed with the young...
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Thousands march in Greenland to support Arctic island in the face of Trump’s threats to take it over
By Emma Burrows, Daniel Niemann And Stefanie Dazio NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Thousands of Greenlanders carefully marched across snow and ice to take a stand against U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday. They held signs of protest, waved their national flag and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in support of their own self-governance in the face of increasing threats of an American takeover. Just as they finished their trek from the small downtown of Greenland’s capital city Nuuk to the U.S. Consulate, the news broke: Trump, from his home in Florida, announced he will charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European countries over their opposition to U.S. control of Greenland. “I thought this day couldn’t get any worse but it just did,” Malik...
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Federal firearm buyback program to open Monday, with March 31 deadline to register
By Jim Bronskill Owners of banned firearms will have until the end of March to declare interest in a federal program offering compensation for turning in or permanently deactivating their guns. The federal government says the declaration period for individuals will begin Monday and run through March 31. Since May 2020, Ottawa has outlawed about 2,500 types of guns, including the AR-15, on the basis they belong only on the battlefield. Public Safety Canada said Saturday that firearm licence holders will be notified of the declaration period and how to take part. “These are firearms designed for war, for killing people,” said Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. “They have no place in our communities.” The government says compensation will be determined primarily on a first-come, first-served basis. In the spring,...
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Fire engulfs First Nation school in northeastern B.C. near Fort St. John
By Wolfgang Depner RCMP are investigating a school fire on the territory of the Blueberry River First Nation in northern British Columbia. A statement from RCMP in Fort St. John says officers responded to the fire at around 6:30 a.m. MST Saturday. It says police and local fire crews found the school fully engulfed in flames when they got there. Police say there are no reported casualties at this time, adding there is no indication the fire was suspicious. But police also say the cause of the fire remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP in Fort St. John. The First Nation is located about 80 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2026. ...
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Winter roads to First Nations under construction
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source WEBEQUIE — The winter road into Webequie is a bit late but should be ready soon, Coun. Randy Jacob said Friday. “Hopefully by the end of this month,” he said. He said the icy path to his Treaty 9 community is very important as a supply route for groceries, construction materials and much more. Indigenous Services Canada’s latest update on winter roads lists Webequie, Eabametoong and Nibinamik First Nations as having routes “under construction” while the winter road into Neskantaga is open to light loads. Indigenous Services Canada classifies light loads as passenger vehicles, said Karen Waite, the department’s manager of assets and northern roads in Ontario. The status of a separate road into Marten Falls is unknown, according to...
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Dan David, Mohawk journalist and Indigenous news trailblazer, dies at 73
Dan David (APTN Photo) Dan David, a renowned Mohawk journalist and the founder of Aboriginal Peoples Television Network’s news department, has died. His sister Marie David said he died Jan. 12 after a long struggle with cancer. He was 73. Karyn Pugliese, an APTN host and producer and David’s friend and colleague, said his death is a huge loss for the dozens of Indigenous journalists he mentored and whose careers he helped launch. “We call him the father of APTN News,” Pugliese said in an interview Sunday. “He was an icon. Dan David was Indigenous journalism in this country … He made a lot people really think about journalism.” Pugliese said David helped found APTN News in 2000 — then called InVision News — to transform the way Indigenous stories...
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Watchdog to investigate after New Brunswick RCMP fatally shoot man on FirstNation
By Aaron Sousa A police oversight agency is investigating after a man was shot and killed by the RCMP on a First Nation in northwestern New Brunswick. The Serious Incident Response Team, or SiRT, says it was contacted Sunday after the police-involved shooting on Neqotkuk, also known as Tobique First Nation, near the province’s border with Maine. Mounties issued an advisory on social media earlier Sunday regarding a police operation on the First Nation and asked people to avoid the area, but have not provided an update. A statement issued late Sunday from Neqotkuk First Nation Chief Ross Perley and council identified the deceased man as Bronson Paul and extended condolences to his family and friends. It says a sacred fire has been lit at a community hall on the...
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First Nation’s advice: ‘Be careful’ in the U.S.
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source EMO — Rainy River First Nations members are advised to “be careful” in their movements south of the Canada-U.S. border saying they’ve heard reports of Indigenous people being harassed and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A notice posted on social media advises members that they “have every right to travel and live (on) either side of the border.” But when in Minnesota, the notice continues, First Nation members should carry their Indian status card or Canadian passport with them at all times. Further, they are advised to contact Rainy River Chief Jim Leonard immediately if they run into trouble. “It has come to our attention that Status First Nations people are currently being targeted, assaulted and detained” by...
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Kahnawake council left in dark on Seaway dumping case
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) was not alerted after the federal government laid charges against recycling company Terrapure and the city of Ste. Catherine, despite the alleged environmental infractions taking place within the bounds of the Seigneury of Sault St. Louis land grievance. “At the end of the day, for us, it’s in the Seigneury,” said MCK grand chief Cody Diabo. “We should be in these discussions.” On October 29, Terrapure, which recycles batteries and plastics, was handed 52 charges for alleged violations of the Fisheries Act at its nearby facility. The city of Ste. Catherine, meanwhile, received 38 charges for allegedly permitting the activities. In November, both parties pleaded not guilty. Three individuals are also being charged. Diabo...
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Inuit need greater say in ship routing, preparedness: Panelists
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Inuit need a greater say in mapping, ship routing, development and emergency preparedness as the Arctic prepares for an increase in traffic in the coming years, conference attendees in Iqaluit heard Wednesday. At the Ingiulik Nunavut Shipping Symposium, a panel titled Shipping, Sovereignty and Security brought together officials from Nunavut and Greenland to share their concerns and discuss opportunities. “The ship groundings that we saw this summer were definitely impactful to Inuit and will continue to be without participation and oversight,” said Hilu Tagoona, vice-president of engagement and partnerships with Oceans North, a marine conservation organization. In September, the Thamesborg — a 172-metre Dutch cargo ship — ran aground while traversing the Northwest Passage. It resumed its trip in October following...
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First Nations hockey player seeks long playoff run and post-secondary offer
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Besides looking to finish his junior hockey career on a high note, Caleb Labelle is also spending time thinking about his academic and athletic futures. Labelle, a member of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, a First Nation in northern Ontario, is a defenceman with the Kam River Fighting Walleye. The Junior A club based in Thunder Bay, Ont. is one of seven entrants in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL). This circuit features six franchises from northern Ontario and the Michigan-based Ironwood Lumberjacks. The Fighting Walleye are the defending SIJHL champions. And they participated this past May at the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A tournament. The Kam River squad managed to win one of its four round-robin matches at the Canadian tourney held...
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Manitoba First Nation urges province to address hotel space for evacuees
By Brittany Hobson The Canadian Red Cross says some evacuees from a northern Manitoba First Nation rocked by a severe water crisis won’t be displaced for a second time in as many weeks, as the community’s chief called on the province to do more to ensure they get priority in hotels. About 1,200 residents from Pimicikamak Cree Nation have been staying in Thompson, although it’s unclear how many are in the city’s hotels or have other accommodations. Chief David Monias had said he was concerned some would have to leave Thompson, due to a minor hockey tournament there this weekend. The Red Cross said Thursday that accommodations in Thompson have been secured for evacuees, although some may need to temporarily go to another location in the city depending on room...
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‘We need unity’: Bearspaw First Nation chief and council mark new term at inauguration ceremony
By Leah Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Rocky Mountain Outlook ÎYÂRHE NAKODA — With messages of unity and championing the younger generation ringing loud and clear, Bearspaw First Nation marked the start of a new term during the inauguration of the Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation band’s chief and council on Friday (Jan. 9). Serving the nation for his 25th accumulative term, Chief Darcy Dixon emphasized that working together alongside the two other Stoney Nakoda First Nations, Goodstoney and Chiniki, is key to moving forward. “We all share one piece of land, all our people, but as you can see, by working together over a number of years we were able to continue to support one another and make good things happen here in our communities of Big Horn, Morley,...
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