Feds should kill bill recognizing ‘fraudulent right holders,’ COO grand chief says
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter THUNDER BAY — The Chiefs of Ontario is watching as a federal bill to extend treaty recognition to Métis remains alive, Regional Grand Chief Abram Benedict said Thursday. Speaking to reporters after the COO’s three-day fall assembly adjourned, Benedict said First Nations in the province remain opposed to Bill C-53, which would authorize Ottawa to negotiate and ratify treaties with Métis organizations including the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). “Our position on (Bill C-53) hasn’t changed,” Benedict said. “It’s something we’ve been calling upon the government to remove off the docket to stop it from happening.” The bill “recognizes fraudulent right holders” and needs to be withdrawn, he said. The bill hasn’t been withdrawn, “but we’re pretty certain that there isn’t going to...
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Canada ordered to address Jordan’s Principle backlog, find new solutions
Canadian Press-The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ordered Canada to address a backlog of requests under Jordan’s Principle which is meant to ensure First Nations children don’t wait to receive assistance because of jurisdictional battles. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society raised concerns that Ottawa was taking too long to process requests for financing through Jordan’s Principle, leaving children without access to services. The principle stipulates that when a First Nations child needs health, social or educational services they are to receive them from the government first approached, with questions about final jurisdiction worked out afterward. It’s named after Jordan River Anderson of Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Born in 1999 with multiple disabilities, Anderson died at five years old without ever leaving the hospital, because federal...
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Officer shoots, kills armed teen on northern Manitoba First Nation: RCMP
Canadian Press-RCMP in northern Manitoba say an armed teenager was fatally shot on a First Nation north of Lake Winnipeg. Mounties say it followed from a report that a man was agitated and armed with an “edged weapon” in a home on Norway House Cree Nation. They say the man was outside with the weapon when officers arrived and, despite numerous orders to drop it, advanced toward them. An officer shot the youth, and police provided medical aid until paramedics arrived. A 17-year-old from Norway House Cree nation was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Manitoba Independent Investigation Unit, the provincial police watchdog, is taking over the case. Watchdog officials say the youth was high at the time. This report by The Canadian Press was first published...
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New Brunswick oysters test positive for dermo disease, first confirmed case in Canada
Canadian Press-The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says oyster samples from New Brunswick’s east coast have tested positive for two diseases, one of which has been found for the first time in Canada. A news release from the agency says multinucleate sphere unknown, also known as MSX, and dermo, also known as perkinsosis, have been confirmed in mollusks in Spence Cove. It says both diseases do not pose risks to human health or food safety, but they increase oyster mortality and decrease growth rates. Dermo, which has been detected in Canada for the first time, has spread from oyster to oyster in New Brunswick. The disease presents in adult oysters more than one year old, and causes several symptoms including making their shells open out of water. The agency says it...
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Six Nations Police looking for couple after damages and car fire set in school yard
OHSWEKEN, ON- Six Nations Police are continuing to investigate a vehicle fire and damages at a local school after receiving calls from the public over property damage. Six Nations Police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at a Cayuga Road school Monday, November 18, 2024, at about 9:00 p.m.. Police said a silver Mercedes Benz C230 had been seen spinning around the rear of the property and the school track. Upon arrival police found a vehicle on fire, but the suspects had fled the scene. The Six Nations Fire Department assisted with extinguishing the vehicle fire. The vehicle was destroyed by fire. The vehicle had not been reported to police as stolen. Witnesses told police they heard a man and woman arguing after the vehicle lost control, hit...
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Norfolk County man facing sexual assault charges
NORFOLK COUNTY, ON – A 46-year-old Norfolk County man has been charged in connection with an ongoing Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) historical sexual assault investigation. OPP said at about 8:35 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2024, the OPP Norfolk County Detachment launched an investigation into a report of a sexual assault that took place between 2016 and 2019 at a Norfolk County address. As a result, a man was taken into custody without incident. Aaron Mitro, 46, of Norfolk County has been charged with the following alleged offences: Sexual assault, Sexual interference, Invitation to sexual touching under 16 years of age. The accused has been held in custody and is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Friday, November 22, 2024....
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Every seed has a story that needs to be heard
Don’t throw away your seeds, because they hold valuable ancient agricultural knowledge. It’s one of the key messages from the 13 Moons Food and Seed Sovereignty learning circle project from SAGE – ē kanātahk askiy (it is a clean earth), which is focused on seed and food sovereignty for the Indigenous people living on the prairies. “A seed is like us,” said Glenda Abbott, with the International Buffalo Relations Institute. “What we go through in life can weather us. A seed can hold a memory if they go through a period of drought or are impacted by insects, it holds those different types of stories.” SAGE is a collaborative project between the International Buffalo Relations Institute and the University of Saskatchewan and is funded by the Weston Family Foundation. The...
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B.C. RCMP detachments begin rollout of body worn cameras
Canadian Press-The officer in charge of the RCMP detachment in Mission, B.C., says he’s grateful that Mounties in his community will be among the first to wear body cameras to record police interactions with the public. Insp. Ted Lewko says 44 cameras will be used by his officers starting next week, and he’s “very hopeful” that they will improve officer safety, strengthen trust with the public and help resolve complaints more quickly. Police announced the rollout of the cameras in Surrey on Thursday, detailing how thousands of Mounties across the province will soon be fitted with the devices. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commanding officer of the RCMP’s E Division in B.C., says the initiative is the “largest and most ambitious rollout of body cameras across the province.” McDonald says calls...
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Liberal MP accuses opposition MPs of wasting time on another Boissonnault probe
Canadian Press-A Liberal MP says his committee colleagues are wasting time by launching a third inquiry into the former employment minister instead of focusing on important legislation for Indigenous Peoples. Jaime Battiste, who is Mi’kmaq, said there has been an “attack” on fellow Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault, who left his position as employment minister on Wednesday after allegations of shifting claims of Indigenous identity and questions around his past business dealings. Boissonnault has been the subject of two parliamentary probes, and Battiste said a third one by the Indigenous and northern affairs committee is “a waste of time, and it seems to be the Conservatives’ way of ensuring that nothing gets done in the House of Commons.” The Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Québécois all supported pushing ahead with the third...
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New study shows voting for Native Americans is harder than ever
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (AP) — A new study has found that systemic barriers to voting on tribal lands contribute to substantial disparities in Native American turnout, particularly for presidential elections. The study, released Tuesday by the Brennan Center for Justice, looked at 21 states with federally recognized tribal lands that have a population of at least 5,000 and where more than 20% of residents identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. Researchers found that between 2012 and 2022, voter participation in federal elections was 7 percentage points lower in midterms and 15 percentage points lower in presidential elections than among those living off tribal lands in the same states. Earlier studies show voter turnout for communities of color is higher in areas where their ethnic group is the majority, but...
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Cariboo Gold Mine in Wells, B.C., gets approval, but a First Nation is opposed
Canadian Press-An operating permit has been granted for the Cariboo Gold Mine in central British Columbia, a project that’s expected to process 1.1 million tonnes of gold-bearing ore a year but is still opposed by a First Nation. The B.C. government says in a news release that Barkerville Gold Mines, owned by Osisko Development Corp., was issued the permit for the underground mine in a process that took 13 months to complete. The mine will employ more than 630 people during construction with an initial $137-million investment and another $918 million over the life of the mine. It says waste rock from Cariboo will be stored at the Bonanza Ledge Mine near Barkerville, which is also owned by Osisko. The release says this is the first project entirely assessed under...
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National Indigenous council report seeks to lead Canadian renewable energy transition
This morning, the national Wah-ila-toos Indigenous Council published a first-of-its kind report. “Kinship and Prosperity: Proven Solutions for a Clean Energy Landscape,” outlines guidelines for incorporating Indigenous voices into Canada’s climate strategy, policy, and legislation. “As Canada continues to grapple with the impact of climate change, the effect it has on Indigenous communities is felt across the country,” stated the report. The council noted that despite the federal government adopting a climate change policy and committing to carbon reduction, Canada still has a long way to go. The country is currently near the bottom of the Climate Change Performance Index, ranked 62nd out of 67 countries. The Index is a collaboration of several international climate organization and an independent monitoring tool assessing nations’ progress toward climate change targets. In 2022,...
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Report offers options for using Indigenous knowledge to guide climate policy
By Cedric Gallant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Canadian government must make it easier for Indigenous groups to access funding and prioritize their ability to be environmental stewards. That’s according to an Indigenous-led clean energy report published Thursday that offers the federal government a policy roadmap to integrating Indigenous expertise and voices into Canada’s climate strategy. The report, called “Kinship & Prosperity,” was penned by the Indigenous Council for Wah-ila-toos, of which six representatives and energy experts from across the country are members. The council provides the federal government guidance on clean energy policy development in rural and remote Indigenous communities. Alex Cook, who is from Baker Lake, sits on the council. He adds his experience as founder of net-zero housing company ArchTech and board member of the Quilliq Energy...
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Residents call proposed peat mine a ‘threat’ to Lake Winnipeg’s Washow Bay
By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative A petition asking the province to put a halt to a proposed peat mine expansion near Lake Winnipeg has almost 1,000 signatures, as residents express concerns about the project and what damage it could bring to the community and to the lake. “Lake Winnipeg’s Washow Bay area, a vital ecosystem supporting diverse wildlife and local communities, is under threat from the expansion of peat mining operations,” reads a statement posted on a petition set up on Change.org in July by residents of the Washow Bay area. According to the petition, SunGro Horticulture, which operates several peat mines in Manitoba’s Washow Bay region on the western shore of Lake Winnipeg, is seeking environmental approval to mine an additional 8.5 square kilometres of wetlands over the...
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Quebec auditor general says school system failing Indigenous students
Quebec’s auditor general says the province has taken little action in the past two decades to help Indigenous students in Quebec, whose graduation rates lag behind those of Indigenous students in other provinces. In her report published Wednesday, Guylaine Leclerc says the Quebec government knew about a major gap in the success rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students since at least 2005, but failed to seriously address the issue. She says that as of 2021, Quebec had the highest rate among the provinces of Indigenous people between the ages of 25 and 34 without a diploma or certificate. The report also finds that Indigenous students in Quebec are given insufficient support, such as French-language training, when they transfer from schools in their communities to the province’s education system. Leclerc’s recommendations...
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Which items will be tax-free under the Liberals’ promised GST/HST break?
Canadian Press-The government on Thursday announced a sweeping promise to make groceries, children’s clothing, Christmas trees, restaurant meals and more free from GST/HST between Dec. 14 and Feb. 15. “Our government can’t set prices at checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” Trudeau said at a press conference announcing the measures. The government says removing GST from these goods for a two-month period would save $100 for a family that spends $2,000 on those goods during that time. For those in provinces with HST, a family spending $2,000 would save $260. Thursday’s announcement also included a rebate for Canadians who worked in 2023 and made less than $150,000, totalling $250 per person. Here are the items that will be GST/HST-free if the Liberals’ legislation passes. Groceries Many...
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Kahnawake Grand Chief Diabo having high-level discussions about AFNQL
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In the wake of a recent two-day conference organized by the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief Cody Diabo said he’s having “high-level” discussions about further participation in such bodies. “Right now, those discussions are very, very high-level discussions,” he said. Diabo said he’s also reach out to other Iroquois communities, “because I feel like we have more in common with those communities than with some of the others.” Diabo was in attendance for the first day of a two-day AFNQL conference held last week in downtown Montreal. “I was unable to make the second day because we had a meeting here to figure out what to do about the Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM),” Diabo said,...
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Acho Dene Koe First Nation looks to lift alcohol restrictions
Boyd Clark, the First Nation’s acting band manager, said the nation is exploring the prospect of opening a liquor store and a cannabis store – the proceeds from which would fund addictions services and counsellors in the community. “The intent of the First Nation is to move forward with this, with at some point in time seeking a plebiscite in the community to gain support where the bylaw is changed or removed in its entirety, which will allow the full sale of alcohol,” said Clark. He said the First Nation has looked at similar models that exist in British Columbia and Alberta. According to the current restrictions, no one is permitted to purchase, sell or transport more than three of the following types within one week: 1,140 ml of spirits,...
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Liberals to offer GST break on toys, restaurant meals but need help to pass it
The federal Liberals are seeking to temporarily take the federal sales tax off a slew of items just in time for Christmas. A senior government official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the announcement says the move would affect a number of items including toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. A last-minute cabinet meeting is underway virtually this morning to discuss the proposal. The move is similar, though less extensive, than what NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said last week that he would do if his party wins the next election. Singh is taking credit for forcing the Liberals to take today’s action, saying in statement late Wednesday that the NDP won a “tax holiday” for Canadians. The Liberals will need the NDP’s help to pass the...
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Papuan women’s mangrove forest in Indonesia is increasingly threatened by development and pollution
JAYAPURA, Indonesia (AP) — On the southeastern coast of the city of Jayapura, Petronela Merauje walked from house to house in her floating village inviting women to join her the next morning in the surrounding mangrove forests. Merauje and the women of her village, Enggros, practice the tradition of Tonotwiyat, which literally means “working in the forest.” For six generations, women from the 700-strong Papuan population there have worked among the mangroves collecting clams, fishing and gathering firewood. “The customs and culture of Papuans, especially those of us in Enggros village, is that women are not given space and place to speak in traditional meetings, so the tribal elders provide the mangrove forest as our land,” Merauje said. It’s “a place to find food, a place for women to tell...
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