Northern local government conference highlights climate action, housing, and reconciliation
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Rupert Northern View The second day of the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) conference spotlighted the Nisga’a Nation’s pioneering efforts in climate adaptation, sustainable housing, and reconciliation through projects in partnership with the Community Energy Association (CEA). The May 14 plenary session featured a presentation by Gaëtane Carignan, who works in climate leadership and energy retrofits at CEA (a non-profit society), and Kaitlyn Robinson, climate coordinator with the Nisga’a Lisims Government. Participants are undertaking an ambitious housing energy retrofitting initiative in the Nisga’a Nation, aiming to renovate approximately 900 homes across four villages located in northwestern British Columbia. Robinson explains that housing needs in her Nation are extremely urgent, with a large number of homes facing serious structural issues such as...
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Alberta legislature adjourns after passing 19 bills, both parties lose caucus members
By Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson The spring sitting of Alberta’s legislature began under the cloud of a health-care contract corruption scandal and ended with a firestorm of renewed separatist angst. The sitting, which wrapped late Wednesday, saw Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government pass 19 pieces of legislation. Included were bills to lower the bar for citizen-initiated referendums to take place, force those suffering from addiction into treatment without consent and to set the stage for a provincial police force. Also passed was legislation to regulate online gambling, overhaul the provincial auto insurance scheme to something similar to a no-fault system, and strip municipal councils from having codes of conduct. Smith’s government also passed a budget that delivers a long-promised tax cut while forecasting a $5.2-billion deficit, which might...
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First Nations in B.C. want New Democrats to kill fast-track bills
By Wolfgang Depner First Nations leaders are calling on Premier David Eby to immediately “kill” two pieces of legislation that would fast-track projects in response to U.S. government tariffs. The statement from the First Nations Leadership Council comes after Premier David Eby met with leaders, who say they are “deeply disappointed” that he rejected their quest to withdraw the two bills. Bill 14 is aimed at streamlining permitting for renewable energy projects, such as wind farms, while Bill 15 would accelerate public and private infrastructure projects. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs says the government is asking them to trust that it won’t misuse the powers the bills provide, but its unclear what the trust would be based on because it failed to adequately...
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Onion Lake Cree Nation to proceed with its legal challenge of Alberta sovereignty act
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s bill lowering the bar for a separation referendum has spurred a First Nation to push ahead with a legal challenge against the premier’s flagship sovereignty act. Danielle Smith has said her Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act is needed to push back on what the province believes is unconstitutional federal encroachment into provincial jurisdiction. But Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Henry Lewis said that law has always been about undermining federal authority and asserting provincial control, which goes against his community’s Treaty 6 relationship with the Crown. “I want to respectfully remind the premier that this land that we stand on today is treaty land and is not yours to take or make sweeping decisions about,” he said at a news conference in Edmonton on...
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Reshaping a B.C. court to include Indigenous values
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Tofino, B.C. – Direct efforts are underway to address the distrust and problematic history First Nations face within Canada’s justice system. At the beginning of May, Tofino Provincial Court was relocated from the Tofino Community Hall to the Tin Wis Conference Centre on Tla-o-qui-aht-First Nations traditional territory. Court will continue to be held at this new location on Tla-o-qui-aht land for the next few years. Tin Wis is the former site of Christie Indian Residential School. “It used to be the gymnasium of the residential school. It holds a lot of significance,” said Tla-o-qui-aht Justice Manager Curtis Joseph (Tayiisimčił). Members of the newly formed Tla-o-qui-aht Justice Committee will also be present during the sentencing process to ensure community members are represented –...
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Hudson’s Bay to sell name, stripes, brands to Canadian Tire for $30 million
By Tara Deschamps Hudson’s Bay is getting a second life with a new owner — Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. Canadian Tire said Thursday that it will pay $30 million for intellectual property belonging to the retailer, which is Canada’s oldest company. The sale includes the overarching Hudson’s Bay brand, its iconic, multicoloured stripes motif, its coat of arms and other brand trademarks. The deal allows products under these names to be sold by Canadian Tire, which also owns SportChek, Party City, Mark’s and Pro Hockey Life, at their 1,700 stores. The exchange includes houseware brands Gluckstein and Distinctly Home, as well as apparel line Hudson North, said a source familiar with the deal, who is not being named because they were unauthorized to speak about it. Canadian Tire CEO Greg...
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First Nations call on Carney to deliver on clean water and housing in first 100 days
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government faces its first major test on Indigenous infrastructure when Parliament resumes — First Nations leaders are demanding reintroduction of stalled water legislation and new investments in community-led housing within the first 100 days. Senator Paul Prosper, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, and other First Nations leaders unveiled seven “Canada Strong” priorities in Ottawa this week. They identified clean water and housing as urgent areas for immediate federal action, among other priorities for economic development and fisheries management. Clean water legislation Indigenous Services Canada has issued 32 long-term drinking water advisories in First Nations communities. Neskantaga First Nation has been under a boil water advisory for almost 30 years. In 2024, the...
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Kahnawake casino owners sue Mohawk council, grand chief for $220 million
KAHNAWAKE,QUE-Two owners of a casino in a First Nations community southwest of Montreal are suing the territory’s council for more than $200 million. They say the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake ignored their right to due process when it abruptly shut down the Magic Palace casino in March 2024. The closure followed a 2023 news report that alleged the RCMP were investigating an Albanian investor they suspected of using the casino to launder money for a Mexican cartel. The lawsuit also targets Grand Chief Cody Diabo, who was the Kahnawake chief responsible for gaming at the time. It claims the Mohawk council’s actions will lead to the permanent closure of the casino unless the court intervenes. The owners are seeking $220 million in damages, including $155 million for an expansion project...
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New Indigenous Services minister says she’s been handed the ‘toughest task’
By Alessia Passafiume As the first Indigenous person ever to lead the federal department responsible for delivering services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Mandy Gull-Masty knows she has a daunting task ahead. But the newly-appointed Indigenous services minister also knows what it’s like to sit at both sides of the table — as a cabinet minister now and, until recently, as the grand chief of the political body representing 20,000 Cree people in northern Quebec. “I know the importance of — what the value is — when people come here to ask,” the rookie MP told The Canadian Press Thursday from behind a desk still free of paperwork in her new downtown Ottawa office. “And I think that’s really important, especially for a lot of the big files that...
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Canadian campers going ‘elbows up’ this summer amid U.S. trade war
By Fakiha Baig Some outdoorsy Canadians are planning to build their tents with elbows up this summer as the season unofficially kicks off this long weekend. Sally Turner says she and her husband plan to do their camping, canoeing and biking this year in Canadian national parks, including at Jasper National Park this weekend, because of the U.S. trade war and U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls to make Canada a 51st state. “I have, in the past, camped in the United States, but that’s not going to happen in the near future,” Turner said while shopping for camping gear in Edmonton. “Most of the people I know are very much choosing to camp in Canada. Elbows up.” Albertan Travis Pegg, however, said he’s indifferent to the trade war. “The price...
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First Nations unity displayed at rally against separatism at Legislature
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Hundreds of people attended a rally that First Nations leaders from across Alberta organized at the Legislature in Edmonton to protest the premier’s ongoing separatist threats, which every speaker agreed would run roughshod over Treaty rights. The May 15 event opened with drumming and a grand entry while Elders burned sacred herbs for smudging, followed by remarks from leaders representing Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The protest was a way for Treaty First Nations in Alberta to present a united front in the face of Bill 54, which lowers the threshold for bringing forward a referendum. Premier Danielle Smith has said that she will hold a referendum on independence in 2026 if a petition in support of one gets enough...
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Montreal Innu man’s ‘inhumane’ death shows need for more homeless services: coroner
By Sidhartha Banerjee The death of an unhoused Innu man whose body was found inside a portable toilet in Montreal was avoidable, a Quebec coroner said Thursday, highlighting the need for additional resources to combat homelessness. Raphaël “Napa” André died on Jan. 17, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. André, 51, was found steps away from the Open Door shelter in downtown Montreal, which was closed by public health officials because of plumbing problems and a COVID-19 outbreak. Quebec had also imposed a nighttime curfew to curb the spread of the virus. “We must keep in mind our collective responsibility when a death occurs that was avoidable,” coroner Stéphanie Gamache wrote in her report. André’s death was attributed to hypothermia in the context of severe alcohol intoxication. His blood-alcohol level was...
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Caledon and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to hold historic Council-to-Council Meeting
By Riley Murphy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Caledon Citizen This week, the Town of Caledon and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation will meet for a council-to-council discussion at the Council House in Hagersville. At the meeting will be Mayor Annette Groves and members of Council, Town of Caledon, as well as Ogimaa-Kwe (Chief) Claire Sault and members of Council, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The meeting will feature a presentation on Friendship from Mayor Groves and a session on Treaty Education led by Elder and Historian Darin Wybenga. Mayor Groves, in a statement to the Citizen, shared the importance of what the Council-to-Council meeting means to the Town of Caledon and herself. “The Town is on an important path to reconciliation and working with our Indigenous partners is...
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B.C. minister says government erred in not consulting First Nations on legislation
By Wolfgang Depner B.C.’s Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma said her government “made an error” in not adequately consulting First Nations on a bill proposing to speed up private and public infrastructure projects. Her admission came during debate Thursday on Bill 15 in the legislature over concerns relayed by the First Nations Leadership Council, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, and the B.C. Assembly of First Nations. Those opposed to the bill say it either needs to be fixed or killed because it undermines environmental assessments and the constitutional rights of First Nations to be consulted. Ma has rejected the complaints, saying the proposed bill neither changes environmental standards nor the constitutional rights of First Nations to be consulted on projects. But she acknowledged that the government has misread the...
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Hajdu’s new role includes familiar territory
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY – Patty Hajdu is the new jobs and families minister, but she said Thursday that she’s already familiar with much of her federal cabinet portfolio. The Thunder Bay–Superior North MP became minister of jobs and families on Tuesday. She’s also the minister responsible for FedNor, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario. “There are aspects of this portfolio I know very well,” said Hajdu, who was minister of employment, workforce development and labour from January 2017 to November 2019. “But I am very excited to work on some of the social development programs that fall under this department,” Hajdu said. “For example, as you know, (Prime Minister Mark) Carney has talked about EI reform and a responsive...
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Highlights of Ontario’s 2025 budget: U.S. tariff measures, boost for alcohol market
By Rianna Lim The Ontario government tabled a budget Thursday that focused on investments it says will protect Ontario workers in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The province is projecting a deficit of $14.6 billion this year, up from a forecast of $4.6 billion in last year’s budget, and a deficit of $7.8 billion next year. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said the budget seeks to help Ontario businesses and workers “weather the storm” to make the province’s economy resilient and competitive. Here are the highlights: U.S. TARIFFS AND ONTARIO WORKERS The budget is pledging to create a $5-billion fund to provide immediate relief to support sectors of the economy facing tariff-related disruptions. The budget describes this fund as an “emergency backstop” that will provide immediate relief for...
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Onion Lake Cree Nation to proceed with legal challenge of Alberta sovereignty act
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s bill lowering the bar for a separation referendum has spurred a First Nation to push ahead with a legal challenge against the premier’s flagship sovereignty act. Danielle Smith has said her Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act is needed to push back on what the province believes is unconstitutional federal encroachment on provincial jurisdiction. But Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Henry Lewis says it undermines his community’s pre-existing treaty with the Crown. He announced the legal challenge is moving forward a day after Smith’s government passed a bill significantly lowering the threshold for citizens to prompt a referendum, including one on seceding from Canada. The First Nation filed a statement of claim in 2022, but lawyer Robert Hladun says the community put it on pause,...
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Researchers investigating “alarming” decline in Robson Valley mountain goat population
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Rocky Mountain Goat Mountain goats have had a continuous presence in North America since they plodded across the Bering Strait tens of thousands of years ago, and the fluffy white creatures are ubiquitous on signs and statues throughout the Robson Valley. Despite their endearing place in local iconography, the valley’s mountain goat population has been declining over the past few decades – and researchers are unsure why. However, new research under way in the Robson Valley may give clues as to why populations are declining. Led by Kara MacAulay, a Prince George-based wildlife biologist for the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the study will track 30 female mountain goats using GPS collars. This is the fourth study on Robson Valley...
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B.C. minister says government erred in not consulting First Nations on legislation
By Wolfgang Depner B.C.’s Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma says her government “made an error” in not adequately consulting First Nations on a bill proposing to speed up private and public infrastructure projects. Her admission came during debate on Bill 15 in the legislature about concerns relayed by the First Nations Leadership Council, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, and the B.C. Assembly of First Nations. Those opposed to the bill say it either needs to be fixed or killed because it undermines environmental assessments and the constitutional rights of First Nations to be consulted. Ma rejects the complaints, saying the proposed bill neither changes environmental standards nor the constitutional rights of First Nations to be consulted on projects. But she acknowledges that the government has misread the interests of...
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Library says its ‘surprised’ by stance of tenant who invested $1 million in building renovations
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal THUNDER BAY-The end of a lease agreement has created tension in the relationship between Thunder Bay Public Library and Anishinabek Employment and Training Services (AETS). In March, the Thunder Bay Public Library announced the expansion of its children’s area as part of a restructuring of the Waverley and Brodie Street facilities. The restructuring displaced AETS, which will reopen June 2 in their offices on the third floor of 523 Algoma St. North, and will continue to offer services in Suite 210 at 250 Park Ave. within Goods & Co in the former Eaton’s Building. The situation has left disappointment with AETS, causing it “shock and uncertainty” about the future of their relationship with the library’s leadership. In a statement to The...
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