Miawpukek First Nation’s Chief Mi’sel Joe retires
By Sanuda Ranawake Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Chief Mi’sel Joe of the Miawpukek First Nation. After 41 years, Chief Mi’sel Joe of the Miawpukek First Nation in western Newfoundland has announced his retirement from the position of administrative chief. Since being elected on Jan. 17, 1983, he has witnessed change and progress for first nations. In an interview with Saltwire, Joe said he’s happy about the progress made by first nations groups across Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador. “I think as a community we’ve come a long way in the growth of who we are and as a Mi’kmaq community.” Joe says he’s happy not only for his people, but for the system of governance they have established. Their membership was 822 on-reserve and 2,238 off-reserve as of 2022. Among...
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Climate change, health care, fisheries, and Indigenous identity among major concerns and plans for NCC in 2024: President Todd
By Sanuda Ranawake Local Journalism Initiative Reporter NunatuKavut Community Council President Todd Russell says he has big plans for 2024, including addressing some of his biggest concerns. In an interview with Saltwire, Russell discussed his biggest concerns and plans for the coming year. Russell says his biggest concern is climate change, and he is already thinking of ways to address issues that will arise. It’s an issue NCC has dealt with in the past, but Russell says it will have an even worse impact in 2024. “Certainly, with NCC in 2023 we found the intensity of the pressures and impacts of climate change were much more intense,” Russell says. “Whether it be with the fishery, infrastructure, energy, or in the community, for whatever reason there was a heightened pressure of...
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National Film Board’s ‘Losing Blue’ Chronicles Alarming Alpine Lake Changes Amid Climate Crisis
By Matt Weingarden Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) presents “Losing Blue,” a poignant documentary delving into the profound effects of global warming on Canada’s iconic glacier-fed alpine lakes. These lakes, renowned for their unique blue hues shaped by mountains and ice, face imminent threats as climate change accelerates environmental shifts, leading to the disappearance of some of these spectacular blues. In collaboration with Living Lakes Canada, an award-winning water science and stewardship NGO, the NFB will host an exclusive online “Losing Blue” screening on Wednesday, January 31, at 5 p.m. PST /6 p.m. MST / 8 p.m. EST. The 16-minute and 40-second short film, celebrated for its stunning cinematography, immerses viewers in a visual journey through ancient mountain lakes while prompting reflection on the significance...
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Get kids up to date on vaccinations, watch for signs of invasive Strep A: doctors
By Camille Bains THE CANADIAN PRESS The recent deaths of six children in Ontario and four children in British Columbia from a bacterial infection is grabbing parents’ attention. Doctors say severe cases of invasive Group A streptococcal infection are extremely rare. Here’s what to know about the disease that is showing up in record numbers this season and also puts adults, especially those aged 65 and older, at risk. What is Group A streptococcus? Streptococci bacteria are commonly found in the throat and on skin. Dr. Monika Naus, medical director of immunization programs and vaccine preventable diseases at the BC Centre for Disease Control, said some people have no symptoms but others may get strep throat, a mild illness often accompanied by a fever. It resolves on its own within...
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`She won for all of us’: Lily Gladstone makes Indigenous history at Golden Globes
By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The new year started off making a mark in history when Lily Gladstone, who grew up on the Blackfeet reservation, became the first Indigenous woman to win a Golden Globe as Best Female Actor in a Drama for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon. “We all cried,” recalled Chad Charlie, an Ahousaht writer and producer, who was watching the Golden Globes with his fiancee and daughter. “We all cried because it’s a historic moment.” “This is something that? opens up a lot of doors, not only for Lily, but everything that she touches,” said Charlie. “I know that Lily has a lot of things that she wants to do, and I know that the moment she gets an opportunity, she’s going...
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`Canada’s’ backlog of Jordan’s Principle requests is at `crisis levels’: Caring Society
By Amy Romer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society says “Canada” has failed to properly implement Jordan’s Principle and Indigenous families trying to apply for support are facing a dire backlog. The organization has filed 1,000 pages of evidence to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal supporting a non-compliance motion against the federal government for failing on its promise of timely access to health care for First Nations children. An affidavit from executive director Cindy Blackstock filed on January 12th says the federal government has allowed problems to “fester to crisis levels” with First Nations children paying the price. The Caring Society is asking the Human Rights Tribunal to order the federal government to take various actions to address the pileup of Jordan’s Principle requests. In...
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First Nations take a stand…together
By Mike Stimpson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter ONIGAMING- The decision to join the Land Defence Alliance was an easy one, Ojibways of Onigaming’s chief said Friday. “The reality is that the Ojibways of Onigaming, our First Nation, has remained in a state of emergency since 2014. And things have gotten worse, to be quite frank,” Chief Jeff Copenace said in an interview. Copenace said his small community southeast of Kenora has seen 32 deaths since he became chief two-and-a-half years ago. Meanwhile, he said, companies in the minerals sector have been “barreling down our community” with projects that present potential threats to nearby “sacred” Cameron Lake and Crow Lake, sources of drinking water in Onigaming. “We’re watching industry and government race past us without any respect for our lives,” he...
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Trudeau says he’s doing something in Nunavut he rarely does, reflect on his dad
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok sign the Nunavut devolution agreement in Iqaluit on Thursday. IQALUIT, Nunavut- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s doing something in Nunavut he rarely does in public, which is to reflect on his father. Trudeau is in Iqaluit to mark the signing of an agreement to hand over powers to the territorial government when it comes to their management of land, fresh water and the resources each contain. Joining the prime minister on his trip is his youngest child, nine-year-old Hadrien, whom Trudeau pointed out during a signing ceremony before Inuit and other territorial leaders Thursday, reflecting on how his late father brought him to the region as a kid. Trudeau acknowledged the impact those trips had on his life, saying they...
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Too many ‘tragic ends’: First Nations call for public inquiry into justice system
By John Chilibeck Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Chief George Ginnish says he’s seen too many of his people thrown in jail. The leader from Natoaganeg (Eel Ground First Nation) in eastern New Brunswick blames a criminal justice system that he says is stacked against Indigenous people, part of the legacy of colonialism and racism. “I’ve seen so many times youngsters go plead guilty to a charge that will follow them around because there are no First Nations court workers to help them,” said Ginnish, who’s also co-chair of Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc., an organization representing most Mi’kmaq communities in New Brunswick. “They’re going into a justice system that provides them no supports. We’ve got so many of our people that live under the poverty line, how can they afford representation to...
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Edmonton Policy On Dismantling Encampments Causes Continual Trauma To Indigenous People
By Kinnukana Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In the midst of extreme cold temperatures in Alberta, the City of Edmonton is dismantling encampments displacing homeless people, of which many are Indigenous. Eight per cent of Edmonton’s population identifies as Indigenous, while 58 per cent of people experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous (City of Edmonton, 2016 Homeless Count). That is a gross overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Edmonton’s homeless population. The removal of these encampments raises many concerns by social advocates about the violation of Indigenous rights, cultural displacement, and homelessness. The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights wants camp clearing to stop citywide if certain conditions are not met and have filed a lawsuit against the City. The City’s policy is to remove every high risk camp with twenty or more...
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University of Alberta Indigenous association hosts talk on how to confront residential school denialism
By Shari Narine Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Benjamin Kucher, president of the Indigenous Graduate Students’ Association (ISGA) at the University of Alberta, says denialism about the harmful legacy of Indian residential schools has picked up. He doesn’t have to go far to illustrate his point. As the association prepares to host University of Manitoba historian and Indigenous Studies assistant professor Sean Carleton on Thursday to speak to that denialism, Frances Widdowson, who was let go in 2021 by Calgary’s Mount Royal University for voicing residential school denialism, will be giving a “chat” that same day entitled “Academic Freedom Under Threat.” Kucher, who is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta and anthropology student, says any number of emotions_disappointment, disillusionment and disgust_have been voiced by him and other members of the...
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Federal government announces $8.2 million in housing funding for Membertou First Nation
By Mitchell Ferguson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter MEMBERTOU- New housing is coming for residents of Membertou. In an announcement on Wednesday, Sydney-Victoria MP Jaime Battiste, speaking on behalf of Sean Fraser, minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, joined Terry Paul, chief and CEO of Membertou, to unveil funding of $8.2 million in funds for Membertou First Nation provided through the third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). Membertou First Nation has been granted approval and funding to construct 32 new modular single-family homes. This development comes after an additional investment of $1.5 billion by the federal government into the RHI program, catapulting the program’s total budget to $4 billion. “In July 2024, we will officially welcome 32 new homes through this RHI,” said Paul. “This will be, without a...
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Krawczyk Family Foundation kicks in for environment court challenges
By Marc Lalonde Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A massive donation from a non-profit foundation will “breathe new life” into environmental legal challenges led by Indigenous people across the country, the director of the RAVEN foundation said Tuesday. The $2 million donation comes courtesy of the Krawczyk Family Foundation and will support those legal challenges by RAVEN, which stands for Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs. The organization raises funds for legal challenges brought by Indigenous communities when government or industry gets in the way of their responsibilities as stewards of their territories. “Supporting the inherent and constitutionally protected rights of Indigenous peoples is a powerful pathway towards reconciliation and environmental justice,” said RAVEN executive director Danielle Wilson, herself a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation on Vancouver Island. “Governments and corporations...
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads to Nunavut for signing on transfer of powers
By Stephanie Taylor THE CANADIAN PRESS IQALUIT, Nunavut- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Nunavut today to participate in a signing ceremony about transferring responsibilities for public lands and resources to the territory from the federal government. Ottawa says it represents the largest land transfer in Canada’s history and Nunavut’s premier says the agreement means it is taking one more historic step “towards the vision of a self-reliant” territory. In 2019, Trudeau’s then-Crown-Indigenous relations minister, Carolyn Bennett, signed an agreement-in-principle with Nunavut’s then-premier intended to serve as a guide for negotiating a final agreement. Nunavut was created as its own territory in 1999 and it entered the process of gaining control over its lands and resources in 2008 by signing a negotiation protocol with former prime minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative...
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Work On Ojibwe Translation Of `Star Wars: A New Hope’ Begins In Early 2024
By Jeremy Appel Local Journalism Initiative Reporter An Ojibwe version of Star Wars: A New Hope could be coming soon to a theatre near you. On Dec. 18, the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council and University of Manitoba announced that they’ve entered a partnership with Disney/Lucasfilm and APTN to create an official Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) version of the first Star Wars film. Auditions for voice actors will occur in Winnipeg in early-2024, where script translations and sound recording will also take place. Sound mixing and post-production will happen at Skywalker Sound near Nicasio, California. The finished film is intended to have a limited theatrical run across Canada and air on APTN following its Winnipeg premiere. Maeengan Linklater, director of operations for Dakota Ojibway, is overseeing the project as its lead. In a news...
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Don’t blame us, Hajdu says of Chretien era effort to soften UN’s Indigenous language
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-The current federal Liberal government is trying to distance itself from the one that reportedly conspired with Australia to weaken United Nations language on Indigenous Peoples in the early 2000s. Newly released Australian cabinet documents from 2003 show the two countries worked together on putting forward a softer version of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration spells out Indigenous rights, including self-determination, language and cultural preservation, prohibits forced removal from lands or territories and requires states to consult with Indigenous Peoples. The idea of a more state-friendly version originated with Jean Chretien’s Liberal government, the documents say, and was backed by Australia at the time. Every Liberal government is different, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu told The Canadian Press,...
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“We Remain Certain”, a Haudenosaunee art exhibit of land rights along the Grand River
By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON – An exhibit, titled “We Remain Certain” brings together artists, activists and academics from across the Haudenosaunee community. “By showing contemporary art, it shows how (Haudenosaunee teachings) are living in all of us. It’s living in the artists. You can see the common themes and the way the different artists incorporate and express our culture. I think it really demonstrates that we’re a living and vibrant people, a vibrant culture where all of this is shared amongst,” Courtney Skye told Turtle Island News at the exhibit’s opening on January 11 at McMaster’s museum of art in Hamilton. Skye is Mohawk Turtle Clan from Six Nations, and is the co-director of Protect the Tract who curated the exhibit. Protect the Tract is a Haudenosaunee-led initiative conducting...
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SNEC staff to attend IESO meetings after councillors refuse
It appears Six Nations may be wary of getting too involved when it comes to the Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO). Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) tried to find councillors to attend online information sessions being held by the IESO on January 15 or 17. But not one of the 12 councillors volunteered at its Jan., 9th General Council meeting. Nathan Wright, CEO explained the meeting relates to what IESO does, its programs, how they are running and how they could support First Nations better and drum up interest. “The IESO is embarking on – at least they have been over the last 20 years, upon the process for Indigenous engagement. This is part of that strategy to start doing a bunch of engagement with the First Nations community,” he...
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Norfolk County taking new shot at “Indigenous acknowledgement”
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Fear of a potential lawsuit or land claim has Norfolk’s latest version of a proposed “Indigenous acknowledgement” leaving out any reference to land and the First Nations connected to it including the Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas. At Norfolk County’s December 19th council meeting, Councillor Tom Masschaele urged it was council’s “duty” to implement an “Indigenous acknowledgment” as a way to “work toward truth and reconciliation — not just on Orange Shirt Day, but every day.” Norfolk County is right next door to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), and Six Nations (the most populous First Nation in the country). Other counties bordering Six Nations and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) do practise Indigenous land acknowledgments. Brant County...
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K/G school board asks SNEC to guarantee $25 million loan
The Kawenni:io/Gaweni:yo Elementary and Secondary School has a chance to fund the construction of a new school, but it can’t do it unless the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) backs the school. Ruby Jacobs, a member of the board for Gaweni:yo plead the school’s case once again at the Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) General Finance meeting on January 15. She told council CIBC is willing to loan the school $25 million, but the bank will only provide the loan if SNEC comes on board to service the debt. “This is where council has to look at it from the point of getting it done,” She said. “You’re elected to fight for the people. If you think we got the dialysis unit by just waiting for them or the birthing...
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