Historic Indigenous Investment Adds Momentum to Edmonton Downtown Development
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News (ANNews) – Northern Ontario’s Wiikwemkong First Nation has made a landmark investment in Edmonton’s Ice District, purchasing the site of the cancelled Canadian Western Bank tower for $65.25 million. Located at 10308 103 St NW, the site is currently home to Connect Centre, a two-storey commercial complex completed in 2022 and anchored by Loblaws CityMarket, with tenants including CIBC, National Bank, and the Edmonton Oilers Official Team Store. A 16-storey office tower, originally planned for the site, was cancelled after Canadian Western Bank opted to relocate to Manulife Place. The Nation’s purchase marks the first time Wiikwemkong First Nation has invested outside its traditional territory in Ontario. Edmonton’s downtown has faced challenges in recent years, including higher office vacancy rates,...
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Dangerous person alert issued in Manitoba after woman abducted from home
Mounties have issued a dangerous person alert after a woman was abducted from a First Nation in northern Manitoba. Officers are searching for 39-year-old Joshua Paupanekis, alleging he fled with the woman after another person was attacked with a hammer in a home on Pimicikamak Cree Nation RCMP say Paupanekis was armed with a knife and that they believe 20-year-old Raeanne Thomas is in immediate danger. The alert lit up cellphones across the province. Multiple police units, along with police dogs, are searching the area. RCMP are asking the public for information and say the suspect shouldn’t be approached as he’s considered armed and dangerous. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2026. ...
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Cree Nation of Mistissini reels from a double-murder last week
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Cree Nation of Mistissini is reeling after a shooting last week that left two people dead. Michael Petawabano, Chief of the Cree Nation of Mistissini, offering his condolences and support to the victims’ families in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. “Our hearts are heavy with grief for the lives lost and the families affected by this tragedy,” Petawabano said. The community was placed under lockdown at approximately 6:40 a.m. last Thursday. Schools and community buildings were closed and all non-emergency travel was restricted. The lockdown was initiated after reports that two individuals had been killed the previous evening at around 9 p.m. Authorities later identified the victims as 30-year-old Bedabin Neeposh and 29-year-old Daniel Benac. The lockdown was lifted later...
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Haldimand County OPP investigate rifle theft
HALDIMAND COUNTY – Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating the theft of a firearm stolen from a vehicle parked at a residential property in Haldimand County. OPP received a report of a firearm being stolen overnight from a Haldibrook Road address Wednesday February 4, 2026, at about 11:00 a.m.,. The investigation determined that unknown individuals attended the property and entered a parked motor vehicle, removing a long gun. The stolen firearm is described to be a bolt action rifle. Video surveillance revealed two subjects were involved and investigators are asking anyone with relevant information to contact the Haldimand OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may leave an online tip at www.helpsolvecrime.com or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward...
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Collaboration needed to tackle ‘immense’ homelessness problem: joint statement
By Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – First Nations and city leaders say they are committed to working together on the homelessness crisis in the city following a meeting on Tuesday. “It was very collegial because we all understand how immense this problem is and that the only way of achievement in this is by large-scale community and regional cooperation,” Mayor Ken Boshcoff told Newswatch later that day. Boshcoff met with Chief Michele Solomon of Anemki Wajiw (Fort William First Nation) and Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler to discuss the loss of life in the city’s homeless population after Solomon and Fiddler sent a letter to Boshcoff, urging the city to declare a state of emergency. “I think that all the groups who...
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Quebec Native Women speak out following death of Atikamekw woman
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase Quebec Native Women (QNW) has reiterated its commitment to addressing the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women and girls following the death of Marie-Kate Ottawa last week. In a public statement on Thursday, QNW president Marjolaine Étienne expressed solidarity with Ottawa’s family and the broader community. “I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to the families and to all those who are profoundly affected by this tragedy, which reopens a pain that is all too familiar in our communities, particularly for Indigenous women and girls,” Étienne said. Ottawa was a 39-year-old Atikamekw woman from Manawan, Quebec. On Sunday, January 25, Manawan public safety officers responded to a call at a private residence, where Ottawa was found deceased. Authorities believe her death...
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Dene Nation ‘stands firm against separatist referendum’
By Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio The Dene Nation is voicing support for First Nations in Alberta who oppose a proposed referendum that could advance the province toward separation from Canada. In a Wednesday news release, the Dene Nation said the movement has sparked controversy and opposition across the province in recent years, fuelled by “political and economic grievances.” Indigenous groups have said Alberta separatism cannot move forward without their consent because treaties were signed before the province existed. Some Alberta First Nations have launched legal challenges against the proposed referendum. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, for example, has filed a statement of claim and is seeking an injunction to halt the process. Stay Free Alberta, the group behind the petition, needs approximately 177,700 valid signatures by May...
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After more than three decades in service to his community, Naicatchewenin First Nation chief Wayne Smith retires
By Liam Oliver Neilson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fort Frances Times If there’s one thing that Wayne Smith has valued highly during a remarkable 32-year tenure as chief of Naicatchewenin First Nation, it’s consistency. While many First Nations see a high turnover in governance – the average length in Canada for a single executive position is around 3.5 years – Smith’s continued re-election over three decades reflects the community’s lasting faith in his leadership, as well as his dedication to the place he calls home. “Consistency, to me, always goes a long way,” he told The Times. “You’re able to do a lot of things if you maintain with one leadership, you’re able to move things along.” After retiring on Jan. 17, Smith, 63, looks back fondly on his career...
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Building up engineers: RRC Polytech, U of M celebrate collaboration
The University of Manitoba and Red River College Polytechnic are making it easier for engineering technologists to earn a degree. Against the backdrop of a career fair, representatives from both post-secondary institutions gathered at U of M on Wednesday to celebrate their expanded partnership. The schools finalized a series of agreements that give recent RRC Polytech graduates direct entry into the Price Faculty of Engineering. “We’ve all heard stories — sometimes, from our own students — about individuals who’ve left the province to pursue engineering degrees elsewhere,” said Derek Kochenash, who oversees RRC Polytech’s school of skilled trades and technologies. “While they gain valuable experience, we know there are missed opportunities for those who cannot or would prefer not to leave their communities.” This collaboration solves that challenge by giving...
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Canada’s oceans provide billions in value beyond fish
By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Canada’s healthy oceans are worth billions more than what can simply be extracted from them. Oceans and coastal ecosystems generated at minimum $7.1 billion in benefits in 2023, new figures from Statistics Canada suggest. The study is part of the federal government’s efforts to value more of the advantages nature can offer to people and communities. By estimating the monetary value of marine “ecosystem services”, the federal government is taking a new approach to quantifying the often ignored perks that oceans provide — such as clean water, wildlife or climate benefits — in addition to measuring the revenue from traditional resource industries like fishing, explained McGill University professor Brian Robinson, an expert in ecosystem services. “It makes these things visible...
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Appeal court ruling backs Discovery Islands salmon farm closures
By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Conservationists and many First Nations are celebrating a Federal Court of Appeal decision that upholds the closure of salmon farms in BC’s Discovery Islands. A battle over the ultimate fate of open-net pen salmon farms in the region’s waters, between the mainland and northeastern Vancouver Island, has spanned close to five years. After consulting with area First Nations, former fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan announced the phase-out of open-net pen fish farms in the region — a critical migration route for plummeting Fraser River salmon stocks. The appeal court’s ruling echoes an earlier decision by the Federal Court in June 2024 that found the Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) minister had a right to refuse aquaculture licenses in the region because of...
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Fourth person charged in Saskatchewan quadruple homicide
Another person has been charged in the deaths of two men and two women on a Saskatchewan First Nation. The four people were killed on Feb. 4, 2025, at a home on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation, east of Regina. An 18-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were arrested that month and each charged with four counts of first-degree murder. A 17-year-old boy arrested in December was also charged with four counts of first-degree murder. RCMP have said that boy was additionally charged with one count of attempted murder over an altercation with someone else at the residence. Police say a 67-year-old man who was arrested Wednesday has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder. The victims were identified as Tracey Hotomani, 34; Terry Jack, 51; Sheldon Quewezance,...
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Harper says Canada’s difficulties can’t all be blamed on Trump in gala speech
By Catherine Morrison Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada must adapt to new geopolitical realities, arguing that many of the country’s difficulties can’t be blamed on U.S. President Donald Trump. Harper made remarks in front of a crowd of conservatives in downtown Ottawa on Wednesday for a gala dinner marking the 20th anniversary of his government. In his speech, Harper said Canada is facing a unique challenge — a hostile U.S. government that has openly questioned Canadian sovereignty, broken trade commitments and that regularly makes threats against the country. However, he said that while Canadians have been “shocked, bewildered and angry,” the country must focus on policy, not emotion. “The question for Canada is not how we feel about what the U.S. is doing, it is how will we...
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Feds revive bill to build digitally connected health data systems for patients, providers
By Nicole Ireland The federal government is reviving proposed legislation that would allow digital health information to be shared safely across electronic systems, giving both patients and providers access to more comprehensive medical records. The Connected Care for Canadians Act was introduced in June 2024 and passed first reading, but the bill died when Parliament was later prorogued. The bill was tabled in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon and will have to go through the Parliamentary process to become law. Health Canada says the country’s health data system is “fragmented and siloed,” and that incomplete health records can compromise patient care and safety. The department says health data is locked in different systems in hospitals and doctors’ offices that are often incompatible with one another. If passed, the legislation would...
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Inquest hears officer shot at teen because he believed other officers could get hurt
By Brittany Hobson A Winnipeg police officer who fatally shot a 16-year-old First Nations girl following a robbery and vehicle chase says there was nothing that could have trained him for that moment. Const. Kyle Pradinuk told an inquest into the death of Eishia Hudson that it’s not common practice for an officer to shoot at a vehicle with an unknown number of occupants, but he believed the lives of his fellow officers were in danger. Hudson was killed in 2020 after the vehicle she was driving was involved in a liquor store robbery and police chase. Pradinuk was part of a group of officers who attempted to stop the vehicle at a Winnipeg intersection by deploying a tire deflation device before the vehicle crashed into a nearby truck. He...
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B.C. minister says Ottawa is missing from the table on flood mitigation planning
By Nick Murray British Columbia’s minister of emergency management is accusing the federal government of being absent from flood mitigation planning meetings following two major flooding events in her province in the last five years. Kelly Greene called on the federal government to commit to working with local authorities at a news conference \on Parliament Hill Wednesday. “We are making progress, but we need the federal government to commit to being with us at the table as we finalize what will be the best way to move forward together in reducing flood risk in the area,” Greene said. She said it was premature to place a dollar figure on how much money they’d need from Ottawa. Greene said the problems of flood mitigation are too large and complex for local...
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First Nation to discuss settlement for historical flood claim
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com COUCHICHING — Members of Couchiching First Nation will soon know more about a settlement over historical flooding. The First Nation just north of Fort Frances has been dealing with a compensation claim with the provincial and federal governments for over 15 years and now has an agreement on the table, Chief Richard Bruyere told Newswatch. The issue dates back over 100 years to when the CN Rail line was built through the area, with the construction effectively damming up area watercourses, flooding the First Nation and submerging land that was being used, he said. “What it did was it stopped the water flow, it kind of restricted it,” Bruyere said. “A lot of the water started backing up and then it was...
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The Latest: 700 immigration officers will immediately leave Minnesota
President Donald Trump’s administration is reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday. About 700 of the roughly 3,000 federal officers deployed around Minnesota will be withdrawn, Homan said. The immigration operations have upended the Twin Cities and escalated protests, especially since the killing of protester Alex Pretti, the second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis. Homan pushed for jails to alert ICE to inmates who could be deported, saying transferring such inmates to the agency is safer because it means fewer officers have to be out looking for people in the country illegally. Here’s the latest: Border chief Homan defends federal officers and says protests are ‘a joke’...
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Kawartha Lakes Councillors Call for Rethinking of Gun Buyback Plan
By Darryl Knight, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Standard Newspaper A push for change on the federal firearms buyback program came from city council on Tuesday, January 27, when Councillor Ron Ashmore presented a memorandum raising concerns about its impact on law-abiding gun owners. Council members unanimously supported the motion and agreed to forward a copy of the resolution to MP Jamie Schmale, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, and the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Mark Carney. The memorandum points out that Canada has roughly 2.5 million licensed gun owners, including hunters, farmers, sport shooters, and First Nations peoples. While councillors support efforts to remove illegal firearms from communities, they say the current program unfairly targets responsible firearm owners rather than addressing criminal activity. The federal initiative, which includes an amnesty...
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Alberta independence petition approval faces legal challenge from First Nations
By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Shootin’ the Breeze Piikani Nation has launched a court challenge to Alberta’s chief electoral officer over the approval of a citizen initiative petition seeking a referendum on Alberta independence. On Jan. 21, Piikani Nation, along with Siksika Nation and the Blood Tribe, filed the application in the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta for judicial review, following the controversial approval of the petition last month. The application argues that the petition question violates treaty rights and the Constitution. The petition, led by Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, asks: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” Gordon McClure, the chief electoral officer, issued the petition Jan. 2...
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