Senator tries again to put limits on prisons’ use of solitary confinement
By Justin Escoto Sen. Kim Pate has been fighting against prisons’ use of solitary confinement since 2018, when the federal government committed to curbing the practice. She told The Canadian Press the situation has only worsened since. Public Safety Canada reports a 36 per cent increase in solitary confinement stays of 61 days or more between 2021 and 2024. “We’ve seen the proliferation, the increased use of isolation with prisoners, especially Indigenous prisoners, especially those with mental health issues,” Pate said. Pate is a driving force behind Bill S-205, also known as Tona’s Law. The legislation proposes to “ensure oversight, remedies and alternatives to isolation in federal prisons.” The bill — a previous version of which died when the spring election was called — is now before a Senate committee....
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Councillor says Cowichan title ruling saw bank deny financing for $100M B.C. project
By Nono Shen and Wolfgang Depner A Richmond, B.C., councillor says a company based in the city has been refused financing for what she says is a $100 million project because of the Cowichan Tribes case. Coun. Alexa Loo says the company, which she isn’t naming, is currently working with the provincial government to get the certainty it needs to go ahead with what she describes as a manufacturing facility. Loo spoke of the company’s situation with residents before a meeting with landowners on Tuesday about the impact of the landmark case that confirmed the tribes’ Aboriginal title over about 750 acres of private and government-owned land in Richmond. Loo says in an interview that the company already owns land for the planned facility in the Cowichan area but was...
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First Nations mental health funding not contingent on development deals: Ford
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com TORONTO — Ontario’s premier and Indigenous affairs minister say support for mental health in First Nations is not tied to signing resource development deals. Doug Ford and Greg Rickford were among those on hand at Queen’s Park on Oct. 29 to sign a new partnership agreement with Webequie First Nation that will see the remote community submit its provincial environmental assessment for a long-planned road from its airport to the Ring of Fire area in January 2026. The deal also provides Webequie with up to $39.5 million — about one third of which Rickford told a news conference was “immediate.” That, he said, included $1.5 million for mental health supports and “community well-being activities” Webequie reportedly asked for during negotiations. Taking questions...
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Man sentenced to life for random, beating deaths of three in Winnipeg
By Brittany Hobson A young man who was 15 when he randomly beat and killed three vulnerable people in downtown Winnipeg was sentenced as an adult Wednesday and handed a life sentence. Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Gerald Chartier said the now 18-year-old can apply for parole after seven years. The man, who can’t be identified because of a publication ban, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of manslaughter. Court heard he viciously attacked the three victims within an hour in August 2022. Danielle Ballantyne and Marvin Felix died. Troy Baguley spent several months in hospital before he was taken off life-support. The defence asked the court to sentence the killer as a youth, with a maximum seven-year term — four years in...
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‘You could be that person’: Victim Services volunteers support community in crisis
By Samantha Saucier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sarnia Journal If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference in our local community, this might be the place to start. Becoming a volunteer with Victim Services isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about being willing to show up, listen, and offer support to those navigating a crisis. Tragedy doesn’t follow a schedule. It can arrive in the form of loss, violence, or sudden crisis, leaving people uncertain of what to do next. Victim Services responds in those moments, offering support to victims, day or night. “People often think we only respond to the ‘big’ cases they see on TV,” says Joanne, Volunteer and Fundraising Coordinator with Victim Services of Sarnia-Lambton. “But our role is to support anyone impacted by crime...
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First Nation files lawsuit demanding Aboriginal title over lands in western Quebec
By Miriam Lafontaine An Algonquin First Nation has filed a title claim in Quebec Superior Court over large swaths of territory across the west of the province in an effort to address what it described as historic injustices against its peoples. Jean-Guy Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, says his people need to have a say in the way water, wildlife and forestry are managed in their traditional territory. He said that meaningful reconciliation can’t exist until that happens. “Quebec refuses to recognize that Aboriginal people, traditional people, have any rights outside of reserve territory, except for basically subsistence fishing and hunting,” Whiteduck said in an interview, speaking from the First Nation located on the shores of the Gatineau River, near Maniwaki, Que. “When we talk about...
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Judge says Greenpeace must pay $345 million in pipeline lawsuit, cutting jury amount nearly in half
By Jack Dura BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge has ordered Greenpeace to pay damages of $345 million, reducing an earlier jury award after it found the environmental group and related entities liable for defamation and other claims in connection with protests of an oil pipeline nearly a decade ago. The new amount is roughly half the $667 million that a jury had awarded to the pipeline company that brought the claims, Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access. The case stems from protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Dakota Access oil pipeline and its crossing of the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. Greenpeace had asked state District Judge James Gion to rule in its favor on the claims against it, with mixed...
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UN condemns US embargo on Cuba for a 33rd year, but Washington’s stand draws bit more support
By Farnoush Amiri And Jennifer Peltz UNITED NATION (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba for a 33rd year. Yet the vote, as Hurricane Melissa tore through the island nation, softened Washington’s isolation on a long-standing issue in the Caribbean while new friction grows around the American military buildup there. The vote was 165-7, with 12 abstentions. Last year, it was 187-2, with “no” votes from the United States and Israel and one abstention. This year, countries including Argentina, Ukraine and Hungary also opposed the measure. Such resolutions are not legally binding but reflect world opinion “The United States government is satisfied to see so many countries send the regime a message that the international community will no longer tolerate”...
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Manitoba NDP, Tories in spat over ‘waah waah’ sound made during afternoon bill debate
By Steve Lambert Manitoba legislature members are sparring over the meaning behind a “waah waah” noise that sounded like a baby crying. Opposition Tory Jeff Wharton made the noise during a debate Tuesday over a bill that would allow judges to weigh in if the Manitoba government ever invokes the notwithstanding clause. Premier Wab Kinew was speaking at the time. He accused the Tories of being entitled, said New Democrats had to work for what they have, and that in living memory, some people could not vote. Wharton said “waah waah,” and Kinew later said Wharton was being disrespectful about Canadian history and the fact that Kinew’s father, as a First Nations man, was not allowed to vote as a young man. Wharton said his noise was not aimed at...
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Chief says mines process is ‘not partnership, it’s pressure’
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source TORONTO — Ontario’s mines minister says its new streamlined permitting process for the resource sector is necessary, but that’s not how North Spirit Lake Chief Brandon Rae sees it. To the contrary, he told a news conference Wednesday at Queen’s Park, “what it really does is weaken consultation” and silence First Nations. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce announced earlier in the day that Frontier Lithium’s PAK project, northwest of Rae’s First Nation, has been designated the first project under the new 1P1P (one project, one process) framework. Rae spoke to reporters after the minister’s announcement, in a news conference hosted by Kiiwetinoong MPP and deputy NDP leader Sol Mamakwa, whose riding includes North Spirit Lake. Lecce said in the...
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Premier Eby says B.C. will ask court to stay implementation of Cowichan Tribes case
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia Premier David Eby says his government will be asking for a stay of the implementation of the Cowichan Tribes case that confirmed Aboriginal title over an area of private and government-owned land in Richmond, B.C. Eby said Wednesday that a stay would give the British Columbia Court of Appeal an opportunity to consider and decide on the landmark case that has sparked concerns about the implications for private land ownership. Although the August declaration of Aboriginal title by the B.C. Supreme Court was suspended for 18 months, Eby said he hoped the Court of Appeal would use the requested stay to provide some “clarity and assistance” on the direction of the case. The ruling says the Crown’s grants of private titles in the 750-acre area...
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Army Corps approves Enbridge pipeline reroute around Wisconsin reservation
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday approved energy company Enbridge’s plans to reroute an aging oil pipeline around a northern Wisconsin tribal reservation. Enbridge wants to build a new 41-mile (66-kilometer) segment of pipeline around the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to replace a 12-mile (19-kilometer) segment that now crosses tribal land. The tribe wants the pipeline off its land. But along with environmental groups, the tribe argues that regulators have underestimated the environmental damage of construction and that the project perpetuates the use of fossil fuels. The opponents are suing to try to reverse construction permits issued by the state of Wisconsin. But the Army Corps of Engineers approved the separate federal permit Wednesday. “The approval of the...
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Young, proud, online: Quebec’s newest sovereigntists hope to revive an aging movement
By Maura Forrest The self-described CEO of the next generation of Quebec sovereigntists is a 17-year-old rapper and TikTok sensation who claims to be more influential than Premier François Legault. Miguel Monteiro-Beauchamp, who goes by the name kinji00, was born in Portugal and grew up in Gatineau, Que. As Canada marks the 30th anniversary of Quebec’s last referendum on independence, held on Oct. 30, 1995, Monteiro-Beauchamp is emerging as the ambassador of a new wave of Gen Z sovereigntists. None of them were born when Quebec last voted on whether to leave Canada three decades ago. But they are proud and very online, expressing their allegiance through memes and TikTok edits. They are also mobilizing in the real world, starting independence clubs at their colleges and universities. Their numbers may...
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Most Canadian workers support equity efforts despite some backlash: report
By Daniel Johnson A majority of Canadian workers say they view equity, diversity and inclusion favourably, according to a new report, even in the face of some backlash. The report from the Future Skills Centre and researchers at the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University found that 54 per cent of Canadian workers view EDI favourably, while 27 per cent were neutral, and 16 per cent viewed it negatively. The survey was conducted by Environics Institute. Workplace EDI initiatives in Canada and the U.S. have faced “intensifying scrutiny and backlash” amid policy shifts in the U.S., which have had spillover effects in Canada, the report said. “Most Canadians do not view it (EDI) as a matter of political correctness or wokeness. They view it as an important foundation of Canadian...
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KPMG finds businesses wary of project delays without proper Indigenous consultation
By Lauren Krugel A survey from KPMG in Canada suggests virtually all business leaders are keen on Ottawa’s push for new nation-building infrastructure, but a hefty majority is leery of legal setbacks if Indigenous consultation falls short. The advisory firm says three in 10 respondents gave an all-of-the-above answer when asked what categories of projects they want to see prioritized, giving equal billing to energy, artificial intelligence, transportation and ports. A quarter said their priority was energy, followed by 22 per cent for AI, 18 per cent for transportation and five per cent for ports. Projects that respondents highlighted included two focused on West Coast liquefied natural gas exports, two on renewable power and one on critical minerals. The survey of 501 business owners and executives was conducted between Sept....
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Archaeological site in Alaska that casts light on early Yup’ik life ravaged by ex-Typhoon Halong
By Becky Bohrer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A fragment of a mask that was preserved for hundreds of years in permafrost sat in the muck of a low tide in the western Alaska community of Quinhagak. Wooden spoons, toys, a fishing lure and other artifacts were strewn, in some cases for miles, along the beach. The Yup’ik community near the edge of the Bering Sea was spared the widespread devastation wrought by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on its neighbors further west earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts. About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in...
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Arviat fashion designer reaches top 15 in international contest
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News Arviat’s own fashion icon, Natalie Owlijoot, continues to advance past the rounds of an online style icon contest that could see her become the Style Icon, appear in Flaunt Magazine and win $20,000. Owlijoot advanced past the first round of the contest to reach the top 20 and, last week, her star shone even brighter as she advanced beyond the second round to reach the top 15 contestants in the online voting contest. She is now vying to pass the third round and reach the top 10 in the contest. People have been able to log in and vote for their favourite contestant every day. Owlijoot said on the contest website that she’s passionate about style because it’s self-expression — turning...
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Ring of Fire road construction could start next year with $40M new deal
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com WEBEQUIE — Webequie First Nation and the province have signed a new multi-million dollar deal that both sides say will pave the way for a long-planned road into the Ring of Fire area. At a press conference at Queen’s Park on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse were among those on hand to sign a community partnership agreement for the Webequie Community Access Road. That could see nearly $40 million go to the community as it moves ahead with a project the government called a “critical link” in a project central to its economic strategy for the province. The proposed road would run just over 100 kilometres from the Webequie airport east to the McFaulds Lake area —...
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Eby says powering megaprojects is in B.C.’s interest. Energy experts aren’t so sure
By Shannon Waters, The Narwhal B.C. Premier David Eby and Energy Minister Adrian Dix are proposing big changes to energy policy to allow the province to cash in one of its most valuable assets: electricity. “We need to leverage the benefits that we have here in order to realize the prosperity that we want,” Eby said on Oct. 21 as he unveiled a suite of changes to provincial laws and regulations. “We need to ensure that we’re accessing that clean, reliable, affordable power — the kind of power that will give us an edge in the global economy.” According to Eby, the best use for that power is electrifying emission-intensive industries, like mining and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, and ports to ship those goods overseas. Offering interested companies quick...
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Judge says Greenpeace must pay $345 million in pipeline lawsuit, cutting jury amount nearly in half
By Jack Dura BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge has ordered Greenpeace to pay damages of $345 million, reducing an earlier jury award after it found the environmental group and related entities were liable for defamation and other claims brought by a pipeline company in connection with protests of an oil pipeline nearly a decade ago. The award is roughly half the $667 million that a jury previously had awarded to the company, Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access. State District Judge James Gion granted and denied Greenpeace requests to rule in its favor on various claims before recalculating the damages. Energy Transfer said it intends to appeal the verdict “as we firmly believe that the original jury findings and damages awards for conspiracy and defamation are...
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