‘A passion project’: Tse’K’wa executive director on Lego contest win
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The recent winner of the City of Fort St. John’s Lego building contest says it was ‘a passion project’ to build the replica of a historical cave. Alyssa Currie, executive director of the Tse’K’wa Heritage Society, says she always had a fondness for the nearly century old building toy, created in the 1930s in Denmark. “I have two young nephews who have recently graduated from [toddler blocks] Duplo to Lego,” said Currie. “I’ve been using [them] as an excuse to buy Lego toys for myself. “It has reignited my love of Lego. [I am] really enjoying the creative and imaginative play that comes with this toy.” With this in mind, she knew just what she wanted...
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Accusations over trade dispute dominate first day of Manitoba legislature sitting
By Steve Lambert -CP-Politicians accused each other of failing to stand up against U.S. tariffs Wednesday as the Manitoba legislature reconvened after a winter break. Josh Guenter, a member of the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, pointed to a recent opinion poll by Ipsos-Reid that suggested 43 per cent of people aged 18 to 34 would consider annexation if offered U.S. citizenship and conversion of Canadian financial assets to U.S. dollars. “Today, Canadian household debt is 85 per cent higher than American household debt, and the average Canadian earns 30 per cent less than his American counterpart,” Guenter said. “No wonder then, that so many Canadians have lost hope and a recent poll showed that 43 per cent of Canadians of my generation see no issue with becoming American. I love Canada...
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Yukon says cyanide-contaminated water may have been released at mine cleanup
-CP-The Yukon government says it has been informed of an “unauthorized discharge of cyanide-impacted water” at the site of last summer’s mine disaster north of Mayo. An update from the government says the court-appointed receiver running the cleanup operation at the Eagle Gold mine says a pipe leak was identified on Feb. 17. The government says the receiver initiated repairs and originally believed the water hadn’t spilled from a lined containment area, so didn’t immediately report it. Officials now estimate that about 150,000 litres of the contaminated water may have been released into the environment. The government says water quality data collected at nearby Haggart Creek on Feb. 17 and 18 found elevated cyanide, cobalt, copper and nitrite close to the mine site, but that returned to previous levels within...
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Another earthquake felt on B.C.’s south coast, third in two weeks
-CP-Another earthquake has shaken Victoria, becoming at least the third felt in British Columbia’s capital in less than two weeks. Earthquakes Canada says the magnitude 3.9 earthquake occurred about 58 kilometres south of Victoria, at 4:18 p.m. on Wednesday. It says the quake was 42 kilometres deep and was centred near the end of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The agency says the tremor was “lightly felt” in Victoria and there are no reports of damage. It’s the latest in a series of earthquakes for the south coast, including a 4.7 magnitude tremor on Feb. 21 that was widely felt in major population centres including Victoria and Vancouver. On Monday, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake woke up some residents of Victoria early in the morning. This report by The Canadian...
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Feds create Indigenous safe space on Parliament Hill
By Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In the interest of creating a national space for Indigenous people on Canada’s Parliamentary district, the federal government signed a letter of intent and collaboration framework Tuesday that the government says will solidify the permanent First Nations, Inuit and Métis presence in the heart of the Parliamentary Precinct. The letter of intent was signed by Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed, and Metis National Council President Victoria Pruden. The space, located at 100 Wellington Street and 119 Sparks Street, is in the heart of the Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa and is expected to provide a place for Indigenous governments, institutions and organizations to conduct intergovernmental meetings and host events,...
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The Latest: Trump grants monthlong exemption for US automakers from new tariffs on imports
-CP-President Donald Trump is granting a one-month exemption on his stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada for U.S. automakers, as worries persist that the newly launched trade war could crush domestic manufacturing. Mayors from four major cities testified Wednesday in Congress as Republicans take aim at “sanctuary cities,” arguing that they impede the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda and protect people who are in the United States illegally. And a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from drastically cutting medical research funding that many scientists say will endanger patients and cost jobs. Here’s the latest: Justice Department opens investigation into antisemitism at the University of California The U.S. Department of Justice says it has opened a civil rights investigation into claims that the University of California...
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CP NewsAlert: Manitoba Tories apologize to victims’ families in landfill search case
By Brittany Hobson -CP-The interim leader of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives has apologized to the families of two slain First Nations women for declining to search a landfill for their remains. Wayne Ewasko made the apology in the house to the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, following last week’s discovery of potential human remains at the Winnipeg-area landfill. Ewasko says the party acted without empathy and lost its way in providing closure to the families. It’s believed the remains of Harris and Myran ended up at the landfill in May 2022. The Progressive Conservatives were in government at the time, and the families presented them with a feasibility study for a search after police refused due to safety concerns. The Tories later cited the same reasons for not moving...
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Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Defending First Nations Economic Rights Amid U.S Tariffs
By Lynda Powless Editor Some Indigenous organizations across Canada have begun cutting business trips to the U.S. other Indigenous business owners are sourcing out made in Canada suppliers while the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and two of Ontario’s largest First Nation organizations are defending First Nations Economic Rights in wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hit. U.S. President Trump’s 25 per cent tariff on imports has hit on all imports from Canada and Mexico into the U.S.. Assembly of First Nations National (AFN) Chief Cindy Woodhouse is warning First Nations need to be at any table discussing American tariffs. She said Trump tariffs affecting natural resources need First Nations at the table. Trump’s announcement comes as provinces are looking to ramp up resource extraction, including oil, natural gas and...
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The Latest: The world reacts to Trump’s ‘swift and unrelenting action’ as president
-CP-President Donald Trump vowed more “swift and unrelenting action” reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before Congress as Democratic lawmakers showed their dissent with placards calling out “lies.” One elderly congressman faces possible censure after he was ejected for shaking his cane and shouting that Trump has no mandate to cut Medicaid. The fallout continues after Trump launched a trade war Tuesday against America’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin as the U.S. faced the threat of rekindled inflation and paralyzing uncertainty for business. And Greenland’s prime minister declared Wednesday that “Greenland is ours” and cannot be taken or bought in defiance of a message from Trump, who said that while...
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Haida Nation signs first-of-its-kind Aboriginal title agreement with Canada
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Haida Nation and the Government of Canada signed a historical agreement on Feb. 17, affirming Haida Aboriginal title on Haida Gwaii, including the islands’ land, beds of freshwater bodies, and foreshores to the low-tide mark. President of the Haida Nation Gaagwiis Jason Alsop said the milestone Chiix̲uujin/Chaaw K̲aawgaa “Big Tide (Low Water)” Agreement, which was initiated in 1913 by past Haida leaders, ushers in a new era of peaceful co-existence. “The recognition of Haida title to Haida Gwaii by Canada acknowledges historic injustices and illustrates the transformative possibilities of working together for what is right. It takes leadership to recognize a wrong, begin the process of healing from a troubled history, and trust in the ability to forge a new relationship based...
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Minister eyes 2031 completion date for Nunavut fibre internet project
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Four Nunavut communities could get high-speed fibre optic internet in about six years, says Community and Government Services Minister David Joanasie. Once completed, the project would connect Iqaluit, Kimmirut, Kinngait and Coral Harbour to Nunavik’s Tamaani Internet network via an underwater cable near Salluit. “It’s going to take a couple of years to link up all the communities,” Joanasie said in an interview Monday. “Our current timeline to get everything done, according to our statement of work, we’re looking at up until 2031 to have it completed by.” The CRTC announced last year it conditionally approved $271.9 million for the project. One condition was that Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., which is responsible for ensuring obligations made to Nunavut Inuit under the Nunavut...
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Alberta Firefighting support boosted at community level
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette The government is throwing fuel on the firefighting in Alberta communities this year to bolster public safety. More support for training and response is being combined with enhanced collaboration to “help keep Albertans and their communities safe,” said Tany Yao, the UCP member for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. The government is providing $585,000 to support municipal fire services and the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association. The funding is earmarked for service improvements to training, governance, local supports and other areas. A one-time increase of $500,000 goes to the province’s program of fire services training, bringing the grant total to $1 million this year. The money is available to all municipalities, Métis settlements and First Nations. “Emergency situations bring an uncertainty that can...
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Canada is now in a trade war with the U.S. — here’s what you need to know to prepare for it
By Xiaodan Pan, Associate, Benny Mantin and Martin Dresner United States President Donald Trump has officially imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, sending shockwaves through Canadian consumers and businesses. The decision escalates tensions in an increasingly fragile relationship between the countries, marking a significant shift in North American economic ties. The unfolding trade war between is expected to have far-reaching consequences for people and businesses on both sides of the border. How can Canadians navigate the trade war and minimize the financial strain of the tariffs? As experts in supply chain management, we aim to break down the impact of these tariffs and offer practical strategies for Canadians to help navigate the economic turbulence ahead. How consumers react to trade wars When the news of a...
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Indigenous speakers talk about the road they walk as two-spirit people
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald Before settlers arrived on Turtle Island, what would later become North America, each tribe had roles for each gender. There were some members who played a part in both roles, who were considered sacred among tribes. Today they are known as two-spirit people. This identity was the belief of having both the feminine and masculine spirits in oneself and is considered more of a spiritual identity than a sexual one. When settlers arrived, Indigenous people suffered a cultural genocide, including the knowledge and respect of two-spirt people. Last Friday, All My Relations and Q-Space, two clubs for the University of Lethbridge, joined forces to bring an information session to raise awareness about two-spirit people. Three two-spirit individuals shared their experiences at...
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Historic Ontario First Nation Child Welfare agreement signed
Ontario First Nations Leaders Sign Historic Agreement with Canada to Reform Child Welfare By Joshua Santos Writer TORONTO-First Nations leaders from across the province voted in favour of a landmark agreement that could reshape Indigenous child welfare in the future. Officials from the Chiefs of Ontario, (COO) Nishnawbe Aski Nan (NAN) and the federal government signed the Ontario Final Agreement at a Special Chiefs Assembly at Toronto Airport Hilton Hotel in Mississauga on Feb. 26. The agreement aims to give First Nations governments greater control over child and family services, ensuring Indigenous children remain connected to their families, communities, and cultures. The agreement marks a major step toward addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. “We need to improve the lives of all the children who...
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Mississaugas of Credit First Nation get $30 million advance on future resolution of two treaty areas
MISSISSAUGAS OF CREDIT FIRST NATION-The Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation have accepted a $30 million advance payment from the Canadian government for a future resolution to the Nation’s Treaty 22 and 23 land claims. Ogimaa-Kwe (Chief) Claire Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) and Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, announced an agreement on March 2 at St. Regis Hotel in Toronto that will see the federal government provide an advance payment of $30 million for a future resolution of the First Nation’s Treaty 22 and Treaty 23 specific claim. “Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation see this Advance Payment as a good-faith gesture by Canada, and as evidence of its seriousness...
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Will Bouma Wins Third Term in Brantford-Brant
By Joshua Santos Writer Will Bouma is back. Progressive Conservative MPP Will Bouma sailed to victory in Brantford-Brant securing his third consecutive term with a commanding lead over his challengers. With a renewed mandate, he’s setting his sights on strengthening ties with Six Nations. He celebrated his win in this year’s provincial election with his family at the St. George Legion Branch 605 in Brantford on Feb. 27. “I was with my family and there’s always nerves,” said Bouma. “I had been told we were in a good position even by people from inside central campaign but until you see the hard and concrete numbers, you don’t know, but it was very exciting to see it come in.” Bouma captured 47.26 per cent of the vote, comfortably ahead of NDP...
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Six Nations fire responds to lodge
Six Nations Fire responded to an apparent laundry room fire at the Iroquois Lodge Sunday March 2. Six Nations Fire Chief Mike Seth said there was lot of smoke but fortunately little fire. One of the dryer units sparked but he said it was brought under control quickly. He said no staff or residents were affected by smoke. (Photo by Jim C. Powless)...
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Ottawa tells First Nations chiefs committee to sort out child welfare talks with AFN
By Alessia Passafiume Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu says Ottawa needs the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and a committee trying to renegotiate a child welfare agreement to decide who’s leading the talks before any progress can be made. “There has been confusion regarding the role of the National Children’s Chiefs Committee and whether you and the committee are the body that Canada should be working with,” says a Feb. 25 letter from Hajdu to the chair of the National Children’s Chiefs Commission. “I would encourage the National Children’s Chiefs Commission to work directly with officials from the Assembly of First Nations … to clarify this situation.” After seeing Hajdu’s letter, the Assembly of First Nations said it has made it “consistently clear” to the federal government that it must...
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Jody Wilson-Raybould offers reconciliation thoughts at Oakville conference
By Sam Laskaris Writer Former politician Jody Wilson-Raybould continues to be a huge Indigenous advocate. Wilson-Raybould, who served as Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General from 2015-19, was one of the key speakers at an Oakville event this week. She spoke on Tuesday night at the Grandmother’s Voice conference being held in Oakville. The two-day event, which was continuing on Wednesday, was called Truth With Reconciliation: Respect, Restore, Relearn. Wilson-Raybould’s talk was titled Reconciling History: A Story of Canada. Grandmother’s Voice is an Indigenous organization that aims to unite Indigenous voices while extending a warm invitation to all individuals. Wilson-Raybould, a member of We Wai Kai Nation in British Columbia, spent the early portions of her Tuesday talk discussing her family, including her grandmother, and her upbringing which led...
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