Dewey Jacobs Inducted into Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame
By Josh Giles Sports Writer SIX NATIONS- The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame has been graced with many talented athletes who represented Canada, and Six Nations in a variety of ways to make the game so amazing. A long list of Six Nations players and coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame got a little bit longer when Duane “Dewey” Jacobs became the latest member this year. Jacobs has had a prestigious career enjoying three straight Mann Cup victories as a co-captain for the Six Nations Chiefs. He also won the Champions Cup in 1997 with the Rochester Knighthawks, all while being an elite scorer. Receiving the call in May, Jacobs told Turtle Island News, “It was really humbling news to receive. It’s just amazing knowing you get to go...
Register
NLL Boasting plenty of Six Nations talent
By Josh Giles Sports Writer With the NLL season already underway there are teams that are showcasing some amazing Six Nations talent that fills the NLL. Starting with the Toronto Rock is fan favourite Johnny Powless, a journeyman throughout the league racking up a lot of awards. He was named to the All-Rookie Team and won the NLL Sportsmanship award in 2012 Following that he played a key part in helping the Rochester Knighthawks win three straight championships. Bouncing around the league, Powless found his footing in Toronto where he will be a key piece. The Buffalo Bandits also host another Powless. Quinn Powless is a forward from Ohsweken and has played four of his seven seasons with Rochester. This will be his first season in Buffalo. The Georgia Swarm...
Register
Ottawa’s consultation with Indigenous groups on pipeline was meaningful: Lawyer
By Amy Smart THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER _ Lawyers for the Canadian government say it conducted a new round of consultations with Indigenous groups about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that was reasonable, adequate and fair. Jan Brongers began arguments on behalf of the federal government Tuesday, asking the Federal Court of Appeal to toss out legal challenges to the government’s approval of the project for the second time. The court has heard from four Indigenous groups in British Columbia that say the government once again failed in its duty to hold meaningful dialogue about the project during consultations conducted between August 2018 and June 2019. “The shortcomings of the earlier process were not repeated and therefore these four applications should be dismissed,” Brongers told a three-judge panel in Vancouver....
Register
Contempt case of Indigenous women arrested at Alton Gas site delayed until April
By Michael Tutton THE CANADIAN PRESS HALIFAX – A contempt of court hearing for three Indigenous women arrested at a construction site north of Halifax has been rescheduled for late April in the latest of a series of delays. The women’s lawyer, Michael McDonald, is arguing before Nova Scotia Supreme Court that the women had the right to be on Alton Natural Gas property along the Shubenacadie River. The three defendants, Darlene Gilbert, Madonna Bernard and Paula Isaac, were taken into custody in April after they allegedly broke an injunction to stay off the work site. Alton Gas plans to use water from the 73-kilometre tidal river to create large underground storage caverns, but the three women say they fear the waterway cutting through the centre of the province will...
Register
Court to hear First Nations’ challenge of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
VANCOUVER – Four British Columbia Indigenous groups are set to argue in the Federal Court of Appeal that the Canadian government failed to consult adequately with them before its latest approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. A three-day hearing is scheduled to begin today in Vancouver to consider legal challenges launched by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation, Coldwater **>Indian Band<** and a coalition of small First Nations in the Fraser Valley. Several First Nations, environmental groups and the City of Vancouver had originally filed challenges making a range of arguments including that the project threatens southern resident killer whales off B.C.’s coast. The court only allowed six First Nations to proceed and called for an expedited hearing focused on the federal government’s consultation with Indigenous communities between August 2018...
Register
Jody Wilson Raybould says she’s in discussions over Parliament Hill office space
OTTAWA-The Speaker of the House of Commons says he will evict Jody Wilson-Raybould from her current office space if she does not leave on her own. House Speaker Anthony Rota told the CBC today that if she does not vacate, someone from his office would enforce the rules _ but the timeline is flexible. Wilson-Raybould, who is now an Independent MP, says she has been working with the House administration to resolve the issue involving her space on Parliament Hill where she was placed as a cabinet minister in 2018. She says she understood she would stay in her offices when she was sworn in as an MP earlier this month and had an Algonquin elder bless the space. But Wilson-Raybould says she found out two days later she would...
Register
Indigenous hockey player buoyed by support after sharing experience with racism
WAYCOBAH, N.S. _ An Indigenous hockey player from Nova Scotia who shared his experience of racism on the ice says he’s been inspired to stick with the sport after an outpouring of support from professionals and peers. Logan Prosper of Waycobah First Nation said he was taunted with racist comments from opposing players and parents during a game in Cheticamp, N.S., last week. Prosper said he was hurt and angry after a player told him “all you natives look like turds in your helmets” during the game. Since sharing his experience, the 16-year-old said he’s received hundreds of messages from players telling him to stick with the sport, including former NHL player Cody McCormick. Players across Canada and some in the U.S. have rallied behind Prosper...
Register
Thousands gather for change climate protests in Madrid
Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Madrid as the Spanish city hosts climate negotiations by the UN. They are calling for more ambitious climate change policy.r more ambitious climate change policy. OTTAWA—Canada’s environment minister is raising concern with United Nations after hearing that an Indigenous-led protest was shut down Wednesday by security at the global climate change conference in Madrid. In a post on social media, Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), said his organization is “aware that a group of Indigenous youth (including many from Canada) have arbitrarily been detained for a peaceful protest” at the conference. An AFN official witnessed the protest and told the Toronto Star that security detained the demonstrators in a “courtyard” before removing their access badges. The official said the...
Register
Liberal MPs won’t empower themselves to turf Trudeau, control caucus membership
By Joan Bryden THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- Liberal backbenchers declined Wednesday to give themselves the power to turf their leader, Justin Trudeau. They also passed up the chance to control who gets expelled from, or re-admitted to, the ranks of the governing party’s caucus. The decisions were made at the first formal meeting of the Liberal caucus since the Oct. 21 election, amid some quiet grumbling about the prime minister’s failure to adequately consult with Liberal MPs since his government was reduced to a minority. Some pundits have predicted Liberal backbenchers will use the minority situation to flex their muscles and demand more input into decision-making. However their refusal to empower themselves suggests most are content, at least for now, to let Trudeau and his inner circle continue calling the...
Register
Nova Scotia hockey officials form task force to combat racism, discrimination
HALIFAX _ Nova Scotia’s governing body for amateur hockey has assembled a task force to deal with discrimination in the sport after an Indigenous player said he was subjected to racist taunts during a recent game in Cape Breton. The executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia, Amy Walsh, says the team will include a human rights lawyer and representatives from the Indigenous, African Nova Scotian and LGBTQ communities. “At Hockey Nova Scotia, we believe that the rink should be a welcoming place for everyone. We believe that racism and discrimination have no place in our game,” Walsh said in a statement Wednesday. The move comes after 16-year-old Logan Prosper came forward this week to say he was the target of racial slurs during a game in Cheticamp,...
Register
Anonymous Appeals Committee Calls Election Concerns ‘Irrelevant’
By Justin Lethbridge Writer A second appeal of the 58th General Election has been denied by the Appeals Committee. In an email sent to appellant Alaina VanEvery, the committee said that her concerns were ‘irrelevant’ and said they will not be pursuing a recall of the election or dismissal of Chief Electoral Polling Officer (CEPO) Steve Williams. “This is unacceptable,” VanEvery told Turtle Island News, “ and insufficient. To me if you’re deeming my appeals irrelevant, not my appeals but my concerns are irrelevant, that tells me something. That either you didn’t read it, you didn’t comprehend it or you think that you’re in a position where you control this process and nobody is allowed to question you.” VanEvery questioned the letter. “To me that is offensive as a community...
Register
Woodlands Celebrating the Art of Cornhusk
By Justin Lethbridge Writer Two Haudenosaunee artists and the ancient art form of corn husk are being displayed and honoured at the Woodland Cultural Centre. The exhibit was officially opened at Woodland on Saturday, December 7th with featured artists Elizabeth Doxtator and Frazer Sundowner on hand. Speaking about the exhibit, Curator at the Woodland Cultural Centre Patricia Deadman said that corn husk is one of the most important and ancient materials used by the Haudenosaunee. “This exhibition really acknowledges and celebrates the corn husk as a real and vital raw material for artistic expression…It’s important to recognize the contribution corn husk has had to Canadians and more importantly Indigenous art history in the context of our material culture, functionality, purpose, sustainability and values.” Elizabeth Doxtator is a well known artist...
Register
Royal Chapel of the Mohawks was filled with Christmas music for the annual service
By Justin Lethbridge Writer Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks was all decorated for the holidays and filled with visitors and music for their annual Christmas Service. Despite having been rescheduled due to inclement weather, the Mohawk Chapel was packed for the rescheduled service on Sunday, December 8th. The traditional Christian service featured the Nine Lessons and Carols. The afternoon service was presided over by the Royal Chaplain for Mohawk Chapel, Reverend Roslyn Elm and featured music by the Counterpoint Trio. In addition St. Paul’s Mohawk Choir did a rendition of Joy to the World sung in Mohawk while Michael Montour did a traditional opening and closing in both English and Mohawk. Mohawk Chapel’s Committee Chair Barry Hill told Turtle Island News that the service is held early so as...
Register
OMSK Mistletoe Market teaching Students Budgeting, Shopping
By Justin Lethbridge Writer The Mistletoe Market at Oliver M. Smith Kawenni:io provided students a chance to shop for their family while learning important lessons about how presents get under the tree Christmas morning. The market ran from December 4th to the 6th with all the students at the school getting a chance to pick out gifts for their family with money they’ve earned. Vice-Principal Wanda Davis told Turtle Island News that she got the idea from a teacher at another school who runs a holiday market and agreed to supply the items for OMSK to do their own. She said that it’s been a great learning experience for the students. “Students are doing chores at home to earn money to shop at our market. They shouldn’t be asking their...
Register
The monsters we create
If ever there was a reason to remove the Six Nations Electoral officer’s “anonymous Six Nations Election Appeals Committee” the arrogance shown in denying Alaina VanEvery’s election appeal is certainly grounds. VanEvery went through a very detailed and thoughtful appeal process outlining her concerns over the recent Six Nations Election process and potential conflicts of interest. Whether anyone agreed with her concerns or not the “anonymous” appeals committee had an obligation as a public office holder to respond in a respectful manner. They didn’t. One would think as protectors of democracy they would guide their behaviour and actions with the highest integrity and base that on merit without any discrimination or bias They certainly should not be flippant. Begging the question does this committee have Code of Conduct Rules? Rules...
Register
Weekly Cartoon
...
Register
SAO Retires Finance, director gives notice: Six Nations Elected Council committees being dropped, new ones created
Six Nations Elected Council’s orientation process is continuing amid the sudden retirement of the SAO and notice served by the Director of Finance. SAO Dayle Bomberry’s retirement took effect last Friday after more than a decade of service. Turtle Island News has also learned the Director of Finance has served notice. In addition the orientation appears to have switched gears to a restructuring of the council. While much of the new Elected Council are holdovers from the last council committees are being dropped and new ones added. An orientation process normally has departments explaining what they do and what they are doing and is held in open sessions. This council closed the doors. This orientation was broken up into two segments, an Internal Department portion and an External Organization portion....
Register
AFN Calls on Quebec Chief to Withdraw Indian Day School Appeal
By Donna Duric Writer The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has called on a Quebec Chief to withdraw his appeal to the Indian Day School settlement. A court challenge issued on Oct. 31 by Paul-Émile Ottawa, Chief of the Atikamekw Council of Manawan, has halted the day school settlement process, resulting in the AFN passing a unanimous resolution last week calling on Chief Ottawa to withdraw his appeal. On Dec. 5, a resolution was moved by lead plaintiff Margaret Swan at the Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly calling on Chief Ottawa to withdraw his appeals. Ottawa’s lawyer, David Schulze (Partner, Dionne Schulze, S.E.N.C.) filed the appeal on Oct. 31. “There is also an earlier appeal that remains outstanding,” Gowling, the law firm representing survivors, told Turtle Island News...
Register
Election code appeals, injunctions cannabis packed SNEC council chamber
Six Nations Elected Council chambers were packed Tuesday night when a local woman presented her case on appeals to the Six Nations Election code. An appeals committee has rejected appeals of Brenda Johnson and Alaina VanEvery (see story page 2) who called for a reset of the election. In addition, Joleen Johnson was scheduled to speak on SNEC injunctions against local people. (Photo by Justin Lethbridge)...
Register
Steelhawks win thanks to Munro
By Josh Giles Sports Writer HAMILTON – It was a back and forth battle for most of the game when the Dundas McCoys visited the Hamilton Steelhawks on Friday night. With the first period starting with five goals alone. Three of them for Dundas and the other couple for Hamilton. But that didn’t stop Hamilton. 50 seconds into the second period, saw Stephen Thorne score his first of three goals on the night. Assisted by David Ling and Six Nations player Cam Sault, they officially tied up the game. And that wasn’t the only action that was seen in the second. With the game tied up, a goal was called by the players but not the referees. The Steelhawks celebrated like they just broke the tie game to put them...
Register
