Second appeal calling for reset of Six Nations election launched
By Justin Lethbridge Writer A second appeal of last month’s Six Nations band council elections has been launched leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the newly elected council. The appeal is calling for the dismissal of Chief Electoral Polling Officer (CEPO) Steve Williams and for the election to be recalled. The appeal launched by community member and candidate in the 2019 elections Alaina VanEvery was sent to an anonymous Six Nations Elections Appeal Committee last week. The committee already dismissed an earlier appeal from Brenda Johnson who had been declared ineligible to run in the election by CEPO Steve Williams. Johnson had also sent petitions to the appeals committee seeking removal of Williams as CEPO and calling for a recall the election. Both were denied. VanEvery has been vocal about...
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SNEC at AFN in Ottawa
Six Nations new Elected Chief Mark Hill and several Elected Councillors are attending the Assembly of First Nations hosted Special Chiefs Assembly. According to Elected Council’s Communications Officer Candace Lee Lickers, Elected Chief Mark Hill as well as councillors Helen Miller and Michelle Bomberry travelled to Ottawa to attend the meetings and will be returning Thursday afternoon. Councillors Nathan Wright and Wendelyn Johnson also attended the meetings as they had already planned to attend the meeting prior to being elected to council. The meeting is being held in Ottawa from December 3rd to the 5th....
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Steelhawks lose in overtime
By Josh Giles Sports Writer HAMILTON-Friday night saw a wild game in the Steel City when the Hamilton Steelhawks hosted the Whitby Dunlops. It was fast paced and high scoring throughout the entire game. A strong start by Hamilton in the first period started off with a goal from Six Nations player Cam Sault. Hamilton then kept piling on goal after goal to go up three nothing before the end of the first period. The second period saw five goals scored but only one was scored by the Steelhawks, tying the game up 4-4 heading into the third. In the third period, each team scored two goals a-piece putting the game into overtime. It only took a few minutes for Kyle Ventura to seal up his hat trick game by...
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Saturday saw a pair of wins for Six Nations Hockey
By Josh Giles Sports Reporter Inclement weather meant Saturday was the only hockey action that was seen this weekend. But what a Saturday it was when the Gaylord Powless Arena hosted seven games. After both Atom LL teams lost hard fought battles to the Waterford Wildcats, coach Cubb McNaughton emphasized that the games were just for fun so the kids could enjoy playing, “It’s just for fun and the kids are still learning.” The game following it saw a uniform change from the Peewee LL 1 team due to the Tillsonburg Tornadoes wearing the same colour. But that didn’t stop the team when they beat the Tornadoes with a score of 3-1. Team coach Rodger Martin said about the win, “It felt good. We had a not so good streak...
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National focus needed on suicide crisis among Indigenous youth: AFN
By Teresa Wright THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- The federal government will support the creation of a national suicide-prevention strategy for young people, with a suicide crisis gripping a First Nation in northern Saskatchewan, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller told a gathering of First Nations chiefs in Ottawa Tuesday. Miller was short on details on what this strategy would look like, saying only that the government would work with First Nations communities on solutions they propose. On Tuesday, a special gathering of chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations from across Canada began with a call for the federal government to step in. National Chief Perry Bellegarde said action must be taken to stop Indigenous children and teens from feeling so hopeless they harm themselves. “We know...
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First Nations chiefs, councillors not eligible for jury duty in Saskatchewan
REGINA- The Saskatchewan government is making changes so chiefs and councillors of First Nations will no longer be eligible for jury duty. The province says the move ensures consistency, because elected municipal officials including city councillors and mayors are currently excluded from jury selection. The Ministry of Justice says the exclusion helps avoid any potential conflict of interest. The government says it believes Saskatchewan is the first jurisdiction in Canada to exclude chiefs and band councillors from the process. The changes are the result of a provincial review of the current system. The government adds that it will start allowing spouses of elected municipal officers to be eligible for jury duty, as they were previously excluded. Justice Minister Don Morgan says the change ensures officials are not unnecessarily shrinking a...
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First Nations chiefs gather in Ottawa for special assembly
OTTAWA- Hundreds of First Nations chiefs from across Canada are gathering in Ottawa today for a special assembly. The national meeting, hosted by the Assembly of First Nations, will discuss political strategy and policy on key issues, including the Trudeau government’s pledge to implement a bill harmonizing Canada’s laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. New Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is to speak at the event later today, as are NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and B.C. Premier John Horgan. Several other Liberal cabinet ministers will also address the assembly later this week, including Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett, Justice Minister David Lametti and Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault. But despite having attended chiefs assemblies last year, neither Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nor Conservative Leader...
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Greta Thunberg’s North Dakota photo is at national library
BISMARCK, N.D.- A photo of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg at a Native American reservation in North Dakota has been archived at the Library of Congress in Washington. Photographer Shane Balkowitsch preserved the image on a glass plate and titled it “Standing For Us All.” The method known as “wet plate collodion” involves wetting glass with various chemicals before inserting the plate into a camera and developing the photo. Balkowitsch told the Bismarck Tribune that it’s his “most important work to date.” The photo shows 16-year-old Thunberg looking into the distance during a visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. She shared it on Twitter when she left North America on Nov. 13. Another image, a close-up Thunberg’s face, will be featured at the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm....
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Belated bill to help solve indigenous cold cases gains steam
By Dave Kolpack THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FARGO, N.D.- A bill originally meant to help law enforcement investigate cold cases of murdered and missing indigenous women has floundered in Congress for two years. Now it may have the financial and political backing to become law. Savanna’s Act was originally spearheaded by former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and named for a Native American North Dakota woman who was killed in 2017. It passed the Senate but was blocked in the House. Money has been dedicated toward the bill by an appropriations subcommittee chaired by Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who says funding is being directed specifically to murdered and missing indigenous people for the first time. The issue is also being tackled by the Department of Justice in a project announced...
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Dozens of cases of abuse by Catholic priests in Vancouver Archdiocese: report
By Brenna Owen THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER- A file review of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy within the Archdiocese of Vancouver has uncovered 36 cases, most of them involving minors. A report released Friday says Archbishop Michael Miller appointed a committee last year to conduct the review following the disclosure of global sexual abuse by clergy. “This past year, guided by divine providence, we have studied and learned more than ever before about the pain suffered by you, victims/survivors of clerical sexual abuse in our Archdiocese,” Miller says in a pastoral letter preceding the report. Meetings were held where case summaries were presented by lawyers and the report says the chair of the committee concluded there were 26 cases of abuse of minors by clergy, seven involving adults and three where...
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Stolen fire truck sparks police pursuit in Winnipeg, suspect arrested
By Kelly Geraldine Malone THE CANADIAN PRESS WINNIPEG _ Police zapped a man with a stun gun and took him into custody Friday after a suspect stole a fire truck and drove it, lights flashing and horn blaring, through downtown Winnipeg. Const. Rob Carver said it appeared that the suspect was targeting pedestrians as police cruisers pursued the fire truck. It rammed into another vehicle, knocked down a utility pole and drove onto the grass in Central Park, he said. “It had run into a tree and through stop signs, and it was swerving, actively trying to hit everything he could on the way,” Carver said, reading observations from police officers who took part in the pursuit. The fire truck was parked after responding...
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We’re Still Here!
We are still here…for you! A message from our Publisher: Turtle Island News was hit by fire in an early morning blaze Monday that officials said was a targeted attack. The fire broke out after a pick up truck attempted to drive into the side of the building where the assailant then poured gasoline around the truck setting it and the building on fire. A Six Nations firefighter on her way to her shift in Ohsweken spotted the blaze and called in the emergency. Six Nations firefighters had the blaze out quickly after arriving shortly after 5 a.m.. Clean up efforts are underway and Turtle Island News continues to operate. Turtle Island News would like to thank all those that have sent us best wishes and expressed concern for our...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY : For The Love Of Language
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com Most of the time we take the language we speak for granted. We were brought up speaking one language or another depending on our location in the world and culture. Language in fact has a lot to do with how we see the world, how we think and how we live. I was born and raised on James Bay in the First Nation of Attawapiskat and I grew up in a very traditional family. I learned to follow much of the traditions and culture of the Cree of James Bay and lived often out on the land hunting and gathering like my ancestors did for thousands of years. Happily, I was fortunate to be brought up in my language which is Inineemoon, or Cree as it...
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New First Nations Report Details Groundbreaking Dialogue around Native Stewardship of Lands, Natural Resources and Sacred Sites
Press Release LONGMONT, Colorado (April 18, 2019) – In November 2018 in Denver, Colorado, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) convened representatives of 15 tribes and Native nonprofit organizations alongside natural resource professionals and experts in Native law and policy to begin a dialogue. That dialogue was about tribal stewardship of land, natural resources and sacred sites. It was about barriers to this stewardship. It was about how traditional ecological knowledge is uniquely adapted to local environments and essential to all conservation work, and to discuss steps for enhancing tribal control of natural assets. It also was about how non-Native allies can best provide assistance to this cause. This gathering was a rare opportunity for these groups to network, shine a light on how they approach their work, and learn...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY – CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS WITH A BANG
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com The holiday season is an exciting time in remote Native communities up the James Bay coast. This period is anticipated and celebrated in the same way as most southern non-Native communities but with just a few differences. The day leading up to Christmas Day or New Year’s Day was always a hectic period for the whole family. As a young boy, my younger brothers and I kept busy outdoors with our friends to avoid the chaos and anxiety at home. Most of my older brothers and sisters helped with the family business or assisted mom in creating a huge feast of traditional goose, moose, caribou and non-traditional foods such as salads, turkey, stuffing, cookies and Christmas cake. At the same time as cooking, mom cleaned our...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY Christmas Was A Long Time Coming
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com Christmas is upon us once again and everyone is running around shopping, buying gifts, decorating their house, attending church services to commemorate Christian holy days and generally, there is a lot of excitement and anticipation. We seldom wonder where all these traditions come from. No one questions why we celebrate the way that we do this time of year. For most people, myself included, it’s just a fun time of year during a very cold season. After all it feels good to look forward to something positive when it is cold and freezing outside. As a child, I have many positive memories of being with my family and friends, warm and cozy in our home in Attawapiskat in the isolated north of James Bay. Mom and...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY Bottled Water Is A Poor Choice
By Xavier Kataquapit www.underthenorthernsky.com For some time now huge companies have been taking water from the ground, bottling it and selling it to make big profits. For the most part these companies like Nestle don’t pay all that much for the right to draw this water out of the ground and they do a good job of marketing it all across Canada. Many people believe that water as a resource is becoming the new gold and that future wars will be fought over it. We see wars now all over the world fought to control resources like gold, other precious metals and of course oil. As good drinking water becomes more scarce the demand by the public for water has become an opportunity to make lots of money. Some estimates...
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Road closure due to OPP investigation of triple homicide comes to end
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND- Road closures here as a result of an OPP investigation into the triple murder of three local people have come to an end. OPP had announced as a result of an investigation at a Fourth Line Road house periodic road closures of Fourth Line would take place. The road closure are now complete. OPP have charged the first person in the triple murders. A 36-year-old Six Nations woman was charged with being an accessory after the fact in connection with murders of three Six Nations people whose bodies were found more than 100 kilometres from their home community in Middlesex County. OPP arrested Kirsten Bomberry last Friday. The Fourth Line Road home was swarming with OPP, including a tactical unit during the arrest. She was...
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Woman charged in triple murder
By Justin Lethbridge Writer After weeks of investigation the Ontario Provincial Police have made their first arrest in the triple-homicide investigation. On Friday November 23rd, 2018 the OPP along with members of the Six Nations Police arrested 36-year-old Six Nations resident Kirsten Gail Bomberry in connection with the ongoing investigation. Bomberry has been charged with three counts of accessory after the fact to murder. The arrest came at a house on Fourth Line Road, which is where the OPP and Six Nations Police have been focusing their investigation for the past several days. The OPP advised that there will be periodic road closures in the coming days in the area of Fourth Line at Tuscarora Road and Onondaga Road as they continue to investigate the area. The landfill will remain...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY: Welcome Home Hunter
By Xavier Kataquapit Writer Recently I have been and the passing of family members and that certainly is a sad situation and does take its toll. However I am so happy to be able to welcome Hunter James John Francois Chum, a brand new baby boy into this world. Hunter was born on November 1 with the healthy weight of nine pounds. It is good to know that with the passing of loved ones hope springs eternal. I am so happy for my niece Marissa, her husband Tony and their two daughters Toni and Kailyn as they are joined by little Hunter. This little boy will be loved and spoiled by his grand parents Janie and Brian Wesley and Karen Chum and Francois Mongrain as well as Erik Gunner. He...
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