57th Six Nations Elected Council sworn in
By Alex Riese Writer The 57th Six Nations Elected Council was sworn in on Dec. 2 at the Six Nations Tourism building. The new council was introduced, most of whom retained their seats from the previous term – the only newcomers were District One’s Audrey Powless-Bomberry and District Three’s Charlie Wayne Martin. The councillors then spoke an oath swearing their loyalty to the Six Nations of the Grand River, and signed a contract swearing themselves in Elected Chief Ava Hill highlighted some of the 56th council’s successes, which included holding galas for the fire depeartment, supporting the Save the Evidence campaign in support of residential school survivors and overseeing the construction improvement of buildings and infrastructure. During her speech, Hill spoke mainly of keeping communication lines open with governmental and...
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OPP REMINDS HUNTERS TO OBEY TRESPASSING LAWS
(HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Haldimand County Detachment is reminding hunters to adhere to the Trespass to Property Act as they enjoy the hunting season. OPP have received complaints from concerned citizens regarding trespassers hunting on their property. OPP is reminding hunters that their hunting license, in no way, gives them the right to enter or cross private property without the owner’s permission. To avoid problems and potential charges, hunters are reminded to ask for permission before entering a property and always obey posted “No Trespassing” signs and symbols. Property owners should avoid confrontations with trespassers and obtain names and/or plate numbers and vehicle(s) descriptions. The matter can be reported to police and dealt with in that matter. Hunters...
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Ava Hill wins second term, only slight increase in voter turnout
By Alex Riese and Lynda Powless Six Nations Elected Chief Ava Hill held onto her job Saturday after being re-elected in the 57th General Election. Hill receive 623 votes, compared to former chief Bill Montour with 303 votes and Cynthia Jamieson with 286. That’s a total of 1, 212 votes cast for the elected chief out of a total of 1230 ballots cast. Electoral officer Steve Williams said there were no spoiled ballots translating into 18 people not voting for the electing chief but casting ballots for councillors. The 2016 vote inched up from 2013 by 173 electors but is a long way away from Six Nations highest voter turnout. That occurred in 2001 when 1, 823 people cast ballots and former chief Roberta Jamieson won the race in a...
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A female chief and five women on council
Six Nations Band Council new council will include five women and will be led by a female chief! For the first time women have come close to outnumbering men. Only District 2 remains an all male domain. Female faces on band council include from District 1 Audrey Powless-Bomberry, District 3 Sherri-Lyn Hill-Pierce, District 4 is Helen Miller, District 5 Hazel Johnson and District 6 Melba Thomas....
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Election oddities: from tie breakers to baskets to Marilyn Monroe
By?Lynda Powless Editor Like any election there are always events that raise eyebrows or cause outright laughter and Six Nations Band Council’s 57th general election was no different. From tie breaking to oddly placed signs to win a basket the 57th election was one for the books. A tie breaker Six Nations Elections officer Steve Williams found himself in the unfavourable position of having to break a tie at Saturday’s band council elections. Only he allowed the competitors to do it instead. A tie occurred in District Six when two candidates, Mark Hill and Lynn Travis Bomberry tied at 75 votes each. Hill is an incumbent, Bomberry a newcomer to the race. Under the Six Nations Election Code the electorial officer has up to two weeks to break the tie....
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Declaration of the Aboriginal Women of Val-d’Or
MONTREAL, Nov. 17, 2016 – It is with bitter disappointment and deep concern that we learned that the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions of Quebec (DCPP) will lay no criminal charges against the six police officers of Val-d’Or implicated by our denunciations last year. Eighteen months ago, at the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre, we had decided, after careful consideration, to forget about fear, break the silence and finally speak out with an open heart by publicly denouncing to reporter Josée Dupuis of Radio Canada’s Enquête program how we had been, for many years, victims of intimidation, abuse of power, and sexual and physical abuse by SQ officers in Val-d’Or. We made these denunciations for our friend Sindy and the Ruperthouse family with the hope that she would be found,...
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Watch video of Election 2016 Six Nations Chief’s Debate
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Six Nations Election 2016
Three vying for Six Nations elected chief seat Cynthia Jamieson is a Mohawk, Turtle Clan, born, raised and attended school at Six Nations and continues to live here. She holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree. Has been a teacher, a Human Rights Commission (Sask) investigator, Six Nations director of Health and Social Services and Six Nations Director of Operations. She is currently the Executive director of the Mississaugas of New Credit Briefly outline why you are running for Six Nations Elected Band Council? We are a Community in a state of unrest. It is my belief that we together must turn our minds to the common good of our people.. We need a leader who will listen and urge others to listen and together...
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AFN at UN Climate Change conference in Morocco
November 16, 2016 AFN at UN Climate Change Conference to Ensure First Nations Involvement in International Action on Climate Change (Marrakech, Morocco)? Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Manitoba Regional Chief Kevin Hart and Elder Francois Paulette of the Dene Nation are participating in the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). National Chief Perry Bellegarde has tasked the AFN delegation to ensure First Nations peoples have a strong voice at the discussions and play a role in designing the COP22 Climate Change action plan. AFN Manitoba Regional Chief Kevin Hart, Co-Chair of the Chiefs Committee on Climate Change and portfolio holder for Water, Infrastructure and Alternative Energy, said: “Our presence here is essential so that the inherent responsibilities, roles and rights...
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Ontario Regional Chief calls on Federal Government to repair damage inadequate financing for First Nation Child Welfare
NEWS RELEASE ONTARIO Regional Chief Isadore Day CALLS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE BY DECADES OF INADEQUATE FUNDING and DISREGARD FOR FIRST NATION CHILD WELFARE TORONTO, ON (Nov 1, 2016) — Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day says that now the parliament has unanimously passed the motion on First Nation child welfare all jurisdictions must come together now to immediately repair the damage done to the most vulnerable members of Canadian society – Indigenous children and their families. “We have never given up jurisdiction on child welfare. Federal underfunding and misguided provincial child welfare systems do not work: they continue to fail our children and families,” said Regional Chief Day. “Renewal in child welfare is our highest priority. We will continue to call for...
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Manitoba MLAs Voted Unanimously Across Party Lines Today To Work Toward Improving Services in First Nations Communities
To Work Toward Improving Services in First Nations Communities Manitoba MLAs from all parties put aside partisan politics today to voice their concerns about the federal government’s failure to meet its duty to fully fund services such as education, health-care services and services for children in care in First Nations communities. The vote in the Legislative Assembly this afternoon (Oct. 26, 2016) was in response to a motion by NDP MLA Wab Kinew. The motion stated: “That the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba condemn the Federal Government’s inaction in equitably funding social services for First Nations people.” “I am proud of my colleagues for standing up for equality and to call on the federal government to end its systemic discrimination of First Nations people,” Kinew said following the vote. Manitoba’s First...
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Electricity system operator reports $80 million loss after accounting change
TORONTO-Ontario’s efforts to ease the upward pressure on electricity rates has been dealt a setback by a change in accounting practices. In the government’s public accounts for 2015-16, the Independent Electricity System Operator reported a “previously unrecognized actuarial loss and past service costs” of just over $80 million. The provincial agency which oversees Ontario’s electricity market says it will raise fees it charges the power industry to recover the losses as part of its accumulated deficit charge. Progressive Conservative researchers discovered the $80 million loss in the public accounts and the Opposition plans to raise the issue in the legislature today. The Tories point out the loss more than offsets the $70 million the Liberals said would be saved over seven years under Ontario’s new deal to purchase two terawatt...
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NIB Trust Fund Announces Successful Individual Applications for Healing and Reconciliation
(OTTAWA, ON – October 18, 2016): The NIB Trust Fund today announced more than 1, 200 individual applications that will be funded for a wide variety of educational programs across the country aimed at supporting healing and reconciliation. Successful applicants for this first round of individual funding range from language and cultural revitalization programs, including learning one’s own language, to student support, certification/training and scholarship programs. “On behalf of the NIB Trust Fund Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce this first round of funding for individual applicants,” said NIB Trust Fund Chair Phil Fontaine. “With more than 6,000 applicants, it is clear that there is a high level of interest across the country for activities and projects focused on healing and reconciliation. The successful applicants will now be...
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Tim Hortons opens its largest First Nations restaurant
Tim Horton’s a template for future franchisees By Lynda Powless Editor It was seven years in the making and a new way of doing business had to be created. But Tuesday, Tim Horton’s partners Six Nations Landon Miller and hockey legend Ted Nolan saw their hard work pay off with the official opening here at Six Nations of the largest aboriginal owned and operated Tim Horton’s restaurant and store in a First Nation. “What you have done here is in many, many ways a template for what can be done,” Ontario Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation David Zimmer told a crowd outside the Ohsweken Tim Horton’s. Minister Zimmer told the crowd “I want to thank everyone on the Tim Horton’s negotiation team and the owners for conducting this negotiation...
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Investments in First Nations are Investments in Canada’s Future, AFN National Chief tells Finance Committee
OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2016 – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde addressed the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance today to present the AFN’s 2017 pre-budget submission. This submission addresses key areas that were not addressed or were under-funded in the 2016 budget. The AFN identifies priorities for the coming budget to show Canada’s continuing commitment to renew the relationship with First Nations and to close the gap in the quality of life between First Nations and Canadians. “Much of Canada’s wealth comes from the resources of this land, which has not been equitably shared despite sacred promises of Treaties and First Nations inherent rights, title and jurisdiction,” said National Chief Bellegarde. “We must invest in First Nations, Canada’s youngest and fastest growing demographic. Not doing...
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First Nations and Tribes Sign New Treaty Joining Forces To Stop All Tar Sands Pipelines
MONTREAL and VANCOUVER, Sept. 22, 2016 – First Nation and Tribal Chiefs gathered today in Musqueam Territory (Vancouver) and Mohawk Territory (Montreal), to sign a new continent-wide Indigenous Treaty — the Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion — that commits already some 50 First Nations and Tribes from all over Canada and the Northern US to working together to stop all proposed tar sands pipeline, tanker and rail projects in their respective territorial lands and waters. The First Nations and Tribes are committed to stopping all five current tar sands pipeline and tanker project proposals (Kinder Morgan, Energy East, Line 3, Northern Gateway and Keystone XL) as well as tar sands rail projects such as the Chaleur Terminals Inc. export project at the Port of Belledune in New Brunswick. “What this...
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Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Letter of Support for Standing Rock
Seskehko:wa/September 6, 2016 Open Letter to the Standing Rock Sioux, On behalf of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, we wish to extend our support and stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota in their opposition of the Dakota Access pipeline. Protecting Mother Earth, our planet’s waters, and the land and inherent rights of our First Nations brothers and sisters is paramount. It is our ethical duty to support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as they stand up for what is right and what their ancestors fought for. Plans to construct the pipeline on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s ancestral territory, subjecting their source of water to potential contamination, along with a myriad of other concerns, is not only irresponsible but...
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Six Nations paid $16 million to keep itself out of debt
Six Nations Band Council is made up of one full time Chief and 12 part-time councillors. Councillors are elected in six districts, two to a district for a population of 24,000. Totals- Elected Chief & Councillor honoraria $501,723 • Travel expenses $98,400 • Travel honorarium- $33,450 • Life and Health $22,635 Chief and Band Council costs have increased by $22,687 to $633,839 making them the second most expensive council in the past decade. Elected Chief Ava Hill is now the second most expensive band chief at $100,325 . The highest costing council was in 2009-2010 fiscal year when costs hit $660,682. The Six Nations Band Council chief salary does not include dollars for speaking engagements or honoraria earned attending outside meetings including the annual Ontario First Nations Partnership Ltd., annual meeting....
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MCK sends letter to Indigenous Affairs denouncing Mikinak of Beauharnois & Confederation of Aboriginal People of Canada
PRESS RELEASE: Wednedsay July 13, 2016 KAHNAWA’KE-The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke wishes to inform the community that a letter has been sent to the Ministers of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Justice Canada in regards to a group of people referring to themselves as the ‘Mikinak of Beauharnois,’ who have proclaimed to be a territorial First Nation. The group appears to be closely aligned with the ‘Confederation of Aboriginal People of Canada’ spearheaded by Guillaume Carle. The purpose of the letter is to officially convey Kahnawà:ke’s condemnation of this unrecognized group and their claims over traditional Mohawk Territory, and to request that Canada intervene and quash the fraudulent misrepresentations being made by this group and immediately cease any engagement with these types of illegitimate groups. A similar letter...
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NDP house leader laments ‘agents of chaos’ in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian said there’s more work his party wants to get done in the House of Commons before the next election, despite how chaotic the first weeks of the fall sitting have been. But if other parties make that work impossible, it could factor into the NDP’s voting decisions, he said Friday. In just three weeks, two Conservative non-confidence motions have failed to bring down the Liberal government — but the Opposition promises more to come. The New Democrats have said they will decide how to vote on those motions on a case-by-case basis based on what they believe is in the best interests of Canadians. “We think all parliamentarians should be stepping up at this difficult time so that Canadians get the benefit of support from...
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