NYFW showcase pays tribute to Joel Good, an ‘outstanding light’ of Snuneymuxw FirstNation
By Julie Chadwick and Cara McKenna Local Journalism Initiative A showcase by the Snuneymuxw family design house Ay Lelum at New York Fashion Week paid tribute to their relative W. Joel Good ts’usqinuxun after the artist passed away suddenly. The show on Sept. 7 opened with an onstage screen that played a video of Good working on a carving with guidance from his father. “I’m old school,” he said as he carefully sanded and shaped the wood. “Sometimes I end up designing some of the pieces or sometimes he does a design, and then if he’s already done a design I’ll just jump in and help where I can.” As the video faded out, the sound of soft Coast Salish music by his sisters filled the room as models began...
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K’ómoks First Nation and CVRD stand against ‘comedy’ troupe
By Madeline Dunnett Local Journalism Initiative K’ómoks First Nation said in a Sept. 4 news release that the nation is against a performance coming to the Comox Valley by “comedy” group The Danger Cats. The group is reportedly known to have ties to the far-right extremist group Diagalon and is performing in a secret location in the Comox Valley on Sept. 26 — four days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The press release outlines how the group has historically mocked the women murdered by Robert Pickton and shares comedy that perpetuates harmful stereotypes. The nation stated that the timing of this event — four days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — is an insult to the purpose of the memorial day. “By attempting to...
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B.C. signs national pharmacare deal with Ottawa, promises to expand drug coverage
The Canadian Press 12/09/2024 16:55 British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to sign a pharmacare agreement with the federal government that would help the province fund hormone replacement therapy and diabetes expenses. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland says B.C.’s portion of the $1.5-billion national plan is estimated to be $195 million, and under the memorandum of understanding funding could begin by April once the legislation makes it through the senate. The coverage was to be for birth control and diabetes drugs and supplies, but B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says oral contraceptives are already covered under a provincial program, so that share will be used to cover hormone therapy for women. Dix says about 150,000 British Columbians get diabetes medications and it’s estimated covering hormone replacement therapy...
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First Nations woman on winning team for latest season of The Amazing Race Canada
By Crystal St. Pierre/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter An Indigenous woman is on the winning team for this year’s series The Amazing Race Canada. Taylor McPherson, a member of Miawpukek First Nation in Newfoundland and Labrador, and her teammate Katie Mulkay crossed the finish line first in the final episode of the series aired on Sept. 10. McPherson and Mulkay, who are both 24, became the second female team to win The Amazing Race Canada. The final race of the 10th season showed a very excited McPherson and Mulkay take top spot in in the final leg of the season. The race wrapped up in their hometown of Edmonton, Alta. “I mean honestly, being on our home turf in Edmonton we were excited, nervous, feeling like we’re ready to puke knowing...
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Vigil held for late grand chief
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A candlelight vigil was held Tuesday evening to commemorate the late Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, who died suddenly on Friday. The vigil took place at Brandon’s Riverbank Discovery Centre at sunset, as dignitaries and community members gathered to mark her passing. The event included drumming and a smudging ceremony. “She inspired people. Everybody,” said Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “She did really want the best for the people she was leading.” Fawcett described Merrick as charismatic and great at uniting people. “She had the ability to make everyone comfortable,” he said. “Her humour was contagious. She really was of the people. She could walk with anybody and talk with anybody.” Lola Thunderchild, a friend and former colleague of...
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Alberta First Nation suing federal government over right to clean drinking water
The Canadian Press 12/09/2024 An Alberta First Nation has revived a lawsuit it launched 10 years ago in an effort to get the federal government to recognize its human right to clean, safe water. The Ermineskin Cree Nation says Ottawa’s proposed legislation on First Nations drinking water fails to recognize that people on reserves have the same right to trust what comes out of their tap as every Canadian. “People can’t even bathe in it,” Chief Joel Mykat said in an interview. “We have tried to work with Canada over the past decade but things have only gotten worse … Bill C-61 fails to recognize that we have (the) right to safe drinking water.” Band member Carol Wildcat said she spends about $200 a month on bottled water but still...
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Indigenous-led non-profit look to Icelandic model to prevent and reduce youth substance use in Port Alberni
By Nora O’Mally /Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Port Alberni, BC – The Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Society has embarked on the arduous journey of youth substance use prevention by turning to an upstream initiative called the Icelandic Prevention Model. The Icelandic Prevention Model is being used in hundreds of municipalities and communities around the world. The model is a community-based, bottom-up approach designed to deter adolescent substance use by focusing on holistic community building and long-term progress rather than standard short-term solutions. In the 1990s, Iceland ranked comparatively high amongst other European countries when it came to youth alcohol, tobacco and drug use. By pioneering and widely implementing the long-term, community-based prevention method, the country dramatically reduced substance use amongst Icelandic youth over the last 20 plus years. “We are using...
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“Reservation Dogs” star Woon-A-Tai looks to inspire Indigenous actors with Emmys win
The Canadian Press 12/09/2024 11:30 Toronto actor D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai knows winning an Emmy won’t solve the systemic problems within Indigenous communities, but he still believes it could spark something meaningful: nuanced representation and a sense of possibility. “I don’t know what an Emmy Award will really do for stopping issues that we face on a daily basis,” the 22-year-old says on a call from Curve Lake First Nation in Ontario, where he’s visiting friends. “It just gives us hope. It gives hope to a kid on a reservation that they could also be on that stage and do it too, and they can.” Woon-A-Tai is competing for best lead actor in a comedy series for his role in FX’s “Reservation Dogs,” which streams on Disney Plus in Canada. He stars...
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The Amazon’s Ashaninka tribe restored their territory. Now they aim to change the region
The Associated Press 12/09/2024 11:13 APIWTXA VILLAGE, Brazil (AP) — It was just before dawn when the Ashaninka people, wearing long, tunic-like dresses, began singing traditional songs while playing drums and other instruments. The music drifted through Apiwtxa village, which had welcomed guests from Indigenous communities in Brazil and neighboring Peru, some having traveled three days. As the sun rose, they moved beneath the shadow of a huge mango tree. The dancing, which would last until the following morning, marked the end of the annual celebration recognizing the Ashaninka territory along the winding Amonia River in the western Amazon. The multi-day, nearly around-the-clock festivities included the ritual of drinking ayahuasca, the sacred psychedelic brew, archery tournaments, climbing towering acai palm trees and face-painting with red dye. What was once a...
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Manitoba grand chief’s death marked with ceremonies, mourners attend legislature
Canadian Press Grand Chief Cathy Merrick was remembered Wednesday as a leader who combined strength with compassion and who never stopped fighting to better people’s lives. Hundreds of people went to the Manitoba legislature where Merrick, the first woman to head the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, was given the honour of lying in state — the first such occasion in Manitoba since 2013. “She cared for everyone. It doesn’t matter what status you have in life, you mattered to her,” said Grand Chief Garrison Settee of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 26 northern First Nations communities. “People gravitated to her and felt supported by her,” said Chief David Monias of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Merrick’s home community. “She wasn’t there to put anybody down … she was there to be sure...
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Mounties say there’s no evidence Lytton, B.C., wildfire was arson, cause unknown
The Canadian Press Mounties in British Columbia say there’s no evidence that the devastating fire that swept through the community of Lytton more than three years ago was arson. Police have concluded their investigation into the June 2021 wildfire, saying they can’t pinpoint the cause of the blaze that killed two people and wiped out much of the village and part of the First Nation, a day after a Canadian temperature record of 49.6 C was set in Lytton. A statement from the RCMP says there is “no evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set by the actions, or inactions, of any individual(s)” and the criminal investigation “has not determined the cause of the fire.” Police say they reviewed the weather conditions around the time, exhaustively searched two...
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Together Whitehorse group announces slate for city election
By Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Together Whitehorse has announced a slate of candidates for the upcoming Whitehorse elections. The slate includes artist Dan Bushnell, comedian Jenny Hamilton, local business developer Jason Wilneff, and cannabis retailer Daniel Schneider. Bushnell is running for mayor and announced his bid at the beginning of September. Hamilton, Wilneff and Schneider are running for council: their candidacy was announced on Sept. 10, 2024 in a press release emailed to the Yukon News. The slate’s priorities are listed as community safety, fiscal responsibility and collaboration with territorial and First Nations governments. According to the Together Whitehorse website, the slate wants to expand the role of community safety officers and address the root causes of crime by working with addiction treatment and mental healthcare providers, as...
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Six Nations Chiefs made it 8! Chiefs win second consecutive Mann Cup title!
The Six Nations Chiefs won their eight Mann Cup championship in franchise history on Wednesday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. (Photo by Sam Laskaris). By Sam Laskaris Writer The Mann Cup is staying in Six Nations for at least another year. That’s right. The Six Nations Chiefs won their second consecutive national Senior A championship on Wednesday having now won the national title eight times in their franchise history. The Chiefs downed the visiting Victoria Shamrocks from British Columbia 13-9 in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). With that victory the Six Nations club won its best-of-seven Canadian championship series in five games. The Chiefs had won their 2023 title in B.C., downing the host New Westminster Salmonbellies, also in five games last September....
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Mi’kmaq death: First Nation wants Indigenous representation on N.B. police watchdog
The Canadian Press 11/09/2024 16:44 Interactions between Indigenous people and law enforcement “too frequently” end in violence or death, say the six chiefs of the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick in reaction to the recent killing of a Mi’kmaq man by a Mountie conducting a wellness check. In a statement issued Wednesday, the chiefs said they were also joining Mi’kmaq chiefs in calling for an inquiry into systemic racism within the province’s justice system. The death of Steve “Iggy” Dedam is the result of systemic racism, Chief Ross Perley of the Tobique First Nation, which is part of the Wolastoqey Nation, said in an interview Wednesday. Perley noted that two Indigenous people were killed by New Brunswick police in 2020 — 48-year-old Rodney Levi and 26-year-old Chantel Moore. “It’s unacceptable...
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Manitoba grand chief’s death marked with ceremonies, mourners attend legislature
Canadian Press WINNIPEG – Family members, community leaders and dignitaries were on hand to pay tribute to Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, who died last Friday. Merrick’s casket was brought in to the legislature for a closed-door ceremony Wednesday (Sept, 11 2024) morning, and she will lie in state this afternoon to allow the public to pay their respects. As RCMP and members of the Winnipeg Police Service carried the casket into the legislature, family members, Premier Wab Kinew and others followed behind in a solemn procession. Her death was marked by a vigil outside the Winnipeg courthouse earlier, and a sunrise ceremony. Merrick collapsed while talking to reporters last Friday and was rushed to hospital. She became the first woman to head the Assembly of...
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Woman facing impaired driver charges
OHSWEKEN, ON- Six Nations Police have charged an Ohsweken resident with impaired driving offences after a complaint was received from the public. The charges stem from an incident last month when Six Nations Police received a complaint about a possible impaired driver Friday, August 16, 2024, at a 2:25 a.m.. Police patrolled the area where they found a vehicle matching the description provided heading along Fourth Line Road. Police conducted a traffic stop to check the sobriety of the lone female driver. Police said signs of impairment were observed. As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged, Robyn Green, 32, of Ohsweken with the following criminal offences: – Impaired Operation – Alcohol per se Offence “80 plus” The vehicle was towed and placed on a 7-day hold. The...
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Arrest made in death of man whose body was found four years ago: police
The Canadian Press Ontario Provincial police say they’ve made an arrest in the death of a man whose body was found two days after he was reported missing four years ago. Police say 29-year-old David Oliver was reported missing by his family in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation July 31, 2020. Officers with the Lambton County OPP helped the Anishinabek Police Service in their search for Oliver. His body and his red Dodge Ram pickup were found on a former army base in Lambton Shores two days later on Aug., 2, 2020 Police say an investigation deemed Oliver’s death a homicide. OPP said a 20-year-old man from London, Ont., was arrested and charged on Tuesday with second-degree murder and indignity to a body in the case. The accused can’t be...
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Province has ‘unclean hands’ in title talks, says Indigenous nation
By John Chilibeck Local Journalism Initiative Reporter New Brunswick faces another lawsuit – the fourth – from an Indigenous group claiming territory as its own, this time from the Peskotomuhkati in the southwestern corner of the province. The representatives of the Indigenous people who live in the area that includes St. Stephen and Saint Andrews – also known as the Passamaquoddy – filed notice at the Saint John Court of King’s Bench on June 13 that it wants the provincial government to begin negotiating in good faith for its claim of Aboriginal title. The court application states that the province’s “denial of negotiations indicates that it arrives in court with unclean hands.” Unlike the lawsuits filed by eight Mi’gmaq First Nations along the eastern coast this year, the Wolastoqey Nation...
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“It was really beautiful,”: Eskasoni residents learn to pick sweetgrass and embrace tradition
By Megan Dewar Local Journalism Initiative Reporter On August 26th, Eksasoni residents had the opportunity to learn the proper methods of picking sweetgrass during an event hosted by band councillor, Starr Paul. Eskasoni youth, Eliza Gus Gould took advantage of the opportunity and took her younger sister and grandmother with her. “I’ve always heard that people will go pick some sweetgrass and that’s something I never really experienced. So, I signed up to go and also signed up my little sister and her friend and our cousin, because they never really experienced it either,” Gus Gould explained. “I’m a beader, I’m pretty crafty, so it was really good that instead of spending so much money on sweetgrass, someone was able to teach me how to pick it and do it correctly....
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Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick calls for Indigenous representation in SIRT
The six chiefs of New Brunswick’s Wolastoqey Nation are calling for an inquiry into the recent fatal shooting of an Indigenous man by a Mountie conducting a wellness check. The chiefs issued a statement today saying they have joined with Mi’kmaq chiefs in calling for an inquiry into systemic racism within the justice system. The Wolastoqey chiefs say they are concerned that interactions between Indigenous people and law enforcement “too frequently” end in violence or death, noting the fatal police shootings of 48-year-old Rodney Levi and 26-year-old Chantel Moore in 2020. They are calling for Indigenous representation on the independent police oversight agency known as the Serious Incident Response Team, which is investigating the latest shooting. They are also asking for transparency in the process, which they say must include...
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