Celebrating 155 years of Six Nations Fair
If its fall it’s Six Nations Fall Fair time By Austin Evans Writer Raptors, the Rhyno, and a baby kangaroo – the 155th Six Nations Fall Fair had it all! From September 6 to 8, the community centre was home to carnival rides, wrestling matches, live music and more as part of the Fall Fair. Leslie McDougall has been the President of the Six Nations Agricultural Society Fair for two years and has been a lifelong attendee. McDougall and the new fair board worked to make the Fall Fair bigger and better by including a wide range of events. “Fair [starts the] changing of the seasons, and for us it’s a good time because we’re trying to change,” she said. “We’re trying to bring the community back together. We’re trying...
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Former Six Nations principal named in child pornography case
By Austin Evans Writer Two weeks after announcing an unnamed community member was arrested on child pornography charges, Six Nations Police have confirmed his identity. Police Chief Darren Montour confirmed Chester Gibson was the man charged on August 28 with possession of child pornography. Gibson is a former principal of J.C. Hill Elementary and Jamieson Elementary schools. The announcement on August 28 said no further information will be released due to a publication ban imposed by the courts. Police Chief Montour said the ban was in place to protect the witnesses, victims and minors involved and did not extend to Gibson. He claimed Gibson was not named at first in case he was connected to anyone involved in the case. “We weren’t sure if there was any link to any...
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Feds giving $100k to NOTL Museum for enhanced history education
By Richard Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter As the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum treads along the path of its $10-million expansion plans, the federal government has pledged $100,000 to aid in its growth. Niagara MPs Vance Badeway and Chris Bittle, for Niagara Centre and St. Catharines, respectivley, made the announcement Sept. 3 on the front yard of the historical repository, with museum staff and board members, municipal officers and members of the public in attendance. This is part of the federal government’s plan to allot $1.3 million total to regional organizations through its Tourism Growth Program. The money will be used to create the new exhibits, says curator Sarah Kaufman, with an added goal of enhancing Indigenous and Black history education in the region so, “we can better tell these under-told stories...
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Six Nations man featured in RBC film promoting business careers to Indigenous youth
A Six Nations community member will be featured in a promotional film to encourage Indigenous youth to advance their careers in business. Travis Shand, from Corus Entertainment came to Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC). General Council meeting on August 27th seeking permission to film on behalf of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). “It focuses on telling the stories of Indigenous employees at RBC, this employee is located on Six Nations,’ Shand said. The video will feature Chad Garlow, Senior Manager of the Indigenous Development Program (RBC). Shand and his team plan to visit Garlow’s home on Six Nations on September 9th in the morning to interview him, get some footage around his home and in the afternoon as well as September 10, get some shots of him in and around...
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Manitoba Grand Chief Cathy Merrick to lie in state after sudden death
Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will lie in state at the provincial legislature following her sudden death. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew made the announcement during a news conference Saturday where the province’s Indigenous leaders paid tribute to the late leader. Merrick was outside the Winnipeg Law Courts building on Friday talking to reporters about two court cases when she said she felt dizzy and fell to the ground. Fire and paramedic crews arrived, performed chest compressions and carried Merrick away on a stretcher to an ambulance, but she did not survive. Premier Kinew says the decision to have Merrick lie in state at the legislature was made in consultation with her family as well as the leadership of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, where Merrick was a...
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Waterloo airport seeking Indigenous artists for new murals
By Austin Evans Writer The Waterloo Region International Airport (YKF) wants Indigenous artists to submit proposals for its new murals. YKF will add three murals to greet passengers going through its Domestic Arrivals Building. The murals are joined by pieces from the Dibaajimowin: Stories from this Land exhibit formerly on display at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. Dibaajimowin highlighted the Indigenous contributions to the history of Turtle Island which are often overlooked in favour of settler narratives. “The public art call is meant to compliment the exhibit, they’re both part of an initiative to increase visibility in Indigenous pride at the airport,” said Waterloo Director of Cultural Services Julian Kingston. Nearly half a million people go through the airport each year according to Kingston. “There’s a good opportunity for...
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Six Nations Police advising drivers to watch for students
By Austin Evans Writer As another school year begins, the Six Nations Police advise the community to drive safe. Six Nations Police has increased the officers on patrol to monitor traffic during school hours in school zones and the village of Ohsweken. Additionally, school bus drivers have been asked to get the license plates of cars which ignore their stop signs. Any drivers who fail to stop for a school bus face a minimum $490 fine and six demerit points for a first offence. Police Chief Darren Montour said Six Nations Police will continue their heightened traffic monitoring for the first two weeks of the school year. After two weeks, Six Nations Police will release a report on how many traffic stops and charges they made. Speeding in school zones...
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Talks will be needed
No one wants to see Six Nations massive billion-dollar land claim lawsuit resolved more than the municipalities surrounding the community. Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis recently jumped on the get the Six Nations land rights mire resolved bandwagon noting the claim value could hit billions of dollars and has “merit” Six Nations massive land grant, was negotiated in perpetuity but over the years Six Nations lands have been improperly sold, leased or given away by various Canadian governments, leaving only 5 per cent of the original lands under Six Nations control. Mayor Davis says it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only resolve injustices but to ease tensions along the Grand River lands. Brantford and communities abutting Six Nations are feeling the tension more than cities of Toronto or...
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Spring rains destroyed white corn harvest Oneida Farmers working to adapt
The Associated Press This spring, a torrent of rain sent a river rushing over a field on the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin, destroying most of what was in its path, including the traditionally important crop of white corn. Families tried planting a second time, but it was too wet; many seeds dissolved in the water-soaked soil. The corn that did sprout was patchy and stunted. It looked “anemic,” said Lea Zeise, one of the coordinators of Ohe·láku, a non-profit that works with the families planting crops. “Really skinny and really frail.” A few members picked what remained at the end of August in its early form, known as green corn, but it was barely enough to go around. There will be none of their white corn in the annual food...
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Chiefs rally from three-goal deficit to register Game 3 victory in Mann Cup series
By Sam Laskaris Writer Things were not looking good for the Six Nations Chiefs early on Monday night. The Chiefs found themselves trailing 5-2 early in the second period of Game 3 of the best-of-seven Mann Cup championship series. The Six Nations squad, however, managed to keep the Victoria Shamrocks off the scoreboard for the remainder of the match while scoring five unanswered goals themselves. And with their 7-5 victory, in the contest held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, the Chiefs now lead the national Senior A championship final 2-1. The series resumes Tuesday night at 8 p.m. All of this year’s matches are being staged at the ILA, the Chiefs’ home rink. Six Nations had a rough start on Monday night. The Chiefs found themselves down 4-2 after 20...
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Longboat-coached Badgers will host November’s Baggataway Cup
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Brock University Badgers came up a bit short in their season-opening match. The Badgers were edged 11-10 by the host University of Guelph Gryphons. But Vince Longboat, the Six Nations member who is once again serving as the head coach of the St. Catharines-based men’s field lacrosse team, is not overly upset with that loss. That’s because Longboat realizes no matter how his club fares during its regular season action it will still have an opportunity to capture a national title. The Badgers will host this year’s Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) championships. As the host, Brock receives an automatic entry into that tournament, which is called the Baggataway Cup and runs from Nov. 1-3. The CUFLA’s moniker is a bit misleading. That’s because...
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Four Six Nations members crack opening-night roster for Hagersville Hawks
By Sam Laskaris Writer There will now be twice as much Six Nations representation on the Hagersville Hawks than there was last season. That’s because the Hawks, a Junior C club that competes in the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PHJL), have four local players that have made the team’s roster. Hagersville’s Six Nations contingent includes defenceman Damon Decaire and forward John Hill. Both Decaire and Hill also were members of the Hawks’ last season. Meanwhile, a pair of other forwards from Six Nations, right winger Averee Sault and left winger Dreyden Cruz-General, have also cracked the Hawks’ lineup this season. The Hagersville squad will commence its 2024-25 regular season this Friday with a road contest against the Dunnville Mudcats. This game, which will be held at the Dunnville Memorial Arena,...
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Statement by the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to mark 9/11 and the National Day of Service
September 11, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement to mark the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the National Day of Service: “Twenty-three years ago, the world watched in horror as the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United States unfolded. The images of this unthinkable tragedy remain etched in our memory. “Today, we remember the lives of the nearly 3,000 people who were mercilessly killed, including 24 Canadians. We stand with those whose loved ones were taken away from them too soon, the thousands who were injured, and all those still living with the trauma. We also pay tribute to the first responders and community members who risked their lives to help others. “Here in Canada, today also marks the...
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One jellyfish arrived in B.C. decades ago. Thousands of clones spread to 34 waterways
The Canadian Press Some time more than 30 years ago, a single Chinese peach blossom jellyfish made its way into a lake in British Columbia. Exactly how it arrived is not clear, researchers say — perhaps it was in aquarium water — but decades later, thousands of genetic clones of the same organism have been spotted in 34 waterways around the province. Scientists are now trying to understand the impact of the gelatinous invaders, that are about the size of a quarter. Evgeny Pakhomov, a University of British Columbia biological oceanographer studying the phenomenon, said in an interview that the actual numbers of the jellyfish were unknown, but sightings could increase rapidly in coming years due to a warming climate. “This species actually thrives in the water which is more...
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In 2020, New Brunswick police fatally shot two Indigenous people, prompting protests
The Canadian Press The recent fatal shooting of an Indigenous man by a New Brunswick Mountie offers a chilling reminder of two separate incidents in 2020 when police officers in the province fatally shot Indigenous people in distress. On the night of June 12, 2020, RCMP officers in eastern New Brunswick responded to a complaint about an “unwanted person” at a home near Metepenagiag. At the time, the Mounties said the man was carrying knives and there were several failed bids to subdue him with a stun gun. That’s when 48-year-old Rodney Levi was fatally shot by an officer. Police were told Levi was attending a barbecue, where he had planned to seek guidance from a church minister. He was described as a troubled man with mental health challenges. On...
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Animated film has world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival
By Sam Laskaris Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Some complementary exchanges with an award-winning writer several years ago has paid off for Métis filmmaker Amanda Strong. Strong’s latest work, titled Inkwo for When the Starving Return, had its world premiere at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). TIFF began on Sept. 5 and continues until Sept. 15. Strong’s film is an animated adaption from Richard Van Camp’s short story Wheetago War, which was published in 2015 in his short story collection called Night Moves. Van Camp, the author of 28 books, is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene from Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories. “We were kind of just fans of each other’s work,” Strong said of Van Camp. “This is probably 7-8 years ago. I think he was emailing me about...
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N.B. Liberal leader says death of Indigenous man during wellness check ‘inexplicable’
The Canadian Press A New Brunswick First Nation is calling for a “thorough investigation” after an RCMP officer fatally shot an Indigenous man during a recent wellness check. The RCMP confirmed two officers were dispatched Sunday to the Elsipogtog First Nation where they confronted an armed man in mental distress in his home. The Mounties say the man refused to drop his weapon and would not co-operate with the officers. The Serious Incident Response Team, which is investigating the shooting, said one of the officers used a stun gun to subdue the man, but that didn’t work. The second officer shot him with his gun, killing him, the agency said. Ni’kmaq Notji Apogenmoet, a local Indigenous group that helps with wellness checks on the Elsipogtog First Nation, identified the victim...
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Montreal mayor faces criticism for blocking comments on social media accounts
The Canadian Press Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s decision to restrict access to her social media accounts is facing pushback over concerns it could stifle criticism. Aref Salem, leader of the city’s official Opposition, says Plante and her party, Projet Montréal, are limiting Montrealers’ freedom of expression by blocking comments on social media platforms X and Instagram. “This is not the way of democracy,” he said in an interview Tuesday. “This is really unethical, even, to not let the population of Montreal interact with the mayor.” Salem says social media is one of the only ways for citizens to interact with Plante. Residents can voice their concerns in person during a question period at city council meetings, but they have only 90 seconds to ask their question. “Having a social media...
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Incumbent Fred Daniels to seek re-election as mayor of Fort Smith
By Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Fred Daniels says he will run for a second term as mayor of Fort Smith in this fall’s municipal election. Nominations for mayor and council opened earlier this week with a September 23 deadline. The Northwest Territories communities of Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Norman Wells and Inuvik are all preparing for elections on October 21. Daniels, who has been Fort Smith’s mayor for the past three years, said he wants a second term so he can push forward infrastructure projects that are either longstanding or were delayed as a result of last year’s wildfires. At the moment, he said, the town has not budgeted for beautification, which he hopes to incorporate as a theme once some existing projects are completed. “Right...
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