Hamilton changes site trucking waste stop after MOE says no
By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON – Ontario’s ministry of environment has pulled the brakes on 8,000 cubic metres or 16,000 tons of Chedoke Creek waste enroute to a local suburban landfill site in Hamilton. About one month ago, in a message posted on their website the city announced the clean-up was complete. “The in-water targeted dredging activities are completed, concluding the four-month effort to remove sediment from the bottom of Chedoke Creek.” It was a job that came with a $10.4 million price tag. “We’re running around 32 trucks a day of dried material as we’re able to,” Nick Winters, the city’s director of water told city council on November 21. About 2 weeks ago, the province stepped in warning that the planned dumping site, the GFL landfill in Stoney...
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Six Nations Elected Council confused on fire truck costs
SNEC NEEDS FIRE TRUCK COSTS EXPLAINED Six Nations Fire Department continues to work toward purchasing a ‘new’ fire truck, but by the time they receive it, it will already be two years old. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) deferred a motion to approve the truck at its General Council meeting on December 12, despite the motion being labelled “time sensitive.” Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill said they needed to “clarify the numbers.” The deferred motion stated the invoices for the Four-door Extreme Tactical Sawtooth was $182,287 with a total cost of $366,574 coming from Minor Capital funds of 2021-2021 and 2022-2023. Councillor Kerry Bomberry pointed out that by the time the fire department receives the truck it will already be two years old, but they will pay the sticker price of...
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Feds pushing First Nations to sell their land to developers for housing
Conservative Members of Parliament (MP) are pushing Indigenous communities toward selling land to developers for housing instead of funding community builds. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) was told Conservative MP’s are pushing “assimilation” at the General Council meeting on December 12. Councillor Helen Miller gave a report on a lobbying trip she took to Ottawa on December 4 as part of delegation through the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Committee on Housing and Infrastructure. “It was quite the event with them. They were attacking us, you know,” she said. “They kept saying, ‘we’ve got to worry about everybody in Canada, not just you. We’ve got to worry about housing for everybody.’” They were there to meet with six MP’s to try to secure more funding for Indigenous communities to meet...
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Hydro One told to work out kink before SNEC approves plan
Hydro One needs to prepare accurate information before asking Six Nations for permission to work on the territory. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is asking Hydro One to bring more specific information to them after a presentation by Chris Grol, Indigenous Relations Coordinator didn’t have the information necessary at the General Council meeting on December 12. Grol came to SNEC asking for two band council resolutions to allow Hydro One to complete two projects. One was a customer request on Seneca Road to upgrade the power supply to their residence, which would require Hydro One to install a new, larger, hydro pole. He said that may require clearing more of the area around the pole. The other request was unclear, but required two new, upgraded hydro poles to supply more...
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SNEC to mark phase two of development
Six Nations will pause its orientation to celebrate the Onondaga Buildings with the community. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) was invited to the celebration of the new buildings on Harold Road and despite having scheduled orientations decided at the Political Liaison Committee meeting on December 11 that they would take a break to have the entire council attend. “It is actually a pretty big deal,” Councillor Greg Frazer said. “They do a lot of work we don’t have to cover in terms of cost for Habitat for Humanity. I think it’s good to show an appearance.” The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Six Nations Community Hall on December 19. The event boasts that it will “honour the hard work, dedication, and the community engagement...
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Woman who lured doulas with pregnancy claim pleads guilty
BRANTFORD / SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – The Brantford woman who confessed to staging pregnancies plead guilty to over 20 charges involving doulas across the province. On March 13, Kaitlyn Braun, who is 25 years old, was arrested and accused of misleading a number of doulas with claims of pregnancy and miscarriage from June 2022 to February 2023. The identity of the doulas has been blocked by a publication ban. At a Brantford court on Thursday (Dec. 7) Braun pleaded guilty to 21 of 52 charges of fraud, indecent acts, false pretenses and mischief. Among the charges Braun pleaded guilty to was a charge of mischief for falsely misleading the Brantford police in February, by accusing another person of the crimes. Doulas are professionals hired to provide support to...
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Entrepreneurs and artists bedazzled at GRETI’s annual Christmas Night Market in Ohsweken
Photos by Lisa Iesse SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Entrepreneurs and artists bedazzled at GRETI’s annual Christmas Night Market in Ohsweken. The market took place on Thursday (Dec. 7) at the Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT) centre on 16 Sunrise Court Tawnie Johnson, who is GREAT’s special projects coordinator, told Turtle Island News this was the third year of the annual event. The market featured about 14 outstanding vendors from Six Nations and surrounding areas, explained Johnson. “It’s really about giving local entrepreneurs a place to showcase their crafts,” she said. The market happens only once a year and it began about three years ago, said Johnson. “It first started to help entrepreneurs, the goal was to help some of the entrepreneurs from Six Nations have an avenue...
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Wishing you the season’s happiest
The holidays are upon us. And it couldn’t come at a more needed time. For some of us personally, including myself, we have seen loss this year that touches us deeply and the holiday spirit of giving, sharing and family love couldn’t come at a better time. It’s a holiday, one of two Christian holidays, that have become universally celebrated, one for Jesus birth and the other his crucifixion, with Christmas growing more to become more broad based as a celebration of winter itself and a weirdly dressed man in a red suit with a beard sliding down chimneys than the other where you may take your kids to an Easter egg hunt or stage one yourself but that doesn’t connect you to its religious roots. Christmas is different. In...
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Six Nations’ athletic headline makers in 2023
By Sam Laskaris Writer Local sports fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate during the past 12 months. That’s because Six Nations athletes and teams had their share of successes. The Turtle Island News will now look back at some of these athletic headline makers. Part one of this remembrance with five of those who achieved greatness is below. And part two of the series will be published next week. SIX NATIONS CHIEFS The Chiefs, members of Major Series Lacrosse, managed to end a seven-year drought when they captured the national Mann Cup in September. After being crowned Ontario champions, the Chiefs travelled to British Columbia to square off against the host New Westminster Salmonbellies in a best-of-seven series to determine who would be dubbed the best Senior A men’s...
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Mixed weekend results for Six Nations’ Arena Lacrosse League entrants
By Sam Laskaris Writer The three Six Nations-based men’s teams in the Arena Lacrosse League all have different records now following action this past weekend. The Paris RiverWolves, one of three clubs that play their home contests at Six Nations’ Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA), are now sporting a 2-0 mark following a 14-12 victory versus the defending league champion Toronto Monarchs on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Ohsweken Bears saw their record fall to 1-1 when they were beaten 12-10 by the Whitby Steelhawks in a match staged at Children’s Arena in Oshawa on Saturday. And the Six Nations Snipers are now winless in two starts as they were downed 14-9 by the Brampton Express on Friday. That game was held at the Brampton Memorial Arena. RiverWolves’ coach Jamie Dubrick was...
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Traffic Affected- Truck slips into ditch at Six Nations
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND- Six Nations Police and public works crews were busy this morning when a truck slipped off Fifth Line at Chiefswood Road partially into the ditch. The incidet was still underway at 11:00 a.m. today ( Tuesday Dec., 19) with crews working to right the vehicle. (Photo by Jim c. Powless)...
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Dundas man charged after weapon fired outside Six Nations business
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND- A Dundas man is facing firearm and drug charges after Six Nations Police responded to a call a man was firing a weapon at a Fourth Line Road business Dec., 17th . Six Nations Police said they received information a patron at a local business was firing a weapon into the air Dec., 17th at about 11:10 p.m Police attended the scene and found the suspect vehicle still on scene. Police approached the vehicle, issuing commands for the male party to surrender to police. The man complied without incident and was placed under arrest. No injuries have been reported to police as a result of the weapon being fired. As a result of the investigation, Artur Ivashinnikov, 31, of Dundas, Ontario was arrested and charged...
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AFN gets new National Chief
AFN National Chief faces the media By Lynda Powless Editor The newly elected Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief, Cindy Woodhouse, is bringing a change to the national office pledging to work with chiefs across the country and to move forward on outstanding issues. Woodhouse, in her first press conference shortly after being elected last Thursday (Dec., 7), spoke about unity and working with chiefs and said she isn’t running a large band office. “I don’t want a big band office. I want a strong advocacy office to make sure their voices are heard around the country. I will try to help them on day to day issues.” She said she is there to help the chiefs. “I am not going to say I will solve everything in three...
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New AFN National Chief pledges to work for unity
By Lisa Iesse Writer Newly elected Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse pledges to bring change and gave a shout out to a long line of trail blazers including former national chief RoseAnne Archibald. After the announcement of National Chief Woodhouse’s victory, she took part in an oath of office ceremony at the AFN gathering. The election took place Wednesday to Thursday (Dec. 6 to 7) at the Shaw Centre, in the unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation territories (Ottawa). In her opening speech the newly elected national chief said it was important the assembly acknowledge the traditional territories. “I know (the oath) says Ottawa Ontario and there’s many things that need to be fixed within this assembly. Including acknowledge our traditional territories when we write documents like that, that...
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Jordan scheduling directive enacted in Brantford
By Lisa Iesse Writer BRANTFORD – Brantford’s courts are enacting a scheduling directive to get the ball rolling on a backlog of cases, but some Indigenous advocates worry how this will affect the community. The province-wide “Jordan Compliant” scheduling directive came into effect in the Brantford courts on Nov. 20th. Justice Gethin Edward, heard cases in what has become the “Jordan Court” at the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) at 44 Queen Street in Brantford He told Turtle Island News he thinks the Jordan scheduling directive should help the accused as well as complainants to have their legal matters addressed more quickly. “An accused is entitled to have his or her issue resolved as quickly as possible. It does no one any good that cases drag on,” he said. Justice...
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Six Nations in surplus now but headed to deficit at year end
Despite a plethora of funding agreements complicating the budget Six Nations is operating in a surplus. Jennifer Court, director of financial planning and analysis presented the second quarter financial statement to Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) at the General Finance committee meeting on December 4. The second quarter ended on September 30, 2023. SNEC’s 2024 budget is $150.6 million with a budgeted deficit of $11 million before either the Ontario First Nation Partnership (OFNLP) or Brantford Casino dollars kicks in. Court said with those funds factored in the budget looks more like $156.2 million with a $2 million deficit. Court said despite some departments like health services, which has a budget of $46.9 million which looks like it’s operating at a deficit of $883,000, they are using surplus and own...
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Six Nations Elected Council fails to respond to Iroquois Lodge: Inspection report allegations of sexual assault and patient care
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has not responded to Turtle Island News requests for comment on an Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care report revealing issues of care and an assault at the Iroquois Lodge and Nursing Home. An Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care report surfaced with allegations of a staff member sexually abusing a resident at the Iroquois Lodge and Nursing Home (ILNH) and said Six Nations Police were never notified. Six Nations Police Chief Darren Montour has confirmed the police department was not alerted to the assault. The report says the lodge also failed to provide proper care to at least two other residents resulting in infectious wounds and hospitalization in one case. Turtle Island News has learned SNEC did discuss the news article and report...
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Six Nations is reaping the reward from a deal made with a developer in 2016
By Turtle Island News Staff Lonny Bomberry, director of Lands and Resources told Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) they made a deal with McClung Properties Limited in 2016 to transfer three parcels of land to Six Nations in exchange for not interfering with a housing development built in Seneca Township in Caledonia. “Because of the political situation at the time with stoppage of developments in caledonia, particularly on the south side of the Grand River, we impressed upon McClung that they should come to some accommodation on the north side of the river,” he said. McClung offered Six Nations 200 acres of prime agricultural land in Oneida Township. The agreement was that once 200 homes were completed SNEC would receive 75 acres, which it did in 2018. The second transfer...
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A very Merry Indigenous arts Market
Photos by Christopher Tellez KITCHENER – Artists from across Turtle Island ignited the spirit of the season at Kitchener’s city hall for the annual very merry Indigenous art market. A harvest of beautiful handmade artworks greeted streams of admirers and shoppers and included intricately crafted beadworks, dreamcatchers, and moccasins wowed attendees alongside gorgeous ribbon skirts, paintings, prints, etchings, sculptures, and carvings on wood and stone Event organizer Alanah Astehtsi Otsistóhkwa (Morningstar) Jewell is a contemporary artist who is Bear Clan from the Oneida Nation of the Thames. Jewell told Turtle Island News the market that began in 2018 included 35 to 70 artist vendors. “It’s a really good time to be together and to work towards arts and creation and to see familiar faces from our community,” she said. The...
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