“Squatters’ village” on Six Nations lands ordered to leave
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations continues to work toward evicting squatters from the “Glebe Lands”. Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill gave Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) an update on the initiative at the General Council meeting on November 14. Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill visited the Glebe Lands on November 9 with Councillor Greg Frazer, Erin Hill a social navigator for the Six Nations Police, two uniformed Six Nations Police constables and two Brantford Police Service cruisers standing by to offer assistance. She said while she was there, they found seven people living in campers, tent areas that appeared to be used, but no one was there at the time, a “hole” that people were also living in. Two people identified as First Nations and one identified as a Six Nations band...
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Letters: Six Nations Cannabis Commission addresses cannabis handed out at parade
The Six Nations Cannabis Commission – Santa Claus Parade Incident Ohsweken, November 20, 2023 – The Six Nations Cannabis Commission (SNCC) would like to address the recent unfortunate incident that occurred during the Santa Claus Parade, Saturday November 18, 2023. It has come to our attention that an unlicensed dispensary in the community participated in the Parade – a child focused event. This float had children or youth dressed in Dalmatian outfits and was allegedly handing out cannabis products as the parade proceeded down its route. The optics of having children associated with a Cannabis float in a Santa Claus parade generates a misconception of the relationship between children and Cannabis. Which is completely sending the wrong message! It is disheartening that this float also won first place when there...
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Drinking water loss is on SNEC’s shoulders
They aren’t on the list. They missed the deadline to apply. They made no attempt to answer the Chiefs of Ontario over a year ago when they repeatedly contacted Six Nations to be part of what would become an $8 billion drinking water settlement. Now, Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) needs to explain how it messed up and hiding behind the parameters that now make up the successful lawsuit is not an excuse. Had Six Nations been involved in the initial planning, as they were asked to be more than a year ago, the lawsuit would have included water issues that continue to plaque the community. The $8 billion drinking water settlement was a win for those that signed up and even Six Nation own lawyer has now told them...
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SNEC issues community warning…HCCC meets with CBSA
By Lynda Powless Editor SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER TERRITORY- The Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council’s (HCCC) representatives, including Royanni, met with members of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in a four hour meeting Nov., 15, 2023, in continued discussions on Haudenosaunee border rights that have been ongoing for more than four decades. The meeting, that took place within the Haudenosaunee territory, but outside of the Six Nations Reserve proper, included among others, representatives from Crown relations, CBSA and Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada in continued discussions on border rights, Haudenosaunee passports and identity cards and how the internationally imposed border affects Haudenosaunee people and in particular Haudenosaunee families. The meeting is one in a series the HCCC has had on border and Haudenosaunee rights since Cayuga Royanni Deskaheh...
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Montour returns to the Panthers’ lineup
By Sam Laskaris Writer He’s back. Six Nations’ Brandon Montour has rejoined the Florida Panthers’ lineup. Montour, a defenceman who enjoyed a career season with the Panthers during the 2022-23 campaign, missed the first 16 games with the Florida squad this year. That’s because he was recuperating from off-season shoulder surgery. Montour was activated off the Panthers’ injured reserve list on Nov. 17. Later that day he played in Florida’s 2-1 road victory against the Anaheim Ducks. Montour was also in the Panthers’ lineup in their 5-3 home triumph versus the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Montour was held pointless in both of these outi ings. But he saw plenty of action in the two games. He logged more than 24 minutes against the Ducks and then played more than 23...
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Jacko re-elected to Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors
By Sam Laskaris Writer Hockey Canada will continue to have some Indigenous representation on its Board of Directors. Marion Jacko, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, had been appointed to the interim board of the national organization last December. After serving an 11-month term, Jacko was re-elected to the board this past Saturday. She will now serve a two-year term. Jacko was also serving as the president of the Little Native Hockey League, more commonly known as the Little NHL, when she was named to Hockey Canada’s board last December. Since her Hockey Canada commitments prevented her from having any decision-making capacities with another hockey organization, Jacko had to take a leave of absence from serving with the Little NHL executive last year. After her re-election to...
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First Nation in B.C. to host pair of Junior A hockey games
By Sam Laskaris Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Windspeaker.com QUESNEL, B.C. – Junior A hockey is coming back to the British Columbia city of Quesnel. And that’s due in large part because of representatives from the Lhtako Dene Nation, which is located within Quesnel’s city limits. The First Nation has teamed up with the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for this year’s Road Show event, which will be staged Nov. 24 through Nov. 26 in Quesnel. The last team to play out of the city was the Quesnel Millionaires, which operated as a BCHL franchise during the 2010-11 season. The club was sold in May of 2011 and relocated to Chilliwack. The squad continues to operate as the Chilliwack Chiefs. For the Road Show, Cowichan Valley Capitals and the Victoria Grizzlies,...
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Six Nations Band Council sworn in at first meeting
Six Nations Elected Chief lists her priorities, new council meets By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – One day after being sworn in at chambers, Elected Chief Sherry-Lyn Hill announced her “vision, priorities and plan” for the community. At a press conference on Wednesday morning (November 8), Elected Chief Sherry-Lyn Hill announced health, unity, youth empowerment, education, and environmental stewardship along with housing, water, and economic development are the main priorities for the community. She did not comment on what the new council’s priorities were. She said strengthening the community is her foremost priority. She said doing this will require “fostering better communication, nurturing our culture and ensuring that the needs of every member are met.” In her speech, she called on community members and the media to...
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Six Nations Elected councillors get indepth orientation
Six Nations 59th Elected Council (SNEC) members, both veterans and newly elected councillors along with the elected chief are spending 15 days in an indepth orientation process. The new council was sworn in at a special council meeting in the council chambers on November 7th by Hilary Visheau, Commissioner for Taking Oaths. Sherri-Lyn Hill, a former councillor, has taken the helm of SNEC as the new Elected Chief. There are now 12 councillors with Helen Miller, Greg Frazer, Hazel Johnson, Audrey Powless-Bomberry, Kerry Bomberry and Melba Thomas returning for another four-year term. Newly elected councillors this term include Cynthia Jamieson, Alaina VanEvery, Dayle Bomberry, Amos Key, Carole Greene and Dean Hill. Each took an oath to “faithfully perform [their] duties, carry out [their] responsibilities, promote the welfare of the people, safeguard...
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Six Nations Election code committee expands its mandate
SIx Nations Elected Council (SNEC) heard a plea from its current 2023 Election Code Committee saying they wanted to continue on despite the election code work completion. Committee chair Audrey Hill said they wanted to expand their role to cover the Integrity Commission. Hill told council while their work was complete they felt three people, including herself and member Sharon Martin, should continue to stay on and take over the implementation of an Integrity Commission. After each election the Chief Electoral Polling Officer (CEPO), as part of the duties of the office, organizes and oversees appointments to an Integrity Commission for the term of the council elected. The commission is only called on when a complaint against a council member is launched. The volunteer election code committee’s work ended a...
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Six Nations students making strides in education
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) calls itself an advocacy organization for member nations, but Six Nations is wary of how it handles funds meant for communities. Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill asked for volunteers to accompany her to the AFN’s Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa next month. AFN will host elections for national chief at the meeting from Dec.5 to 7 in Ottawa, Hill is working to create a document with information about candidates for councillors to give attendees guidance, but councillor Cynthia Jamieson asked why Six Nations sends representatives if it is critical of the organization’s efficacy and asked if SNEC had a position on its affiliation. “It seems like all they do is gather the chiefs and sort of say, ‘OK, I’m the National Chief and here’s all...
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New SN council making drinking water settlement priority
The massive billion dollar First Nations drinking water settlement is one of the 59th Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) first priorities. Councillor Hazel Johnson brought up the issue at the Special Council meeting on November 7 and asked if the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) could advocate for Six Nations. Rod Whitlow, Environment officer announced Six Nations will not be added to the list of approved communities to access the $8 billion settlement from the Canadian government on September 26, and now the newly elected council will need to decide if they work toward having the community added, or launching a new class action lawsuit. Nathan Wright, CEO said Six Nations doesn’t totally fit the parameters of the class action lawsuit because about 70 per cent of the reserve relies...
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SNEC told squatters on Glebe Lands get eviction notices
Six Nations served eviction notices to squatters on the Glebe Lands. As one of his last acts as Elected Chief, Mark Hill, councillor Greg Frazer, Six Nations Police, Trevor Bomberry Executive Director of Nation Building, media and SNEC’s communications team converged on the site to serve 1- to 12 eviction notices to people who has set up temporary homes on the Glebe Lands, which stretch from Glenwood Drive, behind Pauline Johnson Collegiate Vocational School to the Grand River. “As you know there have been allegations of human trafficking, drug and alcohol abuse, there have been a couple fires, trailers actually caught fire, there was an explosion in one. There’s been various criminality allegations,” he said. Frazer gave a verbal report to SNEC on November 7 at the 59th council’s first...
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Six Nations Elected Council charges granting firefighters’ right to unionize breaches SNEC’s “sovereignty”
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – In their final written submission to Canada’s Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), Six Nations’s Elected Band Council (SNEC) called on the Canadian Constitution to deny Six Nations firefighters the right to unionize. The CIRB is an independent federal tribunal who supports the firefighters rights to unionize. SNEC claims by upholding the firefighters’ labour code rights, the board would violate SNEC’s claimed right to sovereignty in place of the federal and provincial crowns. In June, Six Nations Firefighters and Captain applied and was approved by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union to join. However, they are facing another battle. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) continues to challenge their right to unionize on reserve. If victorious, the firefighters and captains would...
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Six Nations gets new Fire Chief after Russell Taylor fired
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services (SNFES) department has a new leader but a bid to unionize is still going ahead. Turtle Island News has learned the controversial former Fire Chief Ashley Russell-Taylor has been fired and Six Nations newly minted Deputy Fire Chief Micheal Seth has taken the helm as Six Nations Fire Chief. While there has been no formal announcement Turtle Island News learned the former fire chief was dismissed just as a new band council was taking hold. Deputy Fire Chief Seth took over his position last week after having just returned home from serving at a number of fire services across the country. Seth has worked at Thorold Fire & Emergency Services, Brant County Fire & Emergency Services, and most...
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The AFN…time to fix or let it go?
A sort of newbie elected council is in place at Six Nations just as the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is about to launch its elections for a new National Chief. Grinning from ear to ear Six Nations new Elected Chief announced she would be attending but not without questions from her council on who Six Nations will be supporting and her first lesson in consulting with them and a reminder, the only voice she has is theirs. But back to the AFN elections, a time of not just electing a national leader but trying to save an organization almost torn apart in a fight with its previous leader. The December 6 Special Chiefs Assembly in Ottawa has six potential contenders for the job. A job that became vacant after...
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Six Nations development arm says latest project will bring $37 million to community over 22 years
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC) latest battery storage project promises to bring $1.7 M annually and is on its way to become the country’s largest. Known as the Hagersville Battery Project, the storage facility will be built on about 15 acres of land at the Hagersville Business Park, on what was once a WWII training site. The facility is scheduled to open in May 2025. SNGRDC CEO and presdent Matt Jamieson, recently hosted both an in person session later posted on line. The session was held at SNGRDC Chiefswood Road office. The battery storage facility will house what Jamieson described as a “field full of battery packs” branched together. The battery storage system harnesses energy from different power sources including...
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TTC bus and streetcar wraps celebrate Indigenous athletes in collaboration with Toronto Raptors
TORONTO- Indigenous athletes are now being featured on eight TTC buses and street cars on various routes throughout the city. TTC and Toronto Raptors are joining together to launch the new initiative that began Nov. 13th. Eight TTC buses and five streetcars are covered with wraps celebrating the contributions of eight Indigenous athletes. In a press release, the TTC said the collaboration with the Toronto Raptors is meant to enhance public awareness of Indigenous athletes in Canadian history. According to the press release the athletes are also being featured on posters in TTC stations and onboard vehicles. “The TTC is proud to partner with the Toronto Raptors in telling the national story of Indigenous athletes and their contributions to sport. Giving prominence to Indigenous athletes and educating the public with...
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