Six Nations Own Source Revenues continue to prop up band
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has finally released its 2022-2023 audit and while it shows an increase in government funding revenues of $17,000,000 over 2022 there is a huge increase of almost $50,000,000 in deferred revenues and own source revenues is bailing out what would have been a $3 million deficit. The band has $109,932,845 in what is called deferred revenues, dollars yet to come in or slated for projects yet to be undertaken or unfinished. At the same time, the band has only total cash of $89,421,201 leaving own source revenues to continue to prop up a positive financial picture. The band spent a total of $121,838,367 on expenses ranging from administrative costs, salary and benefits, utilities, equipment and repairs and other expenses. GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FUNDS...
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Six Nations Elected Council gets raise, but smaller council costs hit $834,022
Six Nations Elected Council costs soared to $834,022 last year after coming out of COVID-19 and despite little or no travel. Six Nations Band Council is made up of one full time Chief and 9 part-time councillors. Councillors are elected at large. Council and Chief received a raise included in the costs that totaled $147,608 that represents retroactive payment for the prior year. Currently honoraria /salary alone for the Elected Chief is $101,745 yearly ($1,956 weekly) compared to a base honoraria in 2021-2022 of $76,500 ($1,471 weekly) . That’s an increase of $58,153 and for councillors honoraria is now $54,796 ($1053.76 weekly) compared to $41,200 in 2021-2022. That’s a $13,596 raise. Six Nations Elected Council is also a smaller council now with only nine councillors and a chief compared to...
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Debate hits record numbers as some topics turn fiery
By Turtle Island News staff Six Nations third annual Six Nations Band Council Chiefs’ Debate was abuzz with community members questioning the candidates seeking seats on elected council. Elected Chief candidates, Councillor Sherri-lyn Hill-Pierce and former elected Chief Steve Williams sat side by side in a debate, while mostly cordial, was marked at times by fiery points of contention in front of an in-person audience of over 200 and more than 1000 tuning in to the live and recorded livestream posted on Turtle Island News Youtube. The night was hosted by local media Turtle Island News, editor Lynda Powless and David Moses, CKRZ TV/radio broadcaster together with Thru the Red Door. As the clock ticked over two hours, candidates dove headfirst into the deep waters of the debate answering audience...
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Over 30 running for Mississaugas of Credit First Nation Council
By Lisa Iesse Writer MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT FIRST NATION – Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) will see seven chief candidates on their next election ballot, and over 30 councillor candidates. The nomination results were released on Saturday (Oct 28) in a media statement announced by Veronica McLeod, who is MCFN’s Electoral Officer. MCFN posted the nomination results on their facebook page. The election is scheduled to take place on December 9, from 9 am to 8 pm at the MCFN Community Centre. As stated on their website, MCFN has about 2,570 members with approximately two thirds of the community living outside the official MCFN reserve boundary. Giima Stacey Laforme announced over the summer he would no longer be running for elected chief. Giima Laforme entered the leadership...
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Two killed in head on crash near Caledonia
HALDIMAND COUNTY – Six Nations is mourning the loss of a community member and a woman with ties to the community after a two car collission killed both in fiery crash. The two people were killed in a two-vehicle head-on collision south of Caledonia, on Fourth Line near Highway 6 at about 10 p.m. Sunday, Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said Monday (Oct 30). OPP and emergency crews arrived on the scene and found a pickup truck on fire and a sedan in the ditch, OPP said. A 51-year-old from Ohsweken and a 36-year-old from Hagersville, the only people in the vehicles, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names have not been released pending notification to next of kin. The crash is under investigation. OPP said the collision,...
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Deciding a future
Six Nations is headed to the polls this week in one of its’ most unusual band elections. It began with the appointment by the band’s CEO Darren Jamieson of a new election officer. Unfortunately, try as she might, the new elections officer resigned under a deluge of criticism and threats. She was replaced with a new electoral polling officer who caught in the middle of someone else’s planning decided to go with the flow but decided against online voting this year. That’s right you have to show up in person to vote. Normally during election time sitting politicians respect the voter’s right to decide and stay out of the politics, that is unless they are seeking re-election. Not so at Six Nations. And surprisingly so. The soon to be former...
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Indigenous group wants Buffy Sainte-Marie to lose 2018 Juno over ancestry doubts
A group of Indigenous women is calling for Buffy Sainte-Marie to lose her Juno Award for Indigenous album of the year, after a CBC story raised doubts about the singer’s ancestry. “We invite the Juno Awards Committee to revisit this 2018 category and explore ways of righting a past wrong. All Indigenous artists in this 2018 category … should be reconsidered for this rightful honour,” the Indigenous Women’s Collective said in a statement late Sunday, The Indigenous Women’s Collective, which describes itself as a group of mothers, grandmothers, academics and activists advocating to stop colonial violence against Indigenous women, said it reviewed CBC’s story and watched “The Fifth Estate” piece, released on Friday. It said it believes Sainte-Marie deceived the public about her origin as an “Indigenous Scoop survivor.” It...
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Metis presidents urge standing committee to pass Bill C 53 without amendments
By Shari Narine Local Journalism Initiaive Reporter It’s not at this stage in the process that Canada should weigh in, the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs was told Oct. 26. It was holding its first hearing on Bill C-53, legislation that recognizes certain Metis governments in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan. The time to weigh in will come when treaties from the legislation are being negotiated and that’s when other Indigenous people will be consulted, said Michelle LeClair, vice president for the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S). “All three treaties?will be negotiated independently and it’s there, through that process, that duty to consult will be triggered,’’ she said. “But the venue for these concerns is not here. Not regarding Bill C-53. Our legislation doesn’t trigger the duty to consult. It lays...
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Longboat looking to lead Brock Badgers to playoff success
By Sam Laskaris Writer Vince Longboat is hoping a new Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) champion will be crowned this weekend. Longboat, a Six Nations member, is the head coach of St. Catharines-based Brock University Badgers men’s field lacrosse team. He had led the Badgers to the CUFLA crown in 2021, his first year coaching the team. The Badgers are now one of six squads participating in this year’s Baggataway Cup, the CUFLA championship tournament, which begins Friday and continues until Sunday at Trent University in Peterborough. Besides hosting the 2023 tourney, the Trent Excalibur are also the defending CUFLA champions. Longboat and his Badgers will be squaring off against Trent in a quarter-final contest on Friday. The opening faceoff for that contest is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. The...
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Sam Laskaris – BEHIND THE ACTION – TRAVIS LONGBOAT
By Sam Laskaris Writer Ideally Travis Longboat would now be preparing for his second National Lacrosse League (NLL) season with the Albany FireWolves. But instead Longboat, a member of Six Nations, finds that he once again has to prove himself. Many felt that Longboat was well on his way to earning a roster spot with the FireWolves last fall. But as it turned out, he suffered what proved to be a season-ending injury when he tore the ACL in his right knee during an Albany training camp session. The play was an innocent one. Longboat made a turn and another player accidentally fell onto his knee, putting his pro career on hold. Following surgery this past February, Longboat is keen to once again prove to Albany team officials that he...
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Snipers looking to regain championship form in 2024
By Sam Laskaris Writer Darcy Powless is doing his best to get the old gang back together. Or the majority of them at least. Powless is the head coach and general manager of the Six Nations Snipers, one of the eight entrants in the Ontario-based East Division of the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL). The Snipers ended up winning their league championship in 2022. As for last year, the Six Nations squad failed to defend its title, losing in a playoff semi-final match. Powless’ squad, however, had a drastically different look a year ago. That’s because about 15 players who were members of the Snipers’ championship club in 2022 opted to sign with various franchises in the Professional Box Lacrosse Association (PBLA), an American-based, nine-team circuit that launched last year. But...
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Innu hockey player aspires to go pro after earning engineering degree
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter While Mikisiw Awashish continues to make his education plans, the 22-year-old Innu hockey player maintains his boyhood aspirations of becoming a pro player. And, yes, he still is hoping to one day make it to the National Hockey League. Awashish is from Mashteuiatsh, an Innu community near Chicoutimi, Que. He’s a forward with the Montreal-based McGill University Redbirds. Though he’s in his second year with the McGill squad, Awashish is actually in his third year of the school’s civil engineering program. He was able to transfer the credits he earned during his first year of post-secondary studies at Laval University in Quebec City, where he was finishing off his junior hockey career. “I’ve got to admit it’s hard,’’ Awashish said of how he...
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Hamilton TiCats take on Six Nations elementary students…go, go, go….
By Lisa Iesse Writer It was Ticats Day at Six Nations elementary schools last week when the Hamilton Tiger Cats dropped by local elementary schools for a friendly game of football. The Ticats dropped by I.L.Thomas elementary school, Karenni:io/Gawen:yo school and J.C. Hill elementary, Oliver M. Smith and Emily C. General through the week Turtle Island News caught up with the team at JC Hill Elementary where about 100 students greeted the Ticats with a huge “Sge:no!” The crowd full of young players roared with excitement, eager to try some football with the pros. “I’m going to introduce myself and my friends real quick, we play for the Hamilton Tiger Cats,” said Ticats # 98 Dylan Wynn. “My job is to tackle the guy with the football,” he said. But Ticat...
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Six Nations Councillor Michelle Bomberry taking heat for trip
Six Nations Band Councillor Michelle Bomberry is under fire for attending the Jay Treaty Border Alliance when Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) didn’t know who they voted to send. An email to council made waves at its Political Liaison Committee meeting on October 23 questioning Bomberry’s attendance at the The Jay Treaty Border Alliance (JTBA) 2023 Summit October 11 to 13 in Calgary, Alberta, Councillor Sherri Lyn Hill-Peirce went as Elected Chief Mark Hill’s proxy and Bomberry also went. “Council approved us to go,” Bomberry said. “I assumed Mark was coming.” SNEC apparently held an email vote, but the councillors who were going were not listed in the motion. Councillor Hazel Johnson turned it back on Elected Chief Mark Hill. “If the chief was supposed to be there and he...
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Fall festival a hit with community members
By Lisa Iesse Writer – From pumpkin paint-ins to pies-in-the-face, October festivities were in full swing at the Grand River Development Corporation’s (SNGRDC) annual fall festival The festival drew community members of all ages to Chiefswood Park on Saturday (October 21). The smell of yummy warm fall treats like apple fritters and hot apple cider filled the air. There were rides and bouncy castles, and local vendors showcasing beautiful handmade arts and crafts including jewelry, clothing, textiles and woodworks. The event featured a live music performance by local artist James Wilson. Miss Preteen Six Nations Bella Beaver headed her own vendor table offering delicious home-made Halloween themed baked goods and also running a Find-the-Joker fundraiser. She told Turtle Island News she is raising funds to attend the Gathering of Nations....
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Elections and a ghost term
The hijinks have begun. Six Nations of the Grand is in the midst of a band council election. The first in four years and it has been a very long four years. The community chose to stay with the experimental four year term during a recent election code vote and now with an election underway will be voting for a band council that will be in place during what could be a tumultuous coming four years. A period of time when issues that have sidelined will raise their heads, land issues yet to be resolved, relations with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs’ Council non-existant and on the national and provincial scene… invisible. The current council hasn’t exactly been known to be on top of issues and even when Councillor Helen Miller...
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Six Nations: A chance to question the candidates
Turtle Island News is taking this opportunity to invite the Six Nations community, to the third annual (Six Nations Elected Council) “Chiefs’ Debate.” The event will be held Oct 25, 2023 at the Six Nations Community hall from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. allowing for two hours of questions from both a panel of local media and audience members and remaining time for councillor candidates to introduce themselves to the community. The event. that began with the election of former Chief, the late Bill Montour, went on to see the election of former chief Ava Hill and the current Elected chief Mark Hill. Over the three elections it has grown into the election event to be at, or tune into. We are fortunate to have had partners in this adventure, Thru...
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Former Six Nations Fire Chief returns to take on role of Deputy Chief
Six Nations former Fire Chief has returned to the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services (SNFES) taking on the role of Deputy Fire Chief. Former Fire Chief Mike Seth has rejoined the service as Deputy Fire Chief. Deputy Fire Chief Seth, who served as Fire Chief from 2003 to 2015, returned with over 30 years of Fire and Emergency Services experience. He began his new job Monday, October 23, 2023. Deputy Chief Seth said he was happy to come home. “I am excited to come back to the community to continue the progression of fire protection for our community and its visitors,” Deputy Chief Seth said. “I am also happy to bring back some of the positive and negative things that I was lucky enough to learn while working in...
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