A look at the life of a career public servant
By Kira Wronska Dorward, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Born in Naujaat in 1950, Jack Anawak can recall when Inuit were still in the hunting and gathering stage of our life. There were no houses, he said – just the church and Hudson’s Bay Company, which only sold supplies to the then-community of 200. “Everyone else who was in Naujaat were in igloo sod-huts or tents in the summertime,” he said. “They only survived by hunting and so we were like that until the (federal) government came along in 1963 and built what were called ‘matchboxes’.” Those matchboxes, as Anawak describes them, measured 16 ft. x 24 ft. “That was the first time that Inuit in Naujaat moved into houses,” he said. “Most of the people at the time...
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Prince George woman up for sentencing in child pornography case
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A provincial court judge in Prince George reserved decision Thursday, Feb. 13 on sentencing a woman who pleaded guilty to child pornography and sexual crimes. The Crown prosecutor said B.A. 36, should be sentenced to eight to 10 years in jail, while her defence lawyer said she should serve the sentence in the community for two years and be placed on probation for three years. Due to an existing publication ban to protect the identity of the victim and the Crown’s pending application to the court to anonymize the guilty person, The Citizen has chosen to use only her initials. B.A. pleaded guilty in November 2023 to possession of child pornography, making or publishing child pornography, importing/distributing child pornography, sexual...
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Leak of containment pond at site of Yukon mine disaster impacting creek: officials
By Ashley Joannou -CP-Officials in Yukon say they believe about 19 million litres of cyanide-contaminated water leaked from a containment pond at the site of a mining disaster last year before the problem was spotted and the water diluted. Erin Dowd, director of technical services for the Mines Ministry, told a technical briefing Tuesday that there is no timeline for when the pond at the Eagle Gold mine site north of Whitehorse could be repaired. She said crews on the ground have to wait for the pond to be drained and ice removed before any repairs can happen, and in the meantime the receiver in charge of managing the site has begun constructing an interception system in the area to collect groundwater, should that be necessary. “There’s a strong incentive...
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Judge rules RCMP remarks racist, but B.C. pipeline protesters’ convictions will stand
By Darryl Greer -CP-A B.C. Supreme Court judge has found members of the RCMP made “grossly offensive, racist and dehumanizing” remarks about Indigenous women who were arrested in 2021 during a blockade of Coastal GasLink pipeline construction. Justice Michael Tammen said in a ruling delivered in Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday that his findings of state misconduct don’t warrant a stay of proceedings against the women, but they and another protester will get a reduction in their sentences for criminal contempt as an “appropriate” remedy. Tammen said audio recordings captured police laughing and comparing the women protesters to “orcs,” monstrous characters from “The Lord of the Rings.” He said the racist comments breached the Charter rights of Wet’suwet’en hereditary Chief Sleydo’ Molly Wickham and Shaylynn Sampson who were arrested by the...
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Manhunt continues for suspect in First Nation stabbings in Saskatchewan
-CP-RCMP say they’ve laid charges but have not found a man they believe stabbed people at three different homes on a northern Saskatchewan First Nation. Mounties say Ryan Lachance faces aggravated assault, robbery and other charges in the stabbings last week on Big River First Nation. They say officers continue to search for the 29-year-old, believed to be driving a stolen black Kia Optima with Saskatchewan licence plate 649 NPP. Mounties say his whereabouts are unknown and he is considered armed and dangerous. Aggravated assault charges have also been laid against 25-year-old Jacky Lachance, who was stabbed in the third home but is now a suspect in the first two stabbings. He was arrested upon release from hospital and has made his first court appearance. This report by The Canadian...
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Inuit call on PM to step in as child funding program approaches March end date
By Nick Murray -CP-The head of Canada’s national Inuit organization is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step in to save a program that helps fund services for Inuit kids. In a letter sent to Trudeau last week, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed called on the prime minister to “clearly signal” his “government’s commitment” to continue funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative (ICFI), which is set to end on March 31. “We are alarmed by the growing likelihood of an abrupt curtailing of funding for the program and the consequences this will have for our families and communities,” Obed wrote on Feb. 12. “lf program funding is not renewed, many families will again be left vulnerable to the systemic racial discrimination that characterizes health and education service...
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Not planning to wrest control of land, just to ensure it’s protected: CPAWS
By Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A Manitoba First Nation chief wants to “set the record straight,” as concerns mount over a plan that would see more land environmentally protected in Manitoba and he’s also accusing the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) of spreading “misinformation” about the plan. “We have been clear from the beginning: this is not about restricting access,” Fisher River Cree Nation (FRCN) Chief David Crate said in a letter that was sent to The Winnipeg Sun. “Our intent has always been to work with our neighbours, including hunters, anglers, farmers, and cottagers, to determine the best way to sustain this region for the benefit of all.” The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) has been hosting engagement sessions in several communities in the Interlake recently, as...
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Native American activist released from prison will be welcomed to North Dakota home
BELCOURT, N.D. (AP) — Supporters of Native American activist Leonard Peltier plan to welcome him back to his North Dakota community on Wednesday, a day after his release from a Florida prison where he had been serving a life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents. Peltier, 80, is expected to join family and supporters at an events center in Belcourt, a small town just south of the Canadian border on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians’ reservation. “We’re so excited for this moment,” Jenipher Jones, one of Peltier’s attorneys said soon before his release. “He is in good spirits. He has the soul of a warrior.” Then-President Joe Biden commuted Peltier’s life sentence to home confinement, leading to his release Tuesday from the Coleman penitentiary. Peltier...
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Keeping up in a fast-paced world
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News IQALUIT-It’s easy for an Elder to be left behind in today’s fast-paced world. Paul Kaludjak, 70, of Rankin Inlet, who now resides in Iqaluit, said he may be an Elder, but he’s still learning. The former president of both the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. said you’re always learning on new technology and you have to take the time to try and understand it. “Today’s society with its almost constant new technology challenges the Elders more,” said Kaludjak. “One of the challenges with technology up here in Nunavut for Elders is more of a language barrier than anything else. “That can be hard for a lot of Elders. That’s why they don’t even try.” Kaludjak said respect for Elders...
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CAF discrimination settlement was ‘a slap in the face,’ says former soldie
By Catherine Morrison -CP-A former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who has been involved in a discrimination class action for eight years says the settlement isn’t enough to compensate for the trauma he and others experienced. The class action was launched on behalf of current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who suffered racial discrimination or harassment in connection with their military service at any time since April 17, 1985. The settlement is worth up to $150 million, and individual payments will range from a base of $5,000 up to $35,000 for class action members who provide a “narrative of their experience.” Documents filed with the Federal Court in June 2024 suggest about 45,000 people could be eligible for the settlement. The claims period is expected...
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Haida celebrate title agreement, Trudeau emotional at ceremony
By Brenna Owen -CP-With tears streaming down his face, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a gathering of Haida Nation leaders and community members that he couldn’t think of a better place to make one of his final trips as Canada’s leader. Federal and Haida leaders signed a historic agreement Monday recognizing Aboriginal title over the archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northern coast. “Haida Gwaii belongs to you, the Haida people,” Trudeau said, as the crowd cheered, clapped and rose to its feet. “This is only the beginning of a new chapter,” he said, between the Haida Nation and the Canadian government. Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, president of the Council of the Haida Nation, told the official ceremony that the agreement was the culmination of “well over 100 years of...
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American Indian Country responds to Trump
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa It’s been a busy month for President Trump. From directing the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and waging war on paper straws to raving about turning the Gaza strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, the antics of the Trump administration have been nothing short of unravelling. While 51 per cent Native Americans voted for Trump, according to a poll released by Native News Online, many nations have sent letters to the President in response to the recent political developments. Birthright citizenship Trump floated an executive order to curtail birthright citizenship in the U.S. The executive order has been blocked by four federal court judges and will likely end up in front of the Supreme Court. It was...
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Singh says pipelines would not be first priority for NDP energy policy
By David Baxter -CP-NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he sees an east-west clean electricity network as his first priority for expanding the Canadian energy market — not new pipelines. W hile Singh isn’t shutting the door entirely to pipelines, he says pipeline projects must be accepted by the communities through which they’re routed, must not hurt the environment, must provide good jobs and must meet Indigenous consultation requirements. “We’re open to projects if they meet those criteria. The project I’m really excited about is an east-west energy grid, but we’re open to other projects as well,” Singh said. Most Canadian energy exports now go to the United States, which is threatening Canada with a barrage of tariffs on all exports, including a 10 per cent levy on energy products like...
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Haida celebrate title agreement, Trudeau emotional at ceremony
By Brenna Owen -CP-With tears streaming down his face, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a gathering of Haida Nation leaders and community members that he couldn’t think of a better place to make one of his final trips as Canada’s leader. Federal and Haida leaders signed a historic agreement Monday recognizing Aboriginal title over the archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northern coast. “Haida Gwaii belongs to you, the Haida people,” Trudeau said, as the crowd cheered, clapped and rose to its feet. “This is only the beginning of a new chapter,” he said, between the Haida Nation and the Canadian government. Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, president of the Council of the Haida Nation, told the official ceremony that the agreement was the culmination of “well over 100 years of...
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‘One heart, one body, one spirit’
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Nearly 200 people gathered in the U̓ll̓us Community Centre in Mount Currie on Feb. 4 to celebrate a night of historic firsts for the Lil’wat Nation and the Invictus Games. It was the first stop on a four-day trip for 15 Invictus athletes and representatives from the four Host Nations. The expedition carried the Invictus flag through the Lil’wat, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations, culminating in the flag’s arrival in Vancouver at the Games’ opening ceremony on Feb. 8. It’s the first time Invictus is hosting winter sports, recognizing veterans’ healing occurs year-round. And the expedition itself is considered a shared journey of healing between servicemembers and members of the Nation. It’s a close collaboration that signifies an unprecedented central role for...
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Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money
By Collin Binkley WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is giving America’s schools and universities two weeks to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal money, raising the stakes in the president’s fight against “wokeness” and sowing confusion as schools scramble to comply. In a memo Friday, the Education Department gave an ultimatum to stop using “racial preferences” as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring or other areas. Schools are being given 14 days to end any practice that treats students or workers differently because of their race. The sweeping demand could upend education in myriad ways. The memo targets college admissions offices, ordering an end to personal essays or writing prompts that can be used to predict an applicant’s race. It forbids dorms or graduation events for students...
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OPP Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement Squad seek help locating federal offender
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a federal offender wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. Joshua Gray is described as a 44-year-old white man, five feet and 10 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. According to the OPP’s Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (R.O.P.E.) Squad, he is currently serving a six-year, nine-month, and nine-day sentence for multiple offenses, including armed robbery, drug trafficking, and disguise with intent. Police say Gray has several tattoos, including an owl and words on his left arm, a cross, a Joker skull, a skull on his upper right arm, and the word “Believe” on his right forearm. Authorities say Gray is known to frequent London, Sarnia, and Toronto. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is...
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Leonard Peltier to be released from prison following sentence commutation in FBI killings
By Graham Lee Brewer AP-Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier is set to be released from a Florida prison Tuesday based on former President Joe Biden having commuted his life sentence for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents, a decision that elated Peltier’s supporters while angering law enforcement officials who believe in his guilt. For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized systemic injustice for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters. “He represents every person who’s been roughed up by a cop, profiled, had their children harassed at school,” said Nick Estes, a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who...
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Water supply a consideration if Iqaluit is to host military base, mayor says
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Hosting a military base could put demands on Iqaluit’s water system, says Mayor Solomon Awa. But, the idea also presents an economic opportunity. “There’s a question of do we have enough water?” Awa said in an interview, a day after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced his party would build CFB Iqaluit if his party wins the next federal election. But having an adequate water supply is one of the considerations the city would have to face, Iqaluit’s mayor said. “If not, we’re going to have to ask [for] more funding to create more water for the city.” Iqaluit’s long-term water supply and distribution upgrades, to which the federal government contributed $214 million in 2022, is one of the city’s major ongoing...
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Haida celebrate title agreement, Trudeau emotional at ceremony
By Brenna Owen -CP-With tears streaming down his face, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a gathering of Haida Nation leaders and community members that he couldn’t think of a better place to make one of his final trips as Canada’s leader. Federal and Haida leaders signed a historic agreement Monday recognizing Aboriginal title over the archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northern coast. “Haida Gwaii belongs to you, the Haida people,” Trudeau said, as the crowd cheered, clapped and rose to its feet. “This is only the beginning of a new chapter,” he said, between the Haida Nation and the Canadian government. Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, president of the Council of the Haida Nation, told the official ceremony that the agreement was the culmination of “well over 100 years of...
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