Métis Nation British Columbia declines to attend PM’s Bill C-5 summit after ‘disappointing’ observer invite
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca OTTAWA, ONT. — A meeting with the federal government and Métis Nations of Canada did not have representatives from British Columbia at the table. A press release on Wednesday, August 6th from the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) says the Nation decided not to attend the Métis summit on the Building Canada Act with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on Thursday, August 7th. The statement said MNBC was only asked to sit in the meeting as an “online observer,” which it branded a “disappointing step backwards” in the relationship between the Nation and the federal government. MNBC president Walter Mineault, who is from Dawson Creek, said the Nation “has committed to collaborating with Canada to address challenges, seize opportunities and uphold...
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B.C. First Nation wins rights, title along Fraser River’s south arm in Lower Mainland
A Vancouver Island First Nation has won back fishing rights and title for part of the land its ancestors used as a summer home in the Lower Mainland, despite opposition by two other Indigenous communities. A B.C. Supreme Court judge says in a written decision posted Friday that the Cowichan Tribes have established fishing rights on the Fraser River and title to a portion of almost 7 1/2 square kilometres of land they claimed on Lulu Island in Richmond, B.C. The Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations, along with the federal and provincial governments, the City of Richmond and the Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority all opposed the claim during the 513-day trial. Justice Barbara Young ruled that land titles grants issued by the Canadian and B.C. governments to others “are defective and...
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NDP names potential candidate for Kluane
By Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News A former White River First Nation council member is seeking the nomination to run for the Yukon NDP in the upcoming territorial election for the district of Kluane. John VanderMeer’s intention to run for election was announced by the Yukon NDP on Aug. 7 via press release. VanderMeer is a citizen of White River First Nation, and the president of the First Nation’s development corporation Copper Niisüü Limited Partnership. The Partnership recently launched a solar power installation in Beaver Creek, allowing the community to shift from diesel to renewable sources for its electricity. VanderMeer also sits on the Yukon Police Council, per the release. According to the Council’s webpage, the Council liaises between Yukoners, the territorial justice department, and the Yukon...
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Residents in Alaska’s capital city prepare for possible glacial flooding
By Mark Thiessen ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Residents and officials in Alaska’s capital city prepared Friday for the possibility of glacial flooding that in past years has swept away houses, swamped several hundred homes and eroded the river fed by the popular Mendenhall Glacier. The state, federal, city and tribal officials who would run an incident command center during any flooding held a briefing to outline steps and to issue pleas to the public to be prepared. The threat of so-called glacier outburst flooding has become an annual concern in parts of Juneau since 2011. The Mendenhall Glacier — a thinning, retreating glacier that is a major tourist attraction in southeast Alaska — acts as a dam for a basin that fills each spring and summer with rainwater and snowmelt....
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Chiefs heard little or nothing about Bill 5 consultation sessions
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY — Indigenous consultations relating to the controversial Bill 5 were scheduled for Friday in the Lakehead, but who was consulted and where the sessions took place are unclear. Newswatch contacted several First Nations chiefs who said they were not aware of the sessions. Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon and Marten Falls First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum said they were not informed of the consultation sessions. Eabametoong Chief Solomon Atlookan said by text message that he “arrived too late” for the meetings. Aroland, Marten Falls and Eabametoong are all First Nations in or near the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region that the province wants to declare a “special economic zone” under Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy...
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Artist honours rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot at National Mosaic Art Exhibition
By Fatima Raza One artist’s work at a mosaic exhibition in Toronto is honouring a French sexual abuse survivor who galvanized a global movement to better protect women. Valerie Brownell remembers closely following Gisèle Pelicot during the trial in her case. Titled Gisèle and the Unity of Women, Brownell’s piece is on display at the National Mosaic Art Exhibition in the city’s west end. Pelicot, 72, was drugged and raped by her husband, who was found guilty last year of inviting dozens of strangers to also abuse her over nearly a decade. She is lauded globally for her courage in testifying against her abusers, and paving the way for consent to be included in France’s legal definition of rape. “Many women showed their support for her by coming to the...
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Portage la Prairie Prepares for Wildfire Evacuees at Former MDC Site
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader The Manitoba government plans to reopen the former Manitoba Developmental Centre (MDC) site in Portage la Prairie as a temporary shelter for wildfire evacuees starting Friday, August 8. The announcement, made by Mayor Sharilyn Knox, signals the community’s role in addressing the urgent need for accommodations for those displaced by ongoing wildfires across the province. Mayor Knox shared the update via social media, emphasizing that this is a “short-term solution” while the province works to secure more suitable, long-term accommodations. The initiative involves a collaborative partnership between the provincial government, the City of Portage la Prairie, and First Nations leadership, all working to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for the incoming evacuees. “We know the site’s history, and I...
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Mandela, Einstein and ‘Hey Jude’: Larry Audlaluk takes the Proust Questionnaire
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Larry Audlaluk is a person of many titles. Writer, politician, activist, High Arctic’s unofficial ambassador and the “Holy Land’s best-known Inuk” after a 1996 visit to Israel — Audlaluk says he is a different person depending on the topic of conversation. When talking about polar bears, Audlaluk is first and foremost a hunter. When talking about the Middle East, he’s a “worried Canadian.” Most of the time, he is one of the world’s few Inuk philosophers, he says. The 74-year-old Grise Fiord resident, who was relocated to Canada’s northernmost community in 1953 at the age of three, took time to answer the Proust Questionnaire. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I don’t know if there’s such a thing as perfect...
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Open net salmon farm exodus expected in BC, documents reveal
By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Internal documents reveal Ottawa is bracing for major industry players to walk as it phases out open-net pens, leaving closed containment ventures scrambling for salmon eggs. The federal government is preparing for the possible exit of international salmon farm operations on the BC coast following the government’s promise last summer to phase out open-net pen farms by 2029. If big operators like Mowi Canada West, Cermaq and Grieg Seafood leave the province — shuttering broodstock hatcheries in their wake — that could put closed containment salmon farms in a tough position, cut off from their supply of Atlantic salmon eggs, an internal memo obtained by Canada’s National Observer through a federal Access to Information request shows. The three multinational companies...
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Four months for repeat offender who violated driving ban in 2023
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen A 35-year-old man who pleaded guilty July 30 to dangerous driving, driving while prohibited and obstructing a police officer more than two years ago was sentenced to another four months in jail. But a judge in Prince George Provincial Court conceded Michael David Trosky would likely serve less time. Court heard that officers from the Uniformed Gang Enforcement Team apprehended Trosky and two others after an intermittent chase on March 9, 2023. Trosky had been driving a green Audi that the officers noticed near the North Star Hotel. When the vehicle ended up in a snowpack by a gas station and fast food restaurant near the Hart Highway, Trosky and the other two refused orders to exit the vehicle. Officers...
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Carney announces 20% increase in military starting pay
By Kyle Duggan Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government will boost entry-level pay for Canadian Armed Forces privates by 20 per cent for the regular force and 13 per cent for reservists. Other military members will also receive pay raises, with smaller increases for higher ranks — part of a plan to boost recruitment and operational readiness. The federal government says the new compensation package is expected to cost around $2 billion annually and is part of a planned $9.3 billion budget boost this year to get to NATO’s defence spending benchmark target of two per cent of GDP. The government says it’s creating new military allowances and enhancing existing ones to help it retain personnel and drive up recruitment in a competitive job market. Those allowances include $50,000...
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Why National Defence’s Indigenous procurement goal remains out of reach
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Canada’s National Observer The Department of National Defence is far behind its Indigenous procurement target — a result industry insiders say has little to do with a lack of Indigenous suppliers and more with systemic barriers ingrained within the procurement system itself. The department manages billions of dollars in contracts, but reported Indigenous procurement at just 2.5 per cent for the 2023-24 fiscal year, falling far short of the government’s five per cent target due to complex certification requirements, lengthy security clearances and demanding bid processes, Indigenous leaders and procurement experts said. “Indigenous businesses are ready, willing, and able to supply defence projects — which are often located on or near their territories,” said Shannin Metatawabin, CEO of National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association...
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Chief of First Nation in southern Alberta facing sexual assault charges
Police have charged the chief of a First Nation in southern Alberta with two counts of sexual assault. Roy Albert Whitney, the 71-year-old chief of Tsuut’ina Nation, west of Calgary, was arrested Wednesday. Police say a 33-year-old man was assaulted in Edmonton in 1994. They also say a 38-year-old man was assaulted in the city in 2005. Police say the complainants are both from Tsuut’ina and were known to Whitney. Whitney says the allegations are false and he will continue as chief. “I have dedicated my life to serving the Tsuut’ina people with honesty, respect, and commitment. That work will not stop,” he said in a statement Thursday. “I believe in truth and due process, and I will fully co-operate with any lawful proceedings to ensure the facts are made...
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Hot Air Balloon Scam grounds GTA residents in costly hoax
By Brittany Grenci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Auroran What was supposed to be a dreamy sky-high adventure turned into a disappointing lesson for dozens of GTA residents who were tricked into purchasing fake hot air balloon ride tickets promoted on social media. York Regional Police say they’ve received reports from “numerous” victims who were scammed by a company advertising itself as “The Candle Experience 2025.” The company promoted low-cost tickets through online ads—offering hot air balloon reservations for just $45. One victim responded to a social media ad on July 4 and paid online to reserve a ride for July 5. But when they showed up at a park near 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway in Markham, they found a crowd of confused people—none of whom ever left...
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Métis leaders strike note of optimism after meeting with Carney on major projects
By Alessia Passafiume Métis leaders left a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday saying they’re confident they will be included in talks about major projects Ottawa hopes to use to bolster the economy in the face of a trade war with the United States. “When things really matter, Métis governments come together and we get the work done,” said Métis Nation of Ontario president Margaret Froh. “There was a lot of like-minded people around that table today that want to move our Métis governments forward, and Canada forward. It was a great day,” said Métis Nation of Alberta president Andrea Sandmaier. At the start of Thursday’s meeting in Ottawa, Carney called on Métis leaders to help make the economy more resilient in response to an increasingly unsteady trade...
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Ndilo election 2025 Three seeking Chief spot
Ndilo election 2025:Fred Sangris By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North Members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation will head to the polls this month to elect a chief in Ndilo. Advance polls open Aug. 8 and election day is Aug. 18. NNSL Media contacted each candidate with a list of questions. These are Fred Sangris’ responses. 1) What made you decide to seek re-election? I was asked by members of both communities. People visited me and wanted me to run again, so I thought about it and I said “OK.” I’ve got a lot of support yet, so I can probably run for a fourth time. 2) What sort of experience do you bring to the table? I was chief off and on over several years. I’ve...
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Deninu K’ue First Nation finds remains of five children near Fort Resolution
By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North Editor’s note: This story contains references to residential schools that some readers may find disturbing. Deninu K’ue First Nation (DKFN) says its archeological team has located seven unmarked graves, five of which belong to children, at Mission Island as part of an investigation into deaths of children at St. Joseph’s Residential School. “While growing up I heard stories of children who were mistreated at the school — children who got sick and died because of malnutrition or abuse,” Chief Louis Balsillie said on Aug. 7. “We know that during the 1940s, eight children died at the school — seven of them were girls. Statistically, that cannot happen without a cause. What happened to these girls? “Now we are finding children buried...
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JD Vance went kayaking for his birthday. Secret Service had the river level raised
By Julie Carr Smyth COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President JD Vance’s security detail had an Ohio river’s water level raised last weekend to accommodate a kayaking trip he and his family took to celebrate his 41st birthday. The U.S. Secret Service said it requested the increased waterflow for the Little Miami River, first reported by The Guardian, to ensure motorized watercraft and emergency personnel “could operate safely” while protecting the Republican vice president, whose home is in Cincinnati. But critics immediately blasted the action as a sign of the vice president’s entitlement, particularly given the Trump administration’s focus on slashing government spending. Richard W. Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said on X that “it’s outrageous for the Army corps of...
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‘Not meant to be’: Manitoba Museum reflects as Bay charter heads elsewhere
By Tara Deschamps The Manitoba Museum might have one of the largest collections of Hudson’s Bay artifacts, but its CEO isn’t bitter the defunct retailer’s crown jewel isn’t destined for her institution. There will soon be a new home for the 355-year-old royal charter that birthed the Bay, giving it extraordinary control over a vast swath of unceded lands — and enormous influence over settlers’ early relations with Indigenous Peoples. It will wind up at the Canadian Museum of History, pending court approval of a plan to let the Weston family buy the charter and donate it to the Gatineau, Que., organization. “I’m glad that it has ended up at a museum. I think that’s important,” said Dorota Blumczynska, CEO of the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg. “But I’m not going...
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‘I’m getting scared about this’: Iqaluit councillor says he was robbed, threatened
By Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Iqaluit RCMP say they will investigate after a city councillor claimed he was robbed and repeatedly threatened. Coun. Simon Nattaq raised a number of concerns at Tuesday’s city council meeting in response to detachment commander Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski’s presentation of the RCMP’s May and June statistics. “All my guns were stolen, all my rifles have been taken,” Nattaq said, speaking in Inuktitut. “Someone has been threatening, saying that they want to burn my house down, and I’m getting scared about this.” He added: “I know one person who has been threatening me.” Nattaq didn’t say when the incidents happened. He said he wants police to interview him about it. He raised other concerns, including dangerous drivers, as well as the smell...
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