Expanded WALL will include December draft for Ontario squads
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Women’s Arena Lacrosse League (WALL) is getting a makeover. Officials with the WALL, which consists of an Ontario-based East Division and a West Division featuring squads in British Columbia, announced this past Friday that they were restructuring. The WALL’s East Division stages all of its matches at Six Nations’ Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. And all of the West Division matches are contested at the Langley Field House in Langley, a municipality in Metro Vancouver. The WALL changes include a structured draft system for the upcoming 2024 season, which will commence in January. Players will no longer be able to simply sign on with the team of their choice. Each player interested in competing in the WALL this coming season will have to be registered and then...
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Giving back knows no age limit at the Route 54 annual Harvestfest giveaway
“Spreading the love” – Six Nations’ Route 54 holds annual Harvest festival give-away By Lynda Powless Editor The fun was all there. The smiles, the warm welcomes and the laughing thank-you from community members and others who made their way to Route 54’s annual Harvest Festival giveaway Saturday (Sept 30). For the 9th year in a row Route 54 owner Kris Hill and her family and volunteers worked through the heat handing out tons of food to help local families. And it was appreciated. One man from Hamilton got out of his car to thank Kris. “This is just wonderful,” he told her. “You are helping so many people, you are helping me. Everything is so expensive. You are spreading the love. You are spreading the love to the world,” he...
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Six Nations councillor Nathan Wright resigns, takes band’s CEO job
By Lynda Powless Editor SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has confirmed Councillor Nathan Wright has resigned from council to take on the band’s top administrative role of “Acting Chief Executive Officer” (CEO) left vacant with the one year leave of absence by former CEO Darren Jamieson. SNEC approved the hiring in a closed meeting Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 but waited until Friday (Sept., 29th) to announce the new CEO. Wright did not seek re-election in Six Nations current band elections race. In a statement Friday, (Sept., 29th) SNEC said Wright was chosen “after completing a comprehensive selection process.” SNEC did not elaborate on the process or when it took place. In a statement SNEC said “Not only has Wright’s leadership skills shone during his tenure...
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Councillor told lack of information on Brantford development may be due to SNEC Chief’s involvement
“High level” discussions between Elected Chief Mark Hill his advisor and the city of Brantford may be blocking the band’s Consultation and Accommodation Process (CAP) team from land rights discussions. Six Nations wants Brantford to own up to its obligations with respect to development, but there may be too many cooks in the kitchen. The CAP team presented its monthly report at Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) Political Liaison meeting on September 25, but information about development surrounding the community wasn’t enough for SNEC. “I’m seeing like two little paragraphs [about Brantford]. When we go up there, you can see development everywhere you think there would be a lot more consultation,” Councillor Sherri Lyn Hill challenged. But Phil Monture told her,her own Chief may be to blame. The CAP Team’s...
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No guarantee Six Nations residents qualify for $8 billion drinking water settlement
Six Nations says it is working hard to make sure community members can easily qualify for a piece of the $8 billion drinking water settlement from the Canadian government. But there is no guarantee they will qualify. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) asked for an update on the settlement at its General Council meeting on September 26. Rod Whitlow, environment officer, said community members continue to express concerns because Six Nations is not on the list of approved communities. He said Six Nations will not be on the list, but individuals who have their own wells can still apply. “We knew forthright we probably wouldn’t meet the criteria as the boil water advisories have to have been one year and the Village of Ohsweken is piped and distributed through the...
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Veterans won’t have to take down tables and chairs
Six Nations won’t leave its veterans in a lurch this year. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) will look into why those who rent the Community Hall have to set up/tear down their own tables, and make an exception for the veterans. SNEC Councillor Hazel Johnson says The Six Nations Veterans shouldn’t have to set up and tear down tables for their events. She brought the issue to the SNEC Political Liaison meeting on September 25 because she wants Parks and Recreation staff to do it for them, and for everyone who rents the hall. “I recall from last year after the meal. We know those veterans, who were in the wars, they’re quite elderly. They were trying to help dismantle tables and chairs. Why is the duty left to people...
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Area cities mark Orange Shirt Day with variety of celebratrions
By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON / SIX NATIONS – An orange tsunami hit Hamilton’s lakefront and swept the Grand River territories, as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was honoured across the region. In Hamilton, September 30 began with a Sacred Fire Ceremony before the Spirit Vision Singers and dancers ushered in a public art ceremony in honour of Truth and Reconciliation. Over 300 people in orange shirts gathered before five 40-foot panels. Bright rays of sun shone through 10,000 hand-made colourful glass beads set in huge iron frames. Each panel portrays traditional Indigenous teachings, the Thanksgiving Address,, and the region’s rich diversity. For over three years, Angela DeMontigny, a Cree-Métis artist, worked with Indigenous knowledge keepers, and many artists including Paull Rodrigue to create this work titled “All...
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation recognition at Six Nations includes family pack give-away
By Lisa Iesse Writer Six Nations Elected Council marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept 30) with a family pack give-away. The goodie packages were handed out at the Oneida Business Park Friday (Sept 29) in a drive through give-away with council candidates, council employees and volunteers on hand. Turtle Island News asked about everyone’s plans. “We’ll be celebrating the day tomorrow, sharing it with our family, our children and grandchildren,” said Hailey Anderson and Colleen Montour. “Spending time with the kids together, probably talk about my aunts who went to resident school, we don’t talk about it often,” said another community member. Cindy planned to spend the day enjoying nature and cutting her lawn, avoiding crowds. Rachel planned to take in a Blue Jay game with family...
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Voting for a 100 year old system
After a very, very long four years Six Nations is getting a chance to look at its elected leadership and decide if they want to see new faces sitting around the council table. Or as we have seen more and more in recent days on ZOOM. And a change is in the air. Band council elections will be held Nov., 4th, for 12 councillors and a band chief for another four year term ( an oddity itself compared to a three year term) The current elected chief is not running and two of the remaining seven councillors (2 Wendy Johnson and Nathan Wright have resigned) are not running. Already the election is mired in controversy. The Chief Electoral Polling Officer (CEPO) has resigned citing threats and anger from some unhappy...
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Weekly Cartoon
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Canada Post National Day for Truth and Reconciliation released
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND -A haunting black and white photograph of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School may grace the cover of Canada’s Post information package outlined its four new commemorative stamps, for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, but it isn’t on a stamp. Canada Post released their new stamps September 28 with about 75 people, including survivors and their families, attended the unveiling at the Woodland Centre on Wednesday (September 27). The release marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, said Heather George, a Mohawk from Akwesasne and Executive Director of the Woodland Cultural Centre. “Truth and Reconciliation is not easy and it will take time, but it is possible providing there is a willingness to understand the hurt...
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Haudenosaunee Nationals squad capture bronze medal at historic international tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Haudenosaunee Nationals, a women’s box lacrosse squad stacked with Six Nations players, managed to bring home some hardware from a prestigious American tournament. The club captured the bronze medal in the women’s category at the North American Invitational, also known as LAXNAI. The event, which also included three male divisions, concluded on Sunday in Utica, New York. This marked the first year a women’s category had been staged at the tourney. And for many coaching and managerial reps, it was an opportunity for them to assess players who could potentially play at the inaugural world women’s box lacrosse championships, which will be held next year in Utica. “It’s really exciting to see where this team is going,” said Joni Squire-Hill, one of the 14 Six...
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Sam Laskaris – BEHIND THE ACTION – Brandon Montour
By Sam Laskaris Writer There’s no denying the 2022-23 campaign was a career year for Six Nations’ Brandon Montour. Though he’s still 29, there are no guarantees Montour, a defenceman with the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, will have another season, both personally and team-wise, quite like last season. Montour racked up career highs for goals (16), assists (57) and points (73) in his 80 regular season appearances last year. He was also one of the major reasons why the Panthers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup finals this past spring. Montour made quite a name for himself in the 2023 playoffs with his impressive play. He scored eight goals and added five assists in 21 matches. Yet Montour and the rest of the Panthers were unable to...
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Winners of the Bitove Indigenous Award are announced
By Sam Laskaris Writer A half dozen athletes are the latest recipients of a Bitove Indigenous Award. The awards, established last year, are through the Canadian Olympic Foundation via the prominent Bitoves, a Canadian business family. Each recipient receives $5,000 to cover the financial costs of their training and competitions. Alternatively, award winners can utilize their funding to support initiatives that they are contributing to within their own Indigenous communities. The Canadian Olympic Committee released its Team Canada Impact Agenda last year. The agenda includes the commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so that more young people can play and also stay involved in sport. The Bitove Indigenous Award is part of that commitment. The six award recipients this year are ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt, wrestler Justina Di...
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From Harper to Poilievre: what is the Conservative vision for Indigenous Peoples?
By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA -When Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks about what his party’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples would look like should he become prime minister, it’s often about “economic reconciliation,” or the idea that Indigenous Peoples should be included in all aspects of the economy without barriers. He also speaks about public safety, charging that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn’t doing a good enough job of protecting Indigenous Peoples from violent crime, even as he endorses tough-on-crime policies that some experts say risk worsening the overrepresentation of marginalized groups in prisons. And he has hinted at much bigger policy shifts, saying earlier this year that he believes the Indian Act is “a racist, colonial hangover,” and pledging that a Conservative government would “fully fund all the...
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“Safety is our right, We claim the night,” march hits Ohsweken
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – Chanting “Safety is our right, We claim the night,” over 100 men and women took to Ohsweken’s streets Thursday (Sept.,21st) joining nationwide ‘Take Back the Night,’ marches. Some wearing ribbon shirts and skirts they left Ganohkwasra Centre making their way down Chiefswood Road to Veterans Park at Fourth Line where as dusk fell, chants rang across the village, ““What do we want?….Safe Community. When do we want it?…NOW” “Say it once, say it again, Bring violence to an end!” As they walked they carried large signs echoing calls to end all forms of violence. At Veterans Park there were speeches, songs and dancing. A number of organizations participated including Six Nations Justice, Six Nations Police, Six Nations Mental Health and Addictions, Branford Sexual Assault...
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SN Band Council elections: 2 vying for elected chief
By Lynda Powless Editor Its official…Six Nations is in election mode. But there weren’t any large crowds out at the Six Nations community hall Saturday, Sept. 23, to watch who was running for Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC). Saturday’s nominations, for the coming November elections, saw two people running for Elected Chief. Former elected Chief Steve Williams and current councillor Sherri-Lyn Hill are pitting off for the job. Williams was nominated by former Elected Chief Ava Hill and Francis Russell Montour. Sherri-Lyn Hill was nominated by Carl Chancey Hill and Wanda Loy Hill. Current Elected Chief Mark Hill did not seek re-election after serving one term. Also not seeking re-election are councillors Nathan Wright and Michelle Bomberry. Nominations resulted in 14 people running for 12 councillor seats including six members...
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SN Elected Council approves Community Engagement standards
Six Nations Elected Council is set to follow a new protocol when it comes to Community Engagement. The Community Engagement Process (CEP) was passed at Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) Political Liaison meeting on September 25 and is set to go into effect on April 1, 2024. This will give employees time to educate themselves on the process, but in April all SNEC public consultations will have to follow a 10-step guide to gather community input around all of SNEC’s projects. The name was changed from the Community Engagement Standards (CES) at the meeting as part of the approval of the guide. SNEC experienced technical difficulties and the conversation before passing the CEP was not available online. Tabitha Curley, owner of Fluid Consulting, led the Community Engagement Standards (CES) project...
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The Feather Report – What makes sparrows unique?
By Rachel A. Powless Feather Reporter Photos by Carl Pascoe & Rachel A. Powless What makes sparrows so difficult to ID? Years ago, an irritated, exasperated and very exhausted birder or was it a Professor of Ornithology drained from frustration more so than surrender, emphatically stated, “Let’s call all of them an LBJ; Little Brown Jobs and leave it at that!” I wish it were so, but I’m afraid not. There are approximately fifteen species of sparrow that will migrate through our province and many of them will stay to breed while others will move farther north. There are twenty-five species of sparrow in all of the US and Canada. We cannot forget the 8-10 other species of birds which can confuse the birder again. Yes, they may look like...
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Ah… the election rumour mill
With almost two weeks to go before candidates in the coming 2023 Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) elections are actually officially approved to run some are already littering the roadways with signs. And the rumour mill is hitting and of course its on Facebook, the world-wide bully pulpit. Oddly the first insults aimed at the campaign are coming from a band employee who has taken to Facebook to not only tell anyone willing to listen who he plans to vote for but is spinning rumours about why community members shouldn’t vote for the other candidate. Rumours that are, without a doubt, in violation of the band’s employee social media policy not to mention legally actionable. Now, normally you expect rhetoric from anyone commenting on an election…generally. But when it comes...
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