‘I hear your concerns’: Trudeau reflects on devastating byelection loss
After losing a Toronto-area riding the Liberals have held for more than three decades, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he heard the “concerns and frustrations” of voters. His party, pollsters and even Conservatives had considered Toronto-St. Paul’s to be a relatively safe seat for the Liberals as voters headed to cast ballots in a byelection Monday. But by the wee hours of Tuesday, the Conservative candidate took a narrow lead and clinched the seat — the first time the Tories have won in Toronto proper since 2011. The upset has sparked questions about the political prospects of Trudeau and his Liberals, whose polling numbers across Canada are down around their ankles. “These are not easy times, and it is clear I, and my entire Liberal team, have much more...
Register
Long-awaited Arctic port and road project restarts with regulatory filings
A long-awaited project that would see an Arctic deepwater port and road connecting rich mineral resources to international shipping routes as well as offering the Navy another northern beachhead has been revived. The proposed Grays Bay Port and Road, which has been a northern dream for more than a decade, has refiled an environmental assessment with regulatory authorities in Nunavut, restarting a process that has been stalled for years. The massive project on Canada’s central Arctic coast in the middle of the Northwest Passage could open up crucial mineral resources, said Brendan Bell of the West Kitikmeot Resources Corp., which is leading the effort and is majority owned by the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, a birthright corporation created by the Nunavut Land Claim. “Every country is intent on securing a supply...
Register
Native American ceremony will celebrate birth of white buffalo calf in Yellowstone park
The Associated Press 26/06/2024 HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Ceremonies and celebrations are planned Wednesday near the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park to mark the recent birth of a white buffalo calf in the park, a spiritually significant event for many Native American tribes. A white buffalo calf with a dark nose and eyes was born on June 4 in the the park’s Lamar Valley, according to witnesses, fulfilling a prophecy for the Lakota people that portends better times but also signals that more must be done to protect the earth and its animals. “The birth of this calf is both a blessing and warning. We must do more,” said Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and the Nakota Oyate in South Dakota, and the...
Register
Atlantic Ballet of Canada to launch Indigenous dance program in Moncton this fall
The Atlantic Ballet of Canada is spearheading an Indigenous dance program this fall that will allow eight dancers to train close to their communities and culture. Nipahtuwet Naka Wespahtuwet Possesom (Paul), who is director of Indigenous programs at the ballet, says there are no professional training programs in Atlantic Canada and that the ballet’s initiative is filling an important gap. The new two-year program that will launch in Moncton, N.B., this fall will accept eight Indigenous dancers in Grade 11. In a Canadian first, the program will allow dancers to receive support and training close to their land and families, without having to relocate to other parts of the country. A news release from the ballet says the program will teach contemporary style and is rooted in the “world views,...
Register
St’uxwtéws brings authentic cultural lens to historic ranch site after taking over management
By Dionne Phillips Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Misty Antoine’s family has long been connected to the Hat Creek Ranch near “Cache Creek” in Secwepemcúl’ecw. Her grandfather used to work there, she said, and her family’s history can be traced back from that area. Now, Antoine is the one running operations at the ranch and its nearby fossil beds, after her home community of St’uxwtéws (Bonaparte First Nation) was involved in a deal to take over its management. “It’s bringing back a lot of our connection to our people,” she said in an interview. “[There’s] a huge connection with Bonaparte, many of the families, specifically my family — the Antoine family — we actually originate from the Hat Creek Ranch area.” The Hat Creek Ranch is a heritage site located on...
Register
Warrior races return to turf club
By Alexandra Noad Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The enthralling show of horses billowing down the racetrack bareback and the riders dressed in full regalia showing off their agility by jumping to another horse mid-race is back Sunday and July 1 at Rocky Mountain Turf club. Warrior races have been hosted at the grandstand for the last four years. Rose Rossi, General Manager of Rocky Mountain Turf Club, says the first Warrior Race held at the grandstand was a resounding success. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was up in the eye in the sky and looking down and I was standing there with Martin Heavy eHad and he says, ‘Wow, is this ever the biggest salt and pepper crowd.’ The crowds were huge. Everybody enjoyed the culture of the...
Register
First Nations, Ottawa, B.C., announce $335M for protection off Great Bear coast
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is working with 17 First Nations in British Columbia as well as the provincial government to expand protection for marine ecosystems off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest. He says the initiative will add about 14,000 square kilometres of newly protected areas, while supporting sustainable development for the waters off the rainforest on B.C.’s central and northern coast. The federal government is committing $200 million to the initiative, while the B.C. government is contributing $60 million and $75 million is coming from philanthropic investors, for a total of $335 million to create an ongoing fund. The initiative builds on the Great Bear Rainforest model, which has protected large swaths of old-growth forests while supporting job creation and economic diversification for communities along...
Register
AFN national chief says child welfare funding to top $20B as chiefs raise concerns
The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says the organization is about to finalize a deal with Ottawa on child welfare reforms that will top the $20 billion promised as part of a landmark settlement. But it likely won’t include reforms to a legal rule intended to ensure First Nations kids get the care they need when they need it with payments to be worked out afterward. Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is calling it a “monumental agreement” and said she will continue to work with chiefs before they ratify it later this year. “Time is not our friend — there’s a (federal) election in a year or less,” Woodhouse Nepinak said in an interview Tuesday. “I think the chiefs will be very happy with what I’ve been negotiating alongside...
Register
Poilievre to attend AFN annual general assembly for first time as Conservative leader
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to attend the Assembly of First Nation’s upcoming annual general assembly for the first time since he took the party helm. Spokesman Sebastian Skamski says Poilievre will attend the assembly’s July meeting in Montreal and deliver a keynote address. Poilievre is also set to participate in a question-and-answer session with chiefs, some of whom have expressed skepticism about his promises on reconciliation. The Tory leader has previously met with chiefs to tell them that he would stay out of their way as prime minister, especially when it comes to generating economic growth for their communities. His planned attendance comes as a newly elected national chief is attempting to make inroads with the party after tensions with past Conservative governments. Poilievre previously addressed the assembly...
Register
Pembina, Haisla First Nation give green light to proposed US$4B LNG project
Pembina Pipeline Corp. and the Haisla First Nation say they have made a final investment decision that will see them go ahead with their proposed US$4-billion Cedar LNG project off the B.C. coast. The project will involve the construction of a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility near Kitimat, B.C. The facility will use natural gas from Western Canada to produce LNG for export to Asian markets. Cedar LNG is majority-owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Pembina Pipeline Corp., an arrangement which will make it the largest Indigenous-owned infrastructure project in Canada. The proponents say the project is expected to be in service in late 2028. Cedar LNG is the second LNG export facility in Canada to receive the go-ahead. Construction of the Shell-led LNG Canada facility is...
Register
B.C. First Nation has draft treaty after 30 years of hard work: treaty commissioner
The head of British Columbia’s Treaty Commission says the latest draft treaty signed in the province will allow the First Nation to “break free from the shackles of the Indian Act” and take control of their future. Chief Commissioner Celeste Haldane says the agreement represents 30-plus years of hard work and will fulfil the band’s vision for self-governance and control over its territory and resources. The Kitsumkalum is part of the Tsimshian First Nation, and its chief negotiator Gerald Wesley says reaching the draft treaty with the federal and provincial governments has been “a long journey” that started as far back as the 1970s. The proposed deal for the 825 people of the nation located west of Terrace would give them more than 46,000 hectares of land, self-governing powers and...
Register
Southern Manitoba First Nations chiefs re-elect Jerry Daniels as grand chief
First Nations chiefs in southern Manitoba have voted to keep Jerry Daniels as the leader of the organization that represents Anishinaabe and Dakota communities in the province. Daniels has been re-elected as grand chief of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization after first securing the position in 2017. He was challenged by former Long Plain First Nation Chief Kyra Wilson, who held the role until late last year. Wilson played a central role in the early calls to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two Long Plain women who were killed by an admitted serial killer. Daniels says he will continue to work to support all leaders of the southern First Nations in the province as well as create opportunities for their citizens. The final tally saw Daniels with 21...
Register
Judge revokes bail as Inuit enrolment fraud case sentencing begins
By Jeff Pelletier Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Karima Manji left the Iqaluit courthouse in handcuffs Monday afternoon while she awaits sentencing in her fraud case, expected to come Thursday. Earlier this year, Manji pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 in a case about Inuit enrolment that attracted international attention. She had been out on bail since she was charged in September 2023. In 2016, Manji fraudulently obtained Inuit enrolment with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. for her twin 25-year-old daughters, Amira and Nadya Gill, according to an agreed statement of facts. NTI is the organization responsible for ensuring Inuit receive the benefits they are entitled to under the Nunavut Agreement. Through that enrolment, the twins obtained $158,254.05 in scholarships from the Kakivak Association, which provides financial support to Qikiqtani Inuit students. With...
Register
Yukon mine halts operations after system failure, says infrastructure damaged
The Canadian Press Work has been temporarily stopped at a mine in central Yukon after what the company says was a failure of its system that uses chemicals to help extract gold. Victoria Gold said in a statement Monday that its heap leach pad at the Eagle Gold Mine near Mayo experienced a failure, causing some damage to infrastructure and that “a portion of the failure has left containment.” Heap leaching uses chemicals to percolate through crushed ore, allowing it to extract gold. A technical report on the company’s website says gold at the Eagle Gold Mine is being leached with a cyanide solution. A statement from the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, whose traditional territory includes the mine site, said it is concerned about the “potentially significant and...
Register
New Report Details Indigenous Youth’s Climate Solutions
By Jeremy Appel Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Young Indigenous people are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis, but their voices are often excluded from discussions around solutions, according to the latest report in Deloitte Canada’s Voices of Indigenous Youth Leaders on Reconciliation series. The report, entitled “Reconciling our relationships to preserve Mother Earth for future generations,” is the fourth volume in the global consulting firm’s series of surveys, which are based on priorities identified by Indigenous youth leaders aged 18 to 29 in interviews over the past two years. Siera Hancharyk, who’s from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island in B.C. but now lives in Toronto, is one of the youths who was interviewed for the report. She told Alberta Native News that she spoke to the report’s authors for two...
Register
Conservatives take Liberal stronghold in last-minute Toronto byelection victory
The Canadian Press 25/06/2024 09:53 Hours after Canadians went to bed disappointed by a Stanley Cup loss Monday night, the Conservatives scored a stunning byelection upset to win in the longtime Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul’s. Conservative candidate Don Stewart eked out the win by just 590 votes over Liberal Leslie Church in an early morning upset, yanking away a riding the governing Liberals have held for more than 30 years. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre demanded the prime minister call a snap election after what he described as a “shocking upset” on social media Tuesday morning. “Here is the verdict: Trudeau can’t go on like this. He must call a carbon tax election now,” Poilievre said on X. Stewart trailed Church for hours overnight as poll workers slowly counted ballots...
Register
Six Nations own Brandon Montour and Florida teammates capture Stanley Cup
Brandon Montour lifts the Stanley Cup after the Florida Panthers’ 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers By Sam Laskaris Writer The Stanley Cup will indeed soon be coming to Six Nations. That’s because local hockey player Brandon Montour and his Florida Panthers’ teammates are this year’s National Hockey League champs. The Panthers captured the Stanley Cup on Monday thanks to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Edmonton Oilers. With that Game 7 triumph the Florida squad won its best-of-seven league final 4-3. Each member of the winning organization traditionally gets to spend a day with the Stanley Cup and take it wherever he wants. During the television broadcast of the Panthers’ post-game celebrations, Montour confirmed he will bring one of the world’s most prestigious trophies to Six Nations once it...
Register
‘Mobilizing as quickly as we can’
By Anasophie Vallee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Published: 24/06/2024 When you’re rushing out of your community to escape a wildfire, there isn’t a lot of time to pack a bag or figure out where you’ll lay your head. Following the evacuation of Churchill Falls on Wednesday, June 19, many evacuees were stuck trying to find accommodation and supplies in Happy Valley-Goose Bay – and residents of that community were quick to rally together and help. Residents began sharing all available lodgings and resources through social media, with some residents offering up their campers and opening up their homes to displaced Churchill Falls residents. Mobilizing quickly Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation was quick to offer accommodations at a former Christian Youth camp to any evacuees needing a place to stay. The camp...
Register
Concern over Indigenous identity fraud heightened by government definitions: minister
The Canadian Press The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations says a lot of talk about the issue of so-called Indigenous identity fraud is based around apprehensions people have about the government defining who is — and who isn’t — a rights-holder. “The notion of Indigenous identity is obviously very complicated and layered with many centuries of colonialism,” Gary Anandasangaree said in an interview Thursday. “It really isn’t the role of the federal government to define what an Indigenous person is, and who is not.” But as the recognition of Indigenous rights often comes from the federal government, he and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu have been increasingly under pressure from all three federally recognized groups of Indigenous Peoples — First Nations, Inuit and Métis — to either butt out of the...
Register
Haldimand council split over giant Nanticoke development
By J.P. Antonacci Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In a narrow vote, a divided Haldimand County council affirmed its willingness to consider building Haldimand’s biggest town in the shadow of the Stelco steelworks in Nanticoke. But the onus is now on the developer to pitch the plan to the province. Empire Communities came to council in February 2022 with a vision to put about 15,000 homes on 4,200 acres of industrial land surrounding Stelco’s Lake Erie Works. The land — near the steelworks and an oil refinery — is inside a “provincially significant employment zone,” an area designated by the province for industrial development and declared unsuitable for housing. That means the county had to apply for a “minister’s zoning order” (MZO) asking the province for permission to rezone the area...
Register
