Fishery officers in Nova Scotia seize more than 1,000 lobster traps, make arrests
By Michael MacDonald Federal officials say fishery officers have seized more than 1,000 lobster traps off southwestern Nova Scotia since June 1 as part of a crackdown on unauthorized harvesting and illegal sales. The Fisheries Department says the seizures and resulting arrests are also aimed at ensuring the Indigenous food, social and ceremonial lobster fishery can proceed without interference. A spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that charges are pending against those arrested, though it could take some time before the alleged offences are brought before the courts. The spokesperson, however, could not say whether any of the seizures or arrests were connected to Indigenous-led fisheries. The department issued a statement Tuesday saying that in the last three months, officers in southwestern Nova Scotia have inspected 61 holding facilities and released more than...
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Six Nations marks award winning career of the late Graham Greene
OHSWEKEN, ON – Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has issued an expression of sympathy as the community mourns the passing of noted actor, story teller and Six Nations community member Graham Greene who passed away peacefully on August 31 at the age of 73. Graham Greene’s award winning acting career made him a trailblazer for First Nations “representation in film and television, opening doors for generations to come,” SNEC said in a statement. Graham Greene is known for his Oscar-nominated performance as Best Supporting Actor in Dances with Wolves and roles in Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Green Mile, and Thunderheart, that have left “a lasting impact on the industry.” Graham Greene’s award-winning career “earned him recognition as a Member of the Order of Canada, induction into Canada’s Walk...
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Nunatsiavut minister says Labrador Air Access Program ‘risks reinforcing existing inequities’ for Inuit
By Justin Brake, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent The provincial government’s new pilot program intended to make air travel more affordable for Labrador residents “doesn’t go far enough to address the needs of Labrador Inuit communities,” Nunatsiavut Government First Minister Melva Williams said in a news release Tuesday. The Inuit government, which represents around 7,000 Inuitin or from coastal Labrador, says while the new program subsidizes a 30 per cent reduction in airfares for flights out of Labrador, it’s not equitable for Inuit living within Nunatsiavut. The Labrador Air Access Pilot Program, announced by the Liberals on Aug. 28, will subsidize 175 airline tickets per week via an online form, with an annual limit of two round trips per person. The program is intended for personal and leisure travel...
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Evacuation alert issued for additional properties in West Chilcotin
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune An evacuation alert has been issued for an additional 309 parcels of land in the Beef Trail Creek Fire Area 2, in and around Ulkatcho First Nation (Anahim Lake). The alert was issued at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2 to prepare residents to evacuate should wildfire conditions worsen. An evacuation order may be issued with limited notice due to fast changing conditions. Those affected should ensure they have a plan in place to transport all family members and people needing additional assistance out of the area via a designated evacuation route. Gas tanks in personal vehicles should be filled and critical items such as medications, eyeglasses, IDs and important documents should be readily available. Residents are also asked...
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NLPS advocates for NDSS replacement, seeks letters of support
By Claudia Culley, Local Journalism Initiative, Gabriola Sounder The Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS) board is ramping up its advocacy efforts to replace Nanaimo District Secondary School (NDSS) by seeking letters of support to send to the provincial government. The board has actively advocated for NDSS’s replacement for years yet is facing challenges getting this request to the top of the government’s list of priorities amid competing interests and province-wide needs with limited money. To help prioritize NDSS, the board is working to mobilize local and regional governments, rights holders and community partners, including the Regional District of Nanaimo and Snuneymuxw, Snaw’naw’as and Stz’uminus First Nations, in writing letters to the Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Education and Child Care, copied to local MLAs. The board hopes this joint...
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Native healer convicted of assaulting client receives probation as penalty
By Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Penticton Herald A native healer convicted of assaulting a woman during a healing ceremony was sentenced Friday to two years of probation and banned from all Syilx Okanagan Nation lands. The incident, which occurred in October 2022, has caused lasting trauma and sparked widespread condemnation from Indigenous leaders and the community. Donald Wayne Ashley, 51, was found guilty of one count of common assault following a month-long jury trial. Originally facing six sexual assault charges involving six women, Ashley was acquitted of three charges and convicted of one assault. Two other charges were withdrawn, and one was stayed. Justice Michael Brundrett, citing a serious breach of trust, declined the defense’s request for a conditional discharge, which would have spared Ashley a criminal record....
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Public art committee picks artists for next set of murals
By Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal Sussex has selected artists as part of the next wave of murals to be installed across the community. At the town council meeting Aug. 18, councillors voted to make deals with six artists totalling $63,500 for new public art projects. The deals are part of a wave of seven murals done this year as part of the town’s public art strategy to keep continuously cycling artwork through the community. “We had a little peek at them and we think the public are really going to enjoy it,” Mayor Marc Thorne told Brunswick News. The town established a public art committee in 2024 in connection with AX: The Arts and Culture Centre of Sussex to refresh the town’s collection of murals, most of...
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Fishery officers in Nova Scotia seize more than 1,000 lobster traps, make arrests
The federal Fisheries Department says its officers have seized more than 1,000 lobster traps off southwestern Nova Scotia since June 1. The department says the seizures and resulting arrests are aimed at preventing unauthorized lobster harvesting, out-of-season fishing and illegal sales. It says officers are also working to ensure the Indigenous food, social and ceremonial lobster fisheries can proceed without interference. The department did not say whether any of the seizures were specifically connected to Indigenous-led fisheries. A spokesperson confirmed that charges are pending against those arrested, though it could take some time before the alleged offences are brought before the courts. The department says that in the last three months officers in southwestern Nova Scotia have inspected 61 holding facilities and released more than 4,400 lobsters from seized traps....
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They had to navigate the health-care system growing up. Now they’re students at Canada’s newest med school
By Nicole Ireland Toronto Metropolitan University opened Canada’s newest medical school this week, with 94 students who administrators believe reflect the diversity needed among this country’s future doctors. “It’s very intentional for us to be locating the school in Brampton — a diverse community, underserved from a medical human resources standpoint,” said Dr. Dominick Shelton, interim assistant dean and an emergency physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. The University of Prince Edward Island also welcomed its first medical students this week as a regional campus of Newfoundland and Labrador’s existing program at Memorial University. York University in Toronto and Simon Fraser University in Surrey, B.C., will also open new medical schools in the coming years. Shelton hopes these new schools will help solve the shortage of primary-care physicians...
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First Nations leaders meet in Winnipeg to discuss major infrastructure projects
By Brittany Hobson The countrywide push for major projects won’t happen without First Nations at the table, the Assembly of First Nations warned government and industry Wednesday, as its annual summer gathering began in Winnipeg. “We can all agree on this, that progress cannot come at the cost of our rights, our treaties or our responsibilities to the land,” Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said. “Anything that we do in this country will not be at the expense of our lands, our waters and our resources. For generations, decisions have been made without us, while the impacts fall on our nations and our families.” The assembly is expected to focus heavily on the federal government’s major projects legislation, as it’s the first time all chiefs have gathered...
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Assembly of First Nations to lay out budget priorities during general assembly
By Brittany Hobson The federal government’s major projects legislation, closing the infrastructure gap on First Nations, and federal budget expectations are expected to be discussed at the annual meeting of the Assembly of First Nations this week in Winnipeg. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says the federal government’s budget, expected in October, is an opportunity for Ottawa to commit to closing the infrastructure gap and addressing mistrust from its major projects legislation. “Federal budget making must advance reconciliation and Canada’s international obligations to respect our rights to self-determination,” Woodhouse Nepinak told reporters Tuesday. The meeting runs Wednesday through Friday. The assembly recently put forth pre-budget submissions outlining priority areas for the more than 600 First Nations it represents. They include a recommendation that Ottawa provide $800 million over the next...
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Six Nations still in state of emergency, new lodge to be built
Six Nations remains in a state of emergency and Iroquois Lodge residents will remain in Delhi until a new lodge is erected. Six Nations Chief Executive Officer Tracy Brant updated council and the community on services, supports, and ongoing infrastructure work during the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) General Council meeting on August 26. Brant’s report touched on community engagement, data-driven service planning, emergency management, and public works projects currently underway. She acknowledged ongoing challenges with SNEC owned buildings including the lodge and administration building. “We continue to be in a state of emergency,” she said. She said she understands the frustration many residents feel. “The safety and the well-being of our people continues to be the top priority for us. We ask for your continued support and patience as...
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Chiefs of Ontario stage three-day wellness conference in Toronto
By Sam Laskaris Writer Various First Nations leaders and community workers from across the province converged in Toronto this past week. They attended the First Nations Community Wellness Conference, which was held at the Royal York Fairmont from Aug. 19-21. The conference, organized by the Chiefs of Ontario, was subtitled “Braiding Our Knowledge Bundles: Weaving the Knowledge of our Ancestors”. Besides networking opportunities, the conference also included various panels and workshops. The goal was to have a collaborative setting where people from different sectors could come together with the hopes of improving community wellness in First Nations throughout the province. The conference programming included a lunch session on the opening day featuring Marit Stiles, the leader of Ontario’s New Democratic Party (NDP). Stiles, the official opposition party leader, started off...
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Six Nations Elected Councillors brief community on issues
Six Nations committees updated the community about ongoing projects including economic development agreements, illegal dumping and data collection and usage. Committee chairs gave their updates at Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC’s) General Council meeting on August 26. Councillors and committee chairs reported on agreements with the Six Nations of the Grand River Economic Development Corporation (SNGRDC), the need for a special council meeting on management and funding agreements, and new efforts to strengthen data accessibility for the community. Lands Resources, Wealth Councillor Cynthia Jamieson, chair of the Lands, Resources, Wealth and Economy Committee, said the anniversary of the agreement with SNGRDC is coming up. The agreement was signed in 2013 and the agreement requires SNEC and the corporation’s board to meet on prescribed matters in 2025. Jamieson explained that the...
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Six Nations Police tap public in search for wanted individual
OHSWEKEN, ONT. – Six Nations Police is appealing to the public to help locate a wanted individual. Rodney Laforme, 42, of Ohsweken, Ont., is wanted for multiple sexual-related offences. To protect the identify of the victims, no further information will be released at this time. The Criminal Investigations Unit is actively conducting an ongoing investigation and would appreciate assistance with determining Laforme’s whereabouts. Anyone with additional information is urged to call Six Nations Police at 519-445-2811. If they wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit an online tip at crimestoppersbb.com. They may be eligible to receive a cash reward up to $2,000....
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Six Nations uses information in drug fight
By Carly McHugh Writer Six Nations is united in the battle to end drug overdose. It was an evening of remembrance and resolution when the community came together at Veterans Park, to observe International Overdose Awareness Day. The Six Nations Department of Well-Being hosted the fourth-annual event on Wed., Aug. 27, in an effort to end the stigma surrounding overdose and drug-related harms. Members of the community were invited to support each other, raise awareness about the risks of overdose, honour the lost and share hope for individuals and their families battling the effects of harmful drug addiction. Officially marked on Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day is a global campaign aimed at ending the overdose epidemic, as well as acknowledging the grief felt by loved ones of those who...
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OPP hit second major illicit cannabis operation in Haldimand County, seize $8 million in product
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have seized another major illicit cannabis operation in Haldimand County. OPP, after an eight-month illicit cannabis investigation, have laid charges against five individuals and seized $8 million in illicit cannabis, including dried cannabis, cannabis plants, edibles and vapes, as well as contraband tobacco. It’s the second major seizure in a month. A major OPP investigation in late July led to the arrest of 16 people and seizure of $55 million in illegal cannabis. The latest seizure in October 2024, involving the OPP Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET), in partnership with the Safer Communities Section, Department of Justice and Public Safety New Brunswick, began Project SHORT – an illicit cannabis investigation spanning several provinces. Also involved was the Financial Transactions and Reports...
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Six Nations Police issued shelter-in-place order in search for gunman
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND-Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Six Nations Police (SNP) lifted a shelter-in-place order Saturday, August 30th, for residents along Sixth Line in the area of Onondaga Road after a “disturbance at a residence” that involved at least one, armed suspect, who Turtle Island News has learned, held a gun to a person demanding money. OPP issued public advisories through the morning beginning at about 8 a.m. telling residents in the area to lock their windows and doors and shelter-in-place that an armed suspect was in the area. Drivers were told to avoid the area. Several advisories were issued through the morning as police began searching the area. The community was told to expect a “higher-than-normal police presence.” The OPP area search included drones and dogs that...
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SN Polytechnic hoping to start Environmental Science program
Six Nations Polytechnic will apply for funding to start an Environmental Science program with Indigenous knowledge at the core. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) agreed to provide a letter of support for Six Nations Polytechnic’s funding application to develop the program that embeds Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). At the August 26 General Council meeting, Sarah Scharuda, Development Officer from SNP outlined plans to apply to the Toronto Pearson NEST fund and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for a combined $100,000 in funding. The funding would be used to hire a program development officer to create the program. The letter of support will be included in the package Scharuda is preparing for ISC’s approval. “We are working on developing environmental science program tools that embed traditional ecological knowledge focused on knowledge and...
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Elected Chief needs to tell us…what have you done lately?
Six Nations Elected Council is quick off the trigger. In fact, if you have watched their online council sessions lately, you will notice before the current elected chief even finishes saying the meeting is over a black screen pops up. It is rare if the current SNEC meetings even go beyond an hour. Sadly, that even applies when they pass the community’s audit, a document showing you the public, how they have been spending your money. And it is all community money no matter what the source. The council members made a pretext of looking at the document for the cameras then quickly passed it. Yet when Turtle Island News asked for a copy of the PUBLIC document, their communications people didn’t bother to respond to the request and neither did...
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