‘Too big to rig’: Alberta separation petition succeeds with 223K verified signatures
By Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson A citizen-led petition seeking to force a vote on Alberta quitting Canada is officially successful. Elections Alberta announced Friday it verified nearly 223,000 signatures out of almost 280,000 valid names counted. The petition needed almost 178,000 signatures to be successful. Despite the result, the document is largely moot. It was quashed in court in May, although the ruling is being appealed by those behind the petition campaign as well as by Premier Danielle Smith’s government. Smith has cited the separatist petition and a competing pro-Canada petition that got a little more than 400,000 verified signatures as the reason why she has put a separation question on the province’s Oct. 19 referendum. The question asks Albertans if they want to remain in Canada or hold...
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‘Create change:’ Why these Indigenous entrepreneurs are leaning into AI
By Brittany Hobson Shani Gwin’s foray into the world of artificial intelligence began with a problem. The Métis entrepreneur from Edmonton previously worked in government communications and found herself one of the only Indigenous people on her team. She was often tasked with reviewing Indigenous content for misinformation. She noticed that Indigenous people frequently have to battle online hate speech and inform others on First Nation, Inuit and Métis history. It prompted Gwin to create a technology company called wasikan kisewatisiwin, which means “kind electricity” in Cree. It has developed an AI tool that can detect inaccurate representations of Indigenous Peoples in written content. “A lot of our history online is from a colonized perspective. It’s not validated by us,” Gwin said in a recent interview. “I see this as...
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Communities unite to bring missing northern Sask. men home
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca, SASKTODAY.ca BEAR RIVER — Three men reported missing during a planned foraging trip near Jayjay Lake were found safe Friday after a large-scale, two-day search involving RCMP, emergency agencies and community volunteers. Early Friday morning, July 24, an RCMP aircraft located Roderick Bird, 49, Emil Ratt, 67, and Ricky McKenzie, 48, in a remote muskeg area near Jayjay Lake, according to Saskatchewan RCMP. A Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency helicopter airlifted the three men to safety, where they were assessed by EMS. Police said they are not believed to have suffered any serious injuries. The three men were reported missing after failing to return from a planned foraging trip. They were last reported to be near Highway 165, about 10 kilometres north of...
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La Ronge Regional Fire Department lifts fire ban
By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SaskToday.ca, SASKTODAY.ca LA RONGE — Residents in La Ronge, Air Ronge and several Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) communities can have fires as of July 25. The La Ronge Regional Fire Department announced that the fire ban, originally issued on July 14, has been rescinded effective immediately for the town of La Ronge, the northern village of Air Ronge and LLRIB reserves 156 and 156B. The department said recent rainfall, combined with lower temperatures and higher humidity, has reduced the area’s fire hazard rating to a low level. Additional precipitation is also forecast in the coming days. “We would like to thank you for your co-operation,” the department said in its announcement. The Lac La Ronge Indian Band Emergency Management Office also...
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Confidence on the Catwalk: Métis Model’s journey with Western Canada Fashion Week
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News For more than two decades, Western Canada Fashion Week (WCFW) has been one of Canada’s premier fashion events, showcasing the work of emerging and established designers while launching the careers of runway models, photographers and creative professionals. Founded in Edmonton by Sandra Fernandez, WCFW has earned a reputation for celebrating diversity, nurturing new talent and creating opportunities for Canadian fashion to flourish on a national stage. Among its most recognizable success stories is Métis model Lauren Bellrose, whose journey from a shy young woman with little confidence to one of Western Canada Fashion Week’s senior top runway models is a story of perseverance, mentorship and believing in yourself. Bellrose is recognized by Western Canada Fashion Week as one of its...
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Chiefs demand public inquiry and removal of MNR leadership
By Maya Ekman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – The chiefs of First Nations directly impacted by the wildfire situation are calling for a public inquiry and the “immediate removal” of the people leading the province’s response. After multiple First Nations self-evacuated, their chiefs say that they were repeatedly told by the Ministry of Natural Resources that they were not in any danger until the threat was imminent and had reached their community. They want Chris Cuthbertson, the MNR’s director for aviation, forest fire and emergency services, as well as the assistant deputy minister on that file removed from those roles. “We want to counter some of the narrative that Ontario is promoting out there, that they are in regular contact with our leadership. They are not,” said...
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Collins chief says they were told ‘not to worry’ about fire
By Maya Ekman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — “We do not understand how MNR failed to protect our community,” said Chief Helen Paavola of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins. At a press conference held by Nishnawbe Aski Nation on Tuesday, Paavola shared that she was flown to her community the day before to see the damage done by the wildfire that reached her community last week. “I visited our homelands yesterday and during a community meeting this morning, I confirmed that there’s nothing left but just ashes,” she said. Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris said at a press conference in Thunder Bay last week that the fire that destroyed the community had started that day. However, the fire was first reported on May 31....
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Brazil uses forensic science to trace gold’s origin and tackle illegal mining in the Amazon
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil is using forensic science to tackle illegal gold mining in the Amazon, a top threat to the rainforest, Indigenous groups and other communities there that has accelerated deforestation and driven mercury contamination to dangerous levels. The work takes place at the National Institute of Criminalistics in Brasilia, the country’s capital, where federal police have set up a “gold lab” that collects and analyses samples from across the country. The objective is to determine if a newly acquired sample — gold seized in a police raid, for example — comes from a protected area, meaning it has been illegally mined. It’s called “gold fingerprinting” — tracing the origin of gold samples with high precision. Tracing gold is like looking at a person’s...
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Ministry of Natural Resources: no new wildfires in Ontario in 24 hours
There are 177 active wildfires still burning in Ontario, but the Ministry of Natural Resources has reported no new blaze in the last 24 hours. Still, more than 1,800 people have been forced from their homes as the province grapples with what early estimates suggest is its most devastating wildfire season on record. Indigenous communities have borne the brunt of the fires, with First Nations making up 12 of the 13 evacuated communities. Hundreds of people fleeing the fires are staying in Thunder Bay, Ont., though others are taking refuge further south in Toronto and Niagara Falls. Indigenous leaders have called for a public inquiry into the Ontario government’s wildfire response, saying some communities were essentially left to fend for themselves, but Premier Doug Ford disagreed this week with the...
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Chiefs say government has had no communication with First Nations
By Maya Ekman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – First Nations leaders are calling for a public inquiry into the Ford government’s handling of the current wildfire situation in the Northwest. “I always say collaboration, cooperation and communication. We’re all working together,” Ford said in Thunder Bay Saturday but the leaders of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario and seven First Nations say they haven’t heard from any minister of his government. “What he is saying is not true. He’s creating a narrative so that he can basically lie to Canadians, and lie to the people of Ontario,” said Chief Wilfred King of Gull Bay First Nation at a press conference on Tuesday. King said that not one of the chiefs present had been contacted by either the...
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NDP leader Marit Stiles says Ontarians are being lied to
By Maya Ekman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – From funding to equipment to communication, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles accuses Premier Doug Ford’s government of lying to Ontarians, calling their management of the wildfire crisis “outrageous and reprehensible.” Stiles and Thunder Bay—Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois were the only representatives of any provincial party at the press conference held Tuesday by Nishnawbe Aski Nation, where they called for a public inquiry into the provincial government’s handling of this year’s fire season. Stiles and Vaugeois said that while wildfires are inevitable, there have been numerous suggestions from experts on how to better respond to emergencies that have gone ignored. Between 2019 and 2022, three different reports from wildland firefighters, the auditor general and NAN were given to the...
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Bodies of young brothers, 10 and 13, recovered from Manitoba lake
The body of a 13-year-old boy has been recovered from a Manitoba lake a day after his 10-year-old brother’s body was found near the shore. Aaron Au Ramirez and his younger brother Maximo Au Ramirez disappeared into Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Saturday. Maximo’s body was recovered Wednesday evening, after a boat on the water discovered him near Sturgeon Falls Trail. RCMP say Aaron’s body was found Thursday evening. Their parents said earlier in the day in a statement shared by RCMP that they were in “unimaginable pain.” Haidee Ramirez and Roger Au thanked the countless volunteers and search organizations that combed the water and shorelines or provided them with “hugs, prayers and hope.” “What we’ve gone through is not humanly possible to understand. We’re surviving only because...
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Thunder Bay 36 largest wildfire in Ontario history — by far
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — There’s no end in sight to Whitesand First Nation’s evacuation, Chief Lawrence Wanakamik said Thursday. “But we’ll see next week,” Wanakamik told Newswatch as First Nation members continued to shelter in a south-side Thunder Bay hotel. The chief said he heard earlier this week from band members who are still on the reserve next to Armstrong, and they said all buildings there are still standing. Whitesand and Armstrong, about 220 kilometres north of the city, evacuated last week as a raging forest fire neared the communities. The blaze, which has merged with other wildfires and is now labelled Thunder Bay 36, remains out of control and spans nearly 320,000 hectares — making it not just the largest wildfire of...
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Parents in pain as Manitoba lake search continues for boy after brother’s body found
The parents of two boys swept into fast-moving rapids in a Manitoba lake say they’re in unimaginable pain as the search for one son enters its sixth day. Aaron Au Ramirez, 13, and his brother Maximo Au Ramirez, 10, disappeared into Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Saturday. Maximo’s body was recovered Wednesday evening after a boat on the water discovered it near Sturgeon Falls Trail. Haidee Ramirez and Roger Au thanked the countless volunteers and search organizations that have combed the water and shorelines or have provided the two with “hugs, prayers and hope.” “What we’ve gone through is not humanly possible to understand. We’re surviving only because of the help of those around us,” the parents said in a statement that was read to media on Thursday...
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OPP shuts down “Project Time” 63 people arrested in major Ontario Child Exploitation ring
By Alex Murray Writer A province-wide multi-agency probe into child exploitation in Ontario resulted in charges being laid against 63 people and the identification of 51 victims. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced the charges on Wednesday (July 22). The joint initiative, called “Project Time,” includes 25 other police services and was executed through the Provincial Internet Child Exploitation Strategy (PICES). Project Time is a coordinated provincial effort to target individuals making, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material. OPP said identified victims were safeguarded and given the appropriate support. All told, Project Time resulted in 213 charges and the seizure of 814 electronic devices. 264 criminal investigations were conducted, with 154 still ongoing. The investigation found that two of the accused were people that were in a position of...
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Sussex well project part of $7.27M federal, N.B. infrastructure spend
By Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal Drilling work has begun on a proposed new well for Ward 2 in Sussex as the provincial and federal governments announced they are contributing to the $1.68-million project. The new well is a replacement for two deteriorated wells in Ward 2, the former Village of Sussex Corner. On Wednesday, July 15, the province announced that four projects, including Sussex’s well proposal, were receiving a total of in $7.27 million in federal and provincial housing infrastructure cash. Sussex CAO Jason Thorne told Brunswick News the next day that the funding was confirmed in December for phases two and three of the project. It amounts to about $840,000 in federal funding through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund and about $559,000 in provincial funding through...
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Indigenous riders try out free transit, EV use in Vancouver project
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Lana Putnam was already doing something that made her feel small: climbing onto a Vancouver bus without fare money and hoping to get where she was going before anyone noticed. Then she tripped. Putnam, a 70-year-old Cree Elder, was carrying her belongings when she fell in front of the other passengers. She wasn’t helped up; she was scolded. “Some of the people were saying, ‘Everybody pays,’” she said. “Instead of being worried about my fall.” Putnam’s experience is what a new clean-mobility pilot program in Vancouver is trying to address: how to make everyday travel more affordable and usable for lower-income urban Indigenous residents in one of Canada’s most expensive cities while also cutting transportation emissions. In Metro Vancouver, a...
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AFN rejects Newfoundland’s claims on Innu presence in Labrador
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has rejected the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s position on Innu history, standing in solidarity with the Innu Nation. Francis Verreault-Paul, AFN regional chief for Quebec and Labrador, stressed the personal impacts this resolution has on him in a press release. “As a proud Innu, I understood from the beginning that this fight was never about one Nation alone; it was about all First Nations,” Verreault-Paul said. “The powerful and inspiring words of Elder Elizabeth Penashue showed that our history belongs to us. The resolution, titled “Reject Efforts to Control First Nations Histories and Undermine Rights Recognition,” was unanimously passed during the AFN’s Annual General Assembly in Ottawa last week. The resolution was drafted in response...
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MCK looking for decision-maker for Administrative Tribunal
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Justice Services Division has opened a call for applications for a new decision-maker to join its Administrative Tribunal. According to MCK’s Justice Commissioner Kevin Fleischer, this recruitment is part of a new initiative to review government decisions more effectively. “Our administrative tribunal, I believe, is the first comprehensive administrative tribunal in a First Nations community in the country,” Fleischer said. The decision-maker will oversee the regulation and application of Kahnawake’s laws, policies and procedures. “The administrative tribunal could best be thought of as an administrative court… what sets an administrative tribunal aside is that it’s meant to be more efficient, more economical and more user friendly,” Fleischer said. The Administrative Tribunal began operating last spring following...
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Connecting to Indigenous roots takes more than just showing up with a status card and DNA, author says
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Jenn Ashton is clear: Growing My Way Home: Stories of Resilience and Care may be classified as an autobiographical fiction, but it is her true story. The abuse, the time as a runaway and in juvie, the broken marriages, the miscarriages, the drugs and alcohol abuse are all what she lived. The fiction part comes in how she connects the pieces of her life. “There’s a lot of people out there who don’t like the term autofiction because it seems like a lie and they don’t know which parts are real and which parts aren’t. So, I always want to start off by saying the book is real,” said Ashton, who is a “status Indian” with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation in British Columbia....
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