Six Indigenous players selected at NHL Entry Draft
By Sam Laskaris Writer When the Stanley Cup finalists were determined this past spring it was guaranteed that an Indigenous player would be among those celebrating at the conclusion of the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs. As it turned out it was Zach Whitecloud, a Sioux Valley Dakota Nation member and his Vegas Golden Knights’ teammates who were crowned Stanley Cup champions. The Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers, which featured Six Nations defenceman Brandon Montour 4-1 in their best-of-seven championship final. Meanwhile, according to Hockey Indigenous, an organization that promotes Indigenous players, there are now six more Indigenous players closer to fulfilling their pro dreams. It remains to be seen of course whether any of them will go on to become a member of a Stanley Cup-winning squad. Those...
Register
National Indigenous Day
NIPD celebrations – Six Nations, Toronto and Mississaugas of Credit First Nation Six Nations marks National Indigenous Peoples’ Day with family fun By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND -National Indigenous Peoples’ Day was a day to celebrate, but it was also a day to remember a long and shared history for land and social justice for Six Nations. On Wednesday (June 21), Six Nations marked NIPD also known as Indigenous Solidarity Day, with a day of fun, venders booths, artwork, rides and activities at the community hall at 1738 Fourth Line. Six Nations lands director Lonny Bomberry told Turtle Island News what Indigenous Solidarity Day means to him. “It means recognition for all Indigenous people across Canada,” Bomberry said. “We’re here, we were here before, we’re still...
Register
Six Nations language school pressures Liberals for funding
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – “Build This School” quickly became the chant of a crowd of parents, teachers, students, politicians and others at the still empty site of a Haudenosaunee immersion language school. Six Nation’s Kawenni:io/Gaweni:y (KG) private School has been petitioning the federal government for over two decades to build the only Mohawk and Cayuga language immersion school in the country. Both Mohawk and Cayuga are on the endangered languages list. On Friday (June 23) Larry Brock Brantford-Brant PC MP demanded the Liberal government provide funding for the build. He told the crowd gathered “students are learning in a dimly-lit room with no windows and potable water issues.” He demanded the Liberal government “Build this school. enough delay.” He said it was “shameful” the Liberal...
Register
Six Nations joins COO call to pause Metis self-governance bill
Six Nations sent its support for Chiefs of Ontario who were protesting a federal bill giving Metis self-governance rights and calling on the government to pause efforts to pass the bill. Six Nations Elected Chief Mark Hill read a statement supporting Monday’s protest on Parliament Hill at the Political Liaison meeting on June 19 and said Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) learned of the protest too late to fly to Ottawa and had already rescheduled its meeting from the week prior. “Earlier this year the government of Canada and Metis Nation of Ontario (MNO) carefully crafted an agreement and recognized large areas of territories as Metis homeland in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta parts of Ontario and northern US. This legislation affirm all Metis communities under MNO have the right to self...
Register
SN Election Code committee member resigns
By Lynda Powless Editor SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – The Six Nations Election Code committee has lost one of its members. Committee member Alaina VanEvery resigned Thursday night (June 22, 2023) prior to the meeting beginning at the Six Nations’ Dajoh Centre at the sports complex. VanEvery told the committee, in a letter, she had concerns about how the committee was gathering information. conducting research and timelines. The committee, who was reviewing the current band election code and recommending amendments, cancelled plans to hold a community vote on their proposed changes June 21st after Six Nations Chief Electoral Polling Officer, (SNCEPO) Steve Williams resigned in March. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has not appointed a new SNCEPO. Six Nations band elections are expected to be held in November 2023, ...
Register
Six Nations waiting to see if Indian Day school class action extended
Six Nations continues to wait for a resolution to its attempt to extend the claims period to the Indian Day School class action application deadline. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) launched legal action against the Canadian government in December, 2022 over the class action Settlement Agreement that seeks to provide compensation for the systemic abuse suffered by First Nations children attending the government-run Indian Day Schools. They argued the deadline should be extended to December 30, 2025, but Federal Court Justice Sébastien Grammond reserved his decision on June 13 after a two-day hearing in Ottawa concerning deadline extension. SNEC and Audrey Hill argued the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and deficiencies in the claims process warrant the extension. Six Nations Elected Chief Mark Hill made a statement to the community...
Register
Six Nations waste transfer station working
Six Nations Public Works Department believes their system for handling the reserves trash is working well and plans to keep the status quo. A 20-year waste management study for the reserve suggested transitioning its landfill site to a transfer station and Mike Montour, director of public works said that was done in 2020 and it’s worked out well. “The last few years have been fantastic, thank you to community for transitioning with the waste and putting it where it’s supposed to be,” he said. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) approved a motion to extend contracts with Norfolk Disposal Services, who move the waste from the transfer site on Fourth Line Road to Thorold in Niagara. The original contract was signed in 2020 and contained an option to extend for five...
Register
Special Chiefs Assembly or dump day?
The Assembly of First Nations is meeting today to decide on the future of the leadership of the first woman to take the helm of the national organization. A Special Chiefs Assembly (SCA) is being held virtually and there is only one thing on the agenda, the results of a Human Resource Investigation Report. A report into complaints lodged by five AFN employees against the National Chief alleging they suffered harassment and reprisals from the AFN leader. Just over a year later the independent human Resources report has found employees did face harassment and reprisals from National Chief RoseAnne Archibald. The investigations were launched just over a year ago June 14, 2022 when five employees made allegations of harassment and reprisals from the National Chief and had their confidentiality breached...
Register
Weekly Cartoon
...
Register
Six Nations walks from AFN health meeting, elder shut down
Six Nations isn’t happy with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and its facilitators after an elder’s comments were silenced and walked out in solidarity. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) representatives including councillors Nathan Wright and Greg Frazer as well as acting director of Health Services, Alana Hill attended the AFN’s National Health Forum on May 31 and June 1. Wright told SNEC they don’t support the federal government’s proposed health legislation at its Political Liaison Committee meeting on June 19. Wright also hopes that the next sitting council can continue to be cautious of devolution of services to the First Nation and to make public statements on the issue. He’s cautious of involvement in the AFN and says at a breakout session a facilitator was “only interested in hearing...
Register
Haudenosaunee team finishes with round-robin record of 2-2 at world tourney
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Haudenosaunee squad competing at the world men’s field lacrosse championships in San Diego managed to conclude its round-robin schedule on a positive note. The club, which includes plenty of Six Nations connections, defeated Australia 10-6 in its fourth and final round-robin match held on Monday. That victory enabled the Haudenosaunee squad to finish with a 2-2 round-robin mark. The squad had also kicked off its appearance at the worlds with a lopsided 18-5 victory over England this past Friday. The Haudenosaunee then suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses. First it was downed 9-7 by the United States, the defending world champs, in a Saturday match. Canada then edged the Haudenosaunee side 8-7 in a game on Sunday. The 4-0 Americans and Canada, which posted a...
Register
SPORTS BRIEFS: Rebels capture first two playoff matches
By Sam Laskaris Writer Rebels capture first two playoff matches It’s a new season for the Six Nations Rebels. Now that they have commenced their playoffs the Rebels have continued to do what they did throughout the regular season. Win. The local Junior B lacrosse squad posted an unblemished 20-0 mark during regular season action. And now the Rebels are one W away from capturing their opening-round series in the playoffs. Six Nations began its post-season this past Friday by downing the visiting Owen Sound North Stars 15-9 in a match held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). The Rebels then defeated the host North Stars 9-6 on Sunday afternoon in Owen Sound. With those two victories the Rebels hold a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Eastern Conference quarter-final...
Register
Tomahawks collect four more victories at Senior Series Lacrosse tournament in Lakefield
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Tomahawks have pretty much guaranteed themselves a first-place finish in their league standings. The Tomahawks, a Senior C men’s lacrosse squad, won all four of its contests this past weekend at a tournament in Lakefield. The Six Nations club is now sporting a record of 11-1-0, good for top spot in its eight-team Senior Series Lacrosse (SSL). The Tomahawks are seven points ahead of the second-place Toronto Lightning, who have compiled a 7-4-1 mark thus far. The SSL features a regular season schedule of four tournaments. There is just one event remaining, July 22-23 in Wilmot. League entrants will play four matches each at the Wilmot event. “At 11-1, I don’t think anybody is going to catch up,” said Tomahawks’ head coach Jay...
Register
Pro Vancouver basketball franchise unveils Indigenous jersey
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Vancouver Bandits unveiled a new Indigenous-themed jersey in their home contest held Sunday, June 25, dubbed Indigenous Celebration Night. But for members of the Bandits, who compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the plan is not to simply just wear the jersey once. Vancouver players will also wear the Indigenous jersey, designed by Jeff Dickson, an artist from Kwantlen First Nation in British Columbia, for several other matches during the remainder of the 2023 CEBL season. “I’m extremely, extremely proud,’’ said Dickson, who is also a teacher at Walnut Grove Secondary School in Langley, B.C. “I didn’t want it to be a one-time thing. I wanted a legacy thing.’’ Dickson is no stranger to officials with the Bandits, a franchise...
Register
Rivermen earn a single point in two latest outings
By Sam Laskaris Writer It was a less-than-ideal week for the Six Nations Rivermen. The Rivermen, the defending Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) champions, are currently jockeying for the best position they can achieve in their league standings. But the local Senior B men’s squad did not do itself any favours as it only managed to pick up a single point in its last two outings. For starters, the Rivermen were downed 11-8 by the host Brooklin Merchants this past Friday. That match was held at the Luther Vipond Memorial Arena in Brooklin. The Rivermen then had to settle for a 14-14 overtime tie against the visiting Clearview Crushers on Saturday. This contest was held at the Six Nations Sports and Cultural Memorial Centre. “We’re not hitting the panic button,” said...
Register
Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights case
By Jessica Gresko THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP)- The Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo Nation on Thursday in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River. States that draw water from the river, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado, and water districts in California that are also involved in the case had urged the court to decide for them, which the justices did in a 5-4 ruling. Colorado had argued that siding with the Navajo Nation would undermine existing agreements and disrupt the management of the river. The Biden administration had said that if the court were to come down in favor of the Navajo Nation, the federal government could face lawsuits from many other tribes. Lawyers for the Navajo Nation had characterized the tribe’s request as modest, saying they...
Register
Hamilton’s founding history is changing
Hamilton is revisiting the city’s founding history to be inclusive By Lisa Iesse Writer HAMILTON -The City of Hamilton is working with Indigenous people in what could be seen as a step towards changing its image as the “Hate Capital of Canada.” The city has begun constructing a number of signs at important urban landmarks that are rewriting the city’s history to include the Indigenous perspectives. At the sites the city signs acknowledge the statues or monuments on site could be “problematic” for the Indigenous community. In Stoney Creek at the Augustus Jones statue a new sign is up that reads: “The City of Hamilton is working together with the community to provide a broader and more inclusive view of the past which may challenge some to rethink what they held...
Register
Six Nations Elected Council looking at environmental bylaws
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) plans to make bylaws for the territory a priority for the next council by holding a referendum during council elections this fall. Phil Monture, former director of the Six Nations Lands and Resources Department told SNEC without environmental standards the community is risking one its greatest resources, the largest Carolinian forest in Canada. “What I’m seeking is that this council actually have a plebiscite set at the same time as the next election so we can see the next council coming in can at least have a mandate to start establishing rules and regulations on development and measures to protect the environment even from the dumping of contaminated soils outside of our territory, we know what chaos that has been,” he said. SNEC passed a...
Register
More housing coming for elders at Six Nations
Six Nations is getting more housing options for elders, in a place that won’t leave them isolated from the rest of the community. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) approved another housing development on Harold Road that will include 54 one and two bedroom units for elders in a semi-assisted living facility at its General Finance meeting on June 19. Lilly-Anne Mt. Pleasant, acting director of Housing said this project is a redesign of the semi-assisted living facility that was passed in December 2022. It was passed as a 20 unit facility for elders in need of some assistance, but not yet in need of the level of care offered in a long-term care home like Iroquois Lodge. “Originally, the plan was to offer a semi-assisted facility, which we currently don’t...
Register
Brant County getting heat for consulting with HCCC on lands
By Lisa Iesse Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND – The County of Brant’s planning team is retracting claims they consulted the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) a month before submitting the plan to Ontario. The plan is aimed to guide county development into 2051. The proposed official plan would replace it’s 2012 plan now being updated by the county’s policy and planning team to “align with provincial plans, policies, and legislation.” The new plan is meant to “ensure policies align with changing community’s needs, and reflects the planning horizon of 2051,” said a statement from the official plan’s website. It was submitted to the province on May 31. The new official plan outlines ways the county should seek to heal relationships between Indigenous communities and settler communities. “(The plan)...
Register
