Binoojiinhshak Jiimaan, the ‘children’s canoe’ expands traditional knowledge in Georgian Bay
By Shania Tabobondung, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Parry Sound North Star In early May, Wasauksing Kinomaugewamik began a three-week birchbark canoe build and gave their students the opportunity to learn on the land while connecting with culture and creating something meaningful for themselves and future generations. Wasauksing Kinomaugewamik, located on Wasauksing First Nation, teaches students from kindergarten to Grade 8. Students visited the build site during Anishinaabemowin classes and any other available free time to participate. Great Lakes Lifeway, a group based in Wisconsin, travelled to Wasauksing to help lead the build. The institute partners with communities to foster and promote land-based learning and activities. The project, called Wiigwaas Jiimaanke: Revitalizing Culture, was funded by the Diocese of Peterborough through its Indigenous Reconciliation Fund. According to the Diocese’s website, the...
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Talks underway for Indigenous-led public inquiry into systemic racism: N.B. minister
By Eli Ridder Early talks on an Indigenous-led public inquiry into systemic racism are underway between the New Brunswick government and First Nations, after widespread calls for justice system reforms stretching back more than half a decade. Indigenous Affairs Minister Keith Chiasson says the Liberal government and Indigenous leaders met last week on the topic and agreed to continue deliberations in the coming months to get the inquiry off the ground. “We are fully supportive of an Indigenous-led inquiry on systemic racism and obviously this is just the first step,” Chiasson told reporters on Wednesday. “There’s a lot of work to be done to kind of clarify that and kind of really put more framework on what it’s going to look like moving forward.” Two Indigenous people — Chantel Moore...
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Family resumes search for rest of Mekhi Pelly’s remains
By Pam Fedack, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kenora Miner & News Long after police search efforts slowed and the winter forced families out of the bush, the people who loved Mekhi Pelly are searching for his remains yet again. Nearly six months after some of the 21-year-old’s remains were first discovered near Washagamis Bay First Nation, family members, friends and volunteers have returned to the area hoping to bring the rest of him home. “The renewed search effort began May 15 and is being led not by police, but by the people still carrying the weight of Mekhi’s loss every day.” Family friend Lori Copenace says some family members feel the original search efforts did not go far enough. “The police found 70 per cent of Mekhi, and we’re looking...
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‘Ratification does not remove the conflict’: Wei Wai Kum outlines treaty concerns
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com For Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts, whose First Nation is among those raising concerns surrounding Bill 20, the K’ómoks Treaty Act, the dispute over British Columbia’s proposed K’ómoks treaty is not simply about lines on a map. It’s about First Nations’ law, territorial responsibility, constitutional rights, and whether neighbouring First Nations should be expected to resolve historic land overlap concerns after a treaty has already become legally entrenched. Bill-20 seeks to ratify into provincial law the K’ómoks First Nation treaty in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. It moves the K’ómoks First Nation out from beneath the Indian Act to recognize its inherent right to self-government and law-making on a wide range of treaty chapters, including culture and heritage, harvesting, stewardship...
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Alberta premier wins standoff with party over position on provincial separation vote
By Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson A standoff between Premier Danielle Smith and her own United Conservative Party on the issue of separation is over — and the premier has won. Premier Smith and party president Rob Smith had been at odds over where they stand on Alberta staying in Canada ahead of a fall referendum on the matter. The premier said Wednesday she wants Alberta to stay in Confederation, while the party president, who is not related to premier, said earlier this week the party would not pick a side leading up to the vote. Premier Smith told QR Calgary and 880 CHED that when it comes to the United Conservatives, her word is the last word, and the party’s official position is that it wants Alberta to stay...
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Squamish skincare brand ‘first’ to launch Indigenous-made SPF
By Ina Pace, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Squamish Chief Sḵwálwen Botanicals, a skincare brand that harvests ingredients from the Squamish Estuary, claims to be the first to launch an Indigenous-made SPF cream in Canada. A new mineral-based sunscreen is on the shelves, and the company behind it says it is the first of its kind to honour cultural relationships in Canada. Sḵwálwen Botanicals , an Indigenous-owned skin care brand, which incorporates cultural teachings of plants with its products, has launched the Kalkáy Tinted SPF 30 Face Cream.The cream infuses broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) sun protection with botanical oils, such as cranberry and jojoba, in a “lightweight formula” for daily use, according to the Sḵwálwen website . This means that not only does this SPF protect skin from harmful UV...
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Fact File: No evidence Vancouver sending homeless residents to other B.C. cities ahead of World Cup
By Marissa Birnie Rumours have spread on social media that homeless people from Vancouver were being bused out of town in an attempt to “clean up” ahead of the FIFA World Cup that begins next month. But Vancouver denies the claims, and several British Columbia cities that were supposedly on the receiving end say there is no evidence to support the rumours. In Prince George, B.C., which is frequently cited as a destination for homeless people from Vancouver, a service provider says they haven’t seen an unusual influx of people. THE CLAIM “I heard rumours today that Vancouver is sending their homeless to Williams Lake/Quesnel/Prince George. They are given $100.00 and a Bus Ticket. Vancouver wants to clean up before the FIFA Games this Summer in Vancouver,” reads a March...
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Nunavik students bring film to international stage
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News When Madison York speaks about being on the land, she describes it as “happy, free, refreshing” — as well as a “feeling that I can’t explain.” This year, York, who graduated from Kuujjuaq’s Jaanimmarik School in 2025, will help present a short film based on the land at the UArctic Congress, an international gathering focused on Arctic communities, research and culture. The forum takes place in Tórshavn, Denmark, and runs from May 26 to 29. “The land means a lot to us. Back in the day, our ancestors used the stars to make sure they didn’t get lost and the trees for heat,” York said in an interview ahead of the conference. “We respect the land like it’s a person.” Nunaapivut...
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Newfoundland and Labrador declares gender-based violence an epidemic
By Sarah Smellie Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest province to declare gender-based violence an epidemic. The provincial government announced the move today, following in the footsteps of other jurisdictions including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Lela Evans, Newfoundland and Labrador’s minister of women and gender equality, says the declaration acknowledges the urgency of the problem and the need for collective action to prevent it. The province is also establishing a 12-person task force whose members represent government, survivors and Indigenous women. The move comes days after a jury found a Newfoundland man guilty of first-degree murder in the 2016 disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Hillier-Penney. The report into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia concluded that gender-based, intimate partner and family violence are an epidemic in Canada...
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RDN voting formula change referred to Ministry
By Hope Lompe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder, Gabriola Sounder The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) voting formula change will be sent to the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs for final approval, following a motion at the Apr. 28 board meeting. As reported in the Mar. 18 Sounder, the RDN is making the change as new municipal boundary lines and projected population increase will no longer accommodate its existing vote structure. “This is a pretty important topic, but also one that required a lot of deep diving. So appreciate the consultants work and staff’s work, and just big thank you to the board too. I think there was some really good discussion around this and the individual councils,” said RDN board member Tyler Brown. Members of the public...
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Court ruling, privacy probe hit separation petition
By Nicholas L.M. Allen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Crowsnest Pass Herald A successful court challenge from First Nations and an ongoing privacy investigation have placed Alberta’s separation petition under renewed scrutiny. Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton called the May 13 Alberta Court of King’s Bench decision to quash Elections Alberta’s approval of the separatist petition a “historic victory” for Piikani Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy and Treaty peoples. The court decision came after First Nations challenged the approval of a citizen initiative petition connected to a proposed referendum on Alberta independence. The ruling found Alberta had a duty to consult First Nations before the petition process was allowed to proceed. “Today marks a historic victory for Piikani Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy, and all Treaty peoples,” Knowlton said in a May 13...
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Court ruling, privacy probe hit separation petition
By Nicholas L.M. Allen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Crowsnest Pass Herald A successful court challenge from First Nations and an ongoing privacy investigation have placed Alberta’s separation petition under renewed scrutiny. Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton called the May 13 Alberta Court of King’s Bench decision to quash Elections Alberta’s approval of the separatist petition a “historic victory” for Piikani Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy and Treaty peoples. The court decision came after First Nations challenged the approval of a citizen initiative petition connected to a proposed referendum on Alberta independence. The ruling found Alberta had a duty to consult First Nations before the petition process was allowed to proceed. “Today marks a historic victory for Piikani Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy, and all Treaty peoples,” Knowlton said in a May 13...
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Talks underway for Indigenous-led public inquiry into systemic racism: N.B. minister
By Eli Ridder A New Brunswick cabinet minister says early talks have started on an Indigenous-led public inquiry into systemic racism. Indigenous Affairs Minister Keith Chiasson says the Liberal government and First Nations leaders will meet in the coming months to further discuss the matter. Chiasson says his government fully backs an inquiry but wasn’t able to confirm specifics or a timeline. Sitansisk First Nation Chief Allan Polchies told reporters the scope of the inquiry will focus on the justice system. First Nations leaders in New Brunswick have been calling for an Indigenous-led independent public inquiry for the past six years. In response, the previous Progressive Conservative government had established a broader anti-racism action plan that critics said lumped distinct Indigenous experiences with other racialized groups. Indigenous lawyer Naiomi Metallic,...
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Smudge bundles introduced across Prairie Mountain Health facilities
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun Prairie Mountain Health is expanding access to Indigenous cultural practices within its facilities through a smudging initiative aimed at reducing barriers for patients and families seeking traditional ceremonies during hospital stays. The health region says a Smudging Ceremony Policy is now in place across PMH facilities to guide staff in supporting clients and families who wish to smudge while receiving care. Designated smudging areas have been established in many facilities to meet ventilation and safety requirements, while newer PMH buildings have incorporated spaces and ventilation systems that allow smudging to occur in many patient rooms. Prairie Mountain Health Indigenous Health has also created 27 smudge bundles for use in acute care facilities throughout the region. The bundles are available to patients...
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Triano, Littlechild and 1990 women’s hockey team enter Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
Indigenous sport leader Chief Wilton Littlechild ,bsketball player and coach Jay Triano and the 1990 Canadian women’s hockey team were named the 2026 inductees into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday. The class of 2026 will receive the Order of Sport on Nov. 4 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame has inducted over 750 Canadians as athletes, builders and trailblazers since 1955. The Hall dubbed the 2026 class the “Legacy Edition,” which will be inducted in the “Trailblazer” category as people who broke barriers, redefined their sport and created new opportunities for future generations. The Hall operates as a hybrid, both physical and online, with digital storytelling through a national school program and the Indigenous Sport Heroes Education experience. The Hall’s...
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Hundreds of baby salmon released into Wolf Creek during annual event
By Noah Korver, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News Hundreds of baby chinook salmon are now swimming free in Wolf Creek after being released into the watershed on Sunday, May 24. The release was coordinated by the Yukon Fish and Game Association in partnership with staff from the Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery as well as community members from the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. The family-friendly event included a community barbecue at Wolf Creek Campground and educational activities put on by community partners. Various tables set up at the event offered attendees a chance to learn about the Yukon River salmon and the efforts underway to promote their population-level health and conservation. The migration of chinook salmon on the Yukon River is one of nature’s most remarkable phenomena....
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Six Nations Fire department… all about community safety
By Alex Murray, Writer Fire safety and fun were on offer during the Six Nations Fire Department’s (SNFD) Community Awareness open house and barbecue on Wednesday afternoon (May 20). Fire Station #1 in downtown Ohsweken was packed not only with hungry community members that came to enjoy the free fare, but dozens of kids in plastic red fireman hats. With the kids having fun exploring the station and the fire trucks behind her, SNFD Fire and Life Safety Educator Emma Varhaug talked about how the event places an emphasis on safety. “We want the community to be as safe as possible. We’re promoting safety, checking your smoke alarms, just being open and available for any questions that they might have,” Varhaug told Turtle Island News. Six Nations community member Lyall...
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Six Nations Grand River Development Corporation has growth year
By Alex Murray Writer It’s got a new name and it’s growing. The Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC) is now simply the Six Nations Group (SNG). The SNG held their 11th annual general meeting May 20th showing a growth in assets to $139.7 million from $122.3 million in 2024-2025 year. The SNG is an independent corporation created by Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) to manage the economic interests of the Six Nations community with SNEC serving as the sole shareholder. CEO Matt Jamieson was flanked by Board Chair Rachel Martin and KPMG representative David Marks during the annual audit presentation. They said they were committed to openness, accountability, and transparency with the community. But before they could get down to brass tacks, Jamieson and Martin announced...
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CBC pausing production on satirical Indigenous show
By The Canadian Press staff The CBC is pausing production on a satirical show on Indigenous issues after blowback from some who claimed false pretences were used to lure high-profile guests. CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson says the public broadcaster is halting production on “Northland Tales” to ensure it doesn’t negatively affect the news brand and so existing footage can be assessed. Several current and former Conservative politicians have gone on social media to denounce the production of the show, which was being produced for CBC and APTN. The show is described by the Indigenous Screen Office – which works to increase Indigenous media representation using federal funding – as a satire program meant to “flip the script” on modern and historical injustices against Indigenous Peoples. Conservatives are questioning why CBC...
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Bill aims to curb domestic violence
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door The Quebec government has proposed new legislation to permit disclosures of personal information to individuals who believe their intimate partner or ex-partner may pose a risk to their safety or that of their child. “I want to make sure the same services will be provided across the whole province,” said the bill’s author, vice-premier Ian Lafrenière, in an interview with The Eastern Door. Lafrenière, who is also minister of Indigenous affairs and Public Security, emphasized that a wall-to-wall approach is needed to address intimate partner violence in the province. “There’s a consensus. People are willing, they’re ready for that,” he said. “That’s the reason why we’re doing that bill now.” Bill 4 was inspired by Gabie Renaud, a Quebec woman...
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