Six Nations Elected Council running $3.4 million deficit
By Lynda Powless Editor With a nudge from Turtle Island News, Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is getting better at releasing its annual audit. This year the audit is again only three months late and again was quietly posted to its website after Turtle Island News questioned why it wasn’t publically available. What the 2025-2026 audit shows is SNEC continuing to bail out underfunded government programs with the community’s own source revenues. The 2025-2026 SNEC audit shows the band would be running a $3.4 million deficit without the community’s own source revenues kicking in to bail out government underfunding. The band brought in a total of $179,905,709 in total revenues in the 2025-2026 budget year but only $134,375,867 was government funding for various band program and services. Another $40,368,106 in revenues that...
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Six Nations Elected Council costs still hitting highs
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is heading into its last term of office in November and still sits as one of the most expensive band councils in its history. The 12 member elected council’s costs soared in the 2024-2025 audit year to a skyrocketing $934,939. SNEC is a part-time council with only the Elected Chief full-time. But the 2025-2026 audit just released shows costs dropped last year to $885,604, a $49,335 drop in the current audit. The current council was sworn in November 7,2023 and included six veterans and six new councillors The 2023-2027 council is made-up of Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Pierce-Hill (who has since dropped the hyphenated name to just Hill). It was her first term as an elected chief. The 12 councillors include: Alaina VanEvery, Amos Key, Audrey...
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Upgrades to septic service equipment, ongoing
Upgrades to septic service equipment, ongoing work on the community’s waste bylaw and a series of road repairs were among the issues at the Built Environment, Climate Adaptation, Lands and Membership Committee. Councill Dayle Bomberry, chair of the committee presented an update from the Aug. 13 meeting to Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) at its General COuncil meeting on August 25. One of the items moving forward to Council is a proposal to purchase a new septic truck to help address the community’s needs and replace aging equipment. The Six Nations Public Works department currently has three vehicles, but some are becoming increasingly old, with one about 12 years old. “There’s quite a big need in the community, and they are working on it,” Bomberry said. The proposed purchase is...
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After three years cable infrastructure nearing end
After more than three years of construction, First Nations Cable’s fibre-to-the-home project on Six Nations is nearing the finish line, with the remaining areas scheduled for completion by the end of September. Jeff Thomas owner of First Nations Cable told Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) during its General Council meeting Aug. 25 that the majority of the fibre infrastructure is now in place, with only sections of Second Line Road, Townline Road, Sixth Line Road, Seventh Line Road and Highway 54 still needing work. “It’s been a long three and a half years on this project that we’ve been working on with the internet, and it’s finally coming to a close here,” Thomas said. The project was designed to bring high-speed fibre internet infrastructure to homes throughout the community and...
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Karihwanó:ron finally home
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door Watakerená:wi Dunkley grew up grounded in her language and culture – and that made all the difference. Not every child in the early 2000s, or even today, had that opportunity. But Dunkley was a student at Karihwanó:ron Mohawk Immersion School, which, at nearly 40 years old, is one of Kahnawake’s most enduring success stories in the drive to transmit Kanien’kehá:ka teachings and perhaps one day restore Kanien’kéha as the community’s common language. “It had such a positive impact on my life because growing up I always had the cultural teachings,” said Dunkley. She carried these sensibilities through her young life, choosing to attend Six Nations Polytechnic, where she studied language and culture in hopes of becoming a teacher in town....
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B.C. boaters warned to avoid floating island that has mystified experts
By Nono Shen Geologist John Joseph Clague said when he first heard that a floating island, bigger than a football field, had been spotted on a lake in British Columbia’s northern Interior, he dismissed it as an “AI stunt.” But Clague — a professor of earth sciences at Simon Fraser University and an emeritus scientist of the Geological Survey of Canada — is now convinced that the island is very real, but is mystified by its origins. Boaters have been being warned to stay off the island that reappeared on Monday on Williston Lake, the reservoir for the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, after BC Hydro confirmed its existence in mid-August but then lost track of it.. BC Hydro spokesperson Bob Gammer said it had travelled about 30 kilometres, adding to the...
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Ava Hill, stands out as Indigenous Woman leader…
Six Nations has had only three elected female chiefs since the band system was imposed in 1924. And of those three, no one stands out more than Ava Hill. A former councillor turned Elected Chief, there was never any question about her loyalty to working for the community. Ava took the helm of the community with just a two- vote lead, but she turned that narrow margin into a victory for the community with simple hard-core advocacy work. She had hopes during her term of seeing the many factions that exist within the community move to unify, but didn’t let those barriers stand in her way of promoting and working for all of Six Nations. As a veteran councillor, she knew the needs of the community. She often said her...
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Today in History
Sept 6 In 1995, Dudley George, one of a group of aboriginal protesters occupying Ipperwash Provincial Park on Lake Huron in Ontario, was shot dead by police. The protesters were claiming the park occupied a sacred burial ground. (A police officer was later convicted of criminal negligence causing death). In 2023, the remains of two Innu children were exhumed from a Quebec cemetery to help give closure to families who had long-standing questions about the identities of the bodies they buried in 1970. In 2024, Manitoba Grand Chief Cathy Merrick died after suddenly collapsing outside the Winnipeg Law Courts building. She had been speaking with reporters about two court cases when she said she felt dizzy and fell to the ground. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said flags at the legislature...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY: Opening The New St Francis Xavier Church In Attawapiskat
By Xavier Kataquapit I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25. The community enjoyed the celebration together, filling the new church for the official opening. The ribbon-cutting event began with a traditional drumming ceremony led by Danny Metatawabin and dancers led by Janie Kataquapit on the riverbank next to the new church. The gathering then took part in a Catholic ceremony to consecrate the new church. The ceremony was led by local parish priest Father Kingsley Njoku, S.M.M.M., of St Francis Xavier Church and was joined by Bishop Pierre Olivier Tremblay, O.M.I., Diocese of Hearst-Moosonee and Bishop Alan Edward Campeau, Diocese of Thunder Bay. The event was also attended...
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Chiefs preparing to host Adanacs in Mann Cup series
By Sam Laskaris Writer The 2026 Mann Cup champions will be crowned at some point next week. It remains to be seen, however, if it will be the host Six Nations Chiefs, the three-time defending national champs who will make history and win their fourth straight title, or if British Columbia’s Coquitlam Adanacs will capture Canadian bragging rights. All games in the best-of-seven Mann Cup series will be held locally, at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. The series opener is scheduled for Friday at 8 p.m. The Chiefs, who have been operating since 1993, are hoping to win their 10th Mann Cup in franchise history. As for the Adanacs, they were founded in 1965. But they only have won the national title once, exactly a quarter century ago, in 2001. For...
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Rivermen coach proud of his players’ efforts at The Prezzy
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rivermen did manage to come up with some victories at the Presidents Cup, the national Senior B lacrosse tournament. But unfortunately for the Rivermen they were not able to come up with a win when they needed it most to keep their medal hopes alive at the Canadian championships, which concluded this past Saturday in Edmonton. The Six Nations squad did manage to emerge victorious in two out of its three round-robin contests at the eight-team tourney, which is often simply called The Prezzy. But the Rivermen had their medal aspirations disappear when they were downed 16-12 by British Columbia’s Ladner Pioneers in a quarter-final match last Wednesday. Despite that loss, the Six Nations side did have one more game. But it was...
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‘It’ll make a huge difference’: First Nations laws finally enforced
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner First Nations chiefs say a new law passed in New Brunswick last spring will have a huge impact on their communities. But the legislation that gives oomph to their bylaws had an unlikely inspiration, unmentioned when it was introduced in the legislature in May. It was conceived in a small community 2,900 kilometres away from Fredericton. Leaders in Muskoday First Nation, just east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, spent years working with their provincial government to make their own laws enforceable by police. Just like in New Brunswick, the RCMP in Saskatchewan were at one time reluctant to enforce First Nations bylaws, arguing they wouldn’t pass the scrutiny of the courts. But then a change came in 2023 when the legislature...
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Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods are now in effect
By The Canadian Press staff Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods — a response to the 50 per cent tariffs Washington hit Canada with last month — took effect just after midnight EDT on Tuesday. On Aug. 22, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian goods, from hockey sticks and cement to honey, after trade talks broke down. Canada’s reciprocal tariffs target the same value in U.S. goods, all drawn from the list of products being tariffed by the United States. They include dairy products, plywood and sunscreen. This latest tariff war began when negotiations to resolve some outstanding trade irritants on both sides of the border fell apart, with each side accusing the other of making last-minute demands. In a national video address...
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Rural voices drive new grants supporting targets of family violence
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette New grants worth $15 million to help address family violence have arrived on the scene because of wise counsel from rural Alberta, the minister of children and family services says. Emergency family violence shelters in small-town Alberta “created the impetus” for the three new funding streams, Searle Turton told The Macleod Gazette. “They were looking for more innovative grant streams, ones with flexible options to meet their specific geographic concerns,” he said. Turton’s comments came a day after a Sept. 2 announcement of staggered closing dates for applications under grants the province teased in July. First up is a $4-million envelope called the Facility Grant Pilot Program, with money available for upgrades and maintenance of eligible women’s shelters for roofing,...
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Quebec premier says new buy local strategy will add $1.5B to the province’s economy
By Patrice Bergeron The Quebec government has announced a series of measures to promote buying locally in response to the escalating trade war between Canada and the United States. Premier Christine Fréchette says the measures will inject about $1.5 billion into the Quebec economy in the next four months. “Quebec is facing a bully,” Fréchette said Tuesday, in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump. “We have two choices when facing him. Either we bow down and end up on our knees, or we keep our heads high and stand tall.” Fréchette’s cabinet met as she took a break from the provincial election campaign to return to her role as premier and address the latest in the trade war. The ministers adopted an order-in-council requiring the government to take steps to...
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Canada Infrastructure Bank closes loan for Nunavut wind project serving gold mine
The Canada Infrastructure Bank has closed a $20-million loan for an Inuit-led wind project serving a gold mine in Nunavut. The recipient of the loan is a partnership between the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and Tugliq Energy. The project includes a 4.2-megawatt wind turbine and a four-megawatt battery energy storage system that would power Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.’s operations in Hope Bay. The project is expected to cut annual diesel use by up to three million litres and lower emissions by some 13,000 tonnes per year. Natural Resources Canada has already contributed $25 million to the Hope Bay project through its Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program. In May, Agnico Eagle gave the official go-ahead to proceed with its Hope Bay project, which would be one of Canada’s northernmost mines. The...
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More Nova Scotians add their names to petition calling for return of uranium ban
By Devin Stevens More than 10,000 people have now signed a petition asking the Nova Scotia government to reinstate a ban on uranium mining in the province. The opposition Liberals and NDP were planning to table more than 2,000 new signatures as politicians returned to the legislature. This is on top of more than 8,000 signatures already on record. Premier Tim Houston’s government repealed the decades long ban in March 2025, but no new mining operation has started up in the meantime. Houston has said the element is mined safely in other places and that the province needs to develop its natural resources to improve its economy. Petition organizers say the new signatures were collected by community members, grassroots organizations and local businesses. Dr. Catherine Cervin, with the Canadian Association...
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Child abuse, poverty, and overcrowded housing are increasing suicide risk in Nunavut: watchdog
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News This article contains potentially upsetting information. There were 12 suicides by Nunavummiut under 19-years-old in 2025-26, according to Jane Bates, the Representative for Children and Youth Nunavut. In each of those events, something more could have been done, she suggested. “It was clear from a preliminary review that there were many junctures, many opportunities in which young people may have reached out, or opportunities in which departments could have intervened,” Bates said. An intervention may have not stopped those suicides, Bates cautioned, but an attempt could have been made. Reviewing those suicides is currently on hold because the traumatic stories overwhelmed staff at the Representative for Children and Youth Nunavut. “You can’t look at suicide with one factor. It’s a...
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Quebec premier says tariff countermeasures will add $1.5B to the province’s economy
By Patrice Bergeron The Quebec government has announced a series of measures to promote buying locally in response to the escalating trade war between Canada and the United States. Premier Christine Fréchette says the measures will inject about $1.5 billion into the Quebec economy in the next four months. Fréchette’s cabinet met as she took a break from the provincial election campaign to return to her role as premier and address the latest in the trade war. The ministers adopted an order-in-council requiring the government to take steps to favour local businesses when it comes to awarding contracts, such as reserving public bids for companies with a place of business in Quebec and Canada. Those measures could also including requiring that goods be produced and processed in the province, and...
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The Latest: Canada strikes back with tariffs on about $20 billion worth of US goods
Canada struck back at U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday with tariffs on about $20 billion worth of U.S. goods, in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller U.S. ally can withstand Trump’s economic pressure. Republican candidates were summoned to Dallas for Trump’s two-day convention to rally supporters for this year’s elections. Republicans have never held a midterm convention before, although Democrats did in the 1970s and 1980s. Americans’ satisfaction with the quality of K-12 education in the country has hit a low point. Just 32% of American adults say they are “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied with the U.S. school system, according to a new poll. That’s an 11-point drop over the past two years...
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