In Suriname’s rainforest, Saamaka woodcarvers face the pull of gold mining and logging
By Steven Grattan PIKI SEEI, Suriname (AP) — Standing atop a giant block of wood, 63-year-old Alingo Doekoe bent over and swung a traditional pick, skillfully chiseling away shards of timber. Bit by bit, a board for Adji-boto, a traditional Saamaka game with roots in West Africa, was taking shape. Here in Piki Seei — the Saamaka name for the village officially known in Dutch as Pikin Slee — tembe, the Saamaka tradition of woodcarving and decorative art, has long been part of everyday life. The Saamaka are one of six tribal peoples in Suriname whose ancestors escaped slavery during Dutch colonial rule, building independent communities in the country’s forested interior more than three centuries ago. Mostly practiced by men and passed from fathers and elders to younger generations, tembe...
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Carney says it’s time to move beyond Indian Act
By Alessia Passafiume and Kyle Duggan Prime Minister Mark Carney says he will instruct his ministers to work with First Nations to move Canada beyond the Indian Act, which could mean reforming it or abolishing it altogether. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with First Nations chiefs and premiers in Ottawa, Carney said abolishing the Indian Act has been requested by many First Nations, including...
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Horror writer Jamesie Fournier shares scares in print and on screen
By Daron Letts, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Horror author Jamesie Fournier says he enjoys scaring children almost as much as they enjoy being scared. “It’s very entertaining to be terrified,” he said Saturday in an interview in his Inhabit Media office in Iqaluit. “That’s why we love horror.” The Inuktitut and English writer had just launched his latest children’s book, Lemming’s First Halloween, earlier that day at Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum. Dozens of costumed children and their families dropped by the event to create creepy crafts and hear spooky stories. The book is Fournier’s second in the series. He published Lemming’s First Christmas in English and Inuktitut in 2024. Lemming’s First Halloween marks Fournier’s first collaboration with Toronto-based Pakistani-Canadian illustrator Faiza Khan. The tale follows Lemming and her pup...
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Brantford Police Arrest Ohsweken Woman for Assault and Robbery
BRANTFORD ONT- The Brantford Police Service (BPS) has arrested and charged a woman with assault and robbery following an incident that occurred in the city’s downtown core. BPS said on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at about 11:45 a.m., a woman was seated inside a Dalhousie Street building when a woman attempted to steal the victim’s purse. A struggle occurred and the victim was assaulted. The assault continued outside of the building, where, BPS said the accused used the victim’s cell phone as a weapon during the assault. The accused woman ran from the scene but was quickly located and arrested by Brantford police officers and Wilfrid Laurier Special Constables at about 12:00 p.m. The victim was transported to hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Investigation revealed the accused...
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Kinew calls on Carney to abolish the Indian Act at meeting with chiefs
By Alessia Passafiume and Kyle Duggan Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says he told Prime Minister Mark Carney that Canada should abolish the Indian Act during a historic meeting with premiers and First Nations leaders. Speaking with reporters during a midday break in the meeting Monday, Kinew held up his First Nations status card, which he said identifies him as an “Indian within the meaning of the Indian Act.” “It’s time to abolish the Indian Act,” Kinew said. “It’s long overdue that we have a relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada that reflects who we are as Canadians today.” Carney and most of the premiers sat down with chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa for a discussion AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said is intended to help...
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Brantford Police Service has temporarily suspended use of Crime Stoppers
BRANTFORD, ONT-The Brantford Police Service (BPS) temporarily suspended its use of the Crime Stoppers program Oct., 26, 2026, while investigating a possible cybersecurity breach. BPS said it is seeking additional information about a reported cybersecurity breach and the safeguards in place to protect the security and confidentiality of submitted tips. The BPS said its service said is committed to community safety and values the role that confidential tips play in helping investigators gather information and advance investigations. The decision to temporarily suspend use of the program reflects the importance of ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the confidentiality of information and the anonymity of individuals who come forward. The Brantford Police Service have a longstanding partnership with Brant-Brantford Crime Stoppers and have been working closely with the organization,...
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B.C. Conservative’s Lorne Doerkson sets out urgent priorities to govern
By Wolfgang Depner British Columbia’s premier-designate Lorne Doerkson’s long to-do list includes lowering taxes, while reviewing the provincial finances, working with Alberta and the federal government on the proposed Pacific Link pipeline and repealing Indigenous legislation. Doerkson laid out his priorities at a news conference Sunday, just hours after his party was elected with about two-thirds of the province’s 93 seats in the legislature. He said he has spoken to the lieutenant-governor and named Kim Henderson, a former deputy to the premier to previous Liberal governments, to lead his transition team. “We are going to do this properly, and we are going to do it with obviously some urgency,” he said. “When this government is sworn in, it will be ready on Day 1, and it will hit the ground...
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Takeaways from AP’s report on how Suriname’s Saamaka are fighting to protect their rainforest
By Steven Grattan TUTUBUKA, Suriname (AP) — Deep in Suriname’s rainforest, a group of Saamaka men hacking their way up a forested mountain discovered an abandoned excavator and logging camps in an area they believed should have remained untouched. The discovery highlights growing threats to one of the world’s most heavily forested countries, where roads, logging and gold mining are pushing deeper into largely intact rainforest. Saamaka communities are fighting back with satellite images, GPS mapping and forest patrols, documenting areas they have protected for generations in hopes of securing government recognition of their traditional forest management system. The Associated Press accompanied community patrols and a helicopter flyover to see how the Saamaka are responding to the incursions. Here are takeaways from AP’s reporting: Suriname’s largely intact forests face growing...
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New research finds frequent disease outbreaks in B.C. salmon farms, endangering wild salmon
By Gideon Mordecai Elected Chief Councillor, ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation A new study with unprecedented access to Atlantic salmon farms in British Columbia raises urgent questions about the federal government’s approach to regulating salmon farms and highlights disease risk to wild salmon populations. The Broughton Aquaculture Transition Initiative — a multi-government agreement with the province and the Mamalilikulla, ’Na̱mǥis and Kwikwasut’inux̱w Haxwa’mis First Nations — enabled this rare access to salmon farms for scientists unaffiliated with the aquaculture industry. Scientists from the Pacific Salmon Foundation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the University of British Columbia repeatedly examined the open-net pen salmon farms over more than a year, finding outbreaks of the viral disease heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) on most farms sampled. Three independent pathologists confirmed the diagnosis, and the...
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First Nations, minister and premiers gather for day of ceremony
By Alessia Passafiume First Nations leaders gathered in Ottawa on Sunday for ceremonies ahead of a historic meeting on Monday with some premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney, while grassroots activists planned their strategy to protest the meeting while heavily invoking the 2012 Idle No More movement. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak told reporters Sunday afternoon that First Nations want to be partners with the provinces in making a strong economy that works for everyone. “We see geopolitical unrest around the world for many people including Canada. And we want to work toward prosperity for First Nations, and make sure that this meeting isn’t a one-and-done,” she said. As part of the ceremonies, premiers were given a handful of tobacco they were encouraged to pray upon. They then followed Woodhouse...
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N.W.T.’s $375M conservation trust reports back on spending for first time
By Eshana Gohil, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio More than half of the $18.4 million distributed by the Our Land for the Future Trust in its first year went toward Indigenous Guardian programs across the Northwest Territories. The funding supported the launch of eight new Guardian programs and the continuation of 10 existing ones, alongside efforts to establish and manage protected areas, the trust said in its first annual report since being created. The investments are expected to create job opportunities in northern communities. The number of jobs created to date isn’t stated in the annual report that was published on Thursday – the trust told Cabin Radio it is working to gather more detailed information. The report does, however, set out the amount of funding distributed to each...
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Atikamekw baby to be reburied in home community more than 70 years after death
By Frédéric Lacroix-Couture More than 70 years after his death, an Atikamekw baby buried far from his family in Quebec City will be laid to rest in his home community. After 12 years of searching, the family of Maxime Ottawa has located his burial site, exhumed his remains and confirmed his identity, bringing what relatives describe as “immense relief.” “On Oct. 26, 2026, Baby Maxime will finally come home to Manawan, to his mother and father, to his brothers and sisters,” his niece, Manon Ottawa, said Thursday at a news conference in Montreal. Maxime was the brother of her father, Henri Ottawa, whose wish to find out what happened to the child prompted her to begin searching in 2014. Manawan is an Atikamekw community located about 250 kilometres north of...
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Makivvik wants to end time changes in Nunavik — but eyes next year for it
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News People across Nunavik will be changing their clocks when daylight saving time ends on Nov. 1. This is a pivot from Makivvik’s earlier plans, announced Oct. 30, 2025, for Nunavik to stay on daylight saving time year-round, starting this year. Technical and administrative issues prevented the move, Makivvik announced Oct. 14 in a news release. Now, the organization that represents Inuit across Nunavik is targeting November 2027 to end seasonal time changes in the region. Makivvik launched a survey in January 2025 that asked Nunavimmiut whether the region should abolish seasonal time changes and, if so, whether it should remain on daylight saving time or standard time. The clocks move forward during daylight saving time, creating more daylight hours in the...
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Nutrition North reforms will include more money for hunters and trappers organizations: Nunavut MP Lori Idlout
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Food sovereignty is part of Nutrition North reforms currently underway by the federal government, MP Lori Idlout told the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) annual general meeting in Kugluktuk on Oct. 21. Hunters and trappers organizations (HTOs) will receive increased financial backing under a reformed Nutrition North program, Idlout disclosed. “The HTOs will be given the funds. They want to make changes and add more to those that share the food or help with food sovereignty, but I don’t know the operation of it,” Idlout said over a Zoom call to the NTI board of directors. Nutrition North currently offers a Hunter’s Support Grant that has paid NTI $29.6 million since 2022, which gets passed on to regional Inuit associations and...
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Survey seeks to understand urban Indigenous community’s priorities for cultural spaces in Peterborough
Two Peterborough-based organizations are working together to bring a new space to the city that caters to the urban Indigenous population’s need for access to traditional spaces and resources. The Nogojiwanong Urban Indigenous Working Group (UIWG), in partnership with the Trent Society of Architects (TSA), is conducting a community-wide survey to better understand the needs and priorities of the urban Indigenous community in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. “Historically for Indigenous people, it’s been illegal to practise our culture and to speak our language,” Mshkiki Gitigaan Kwe (Katelyn Brennan) told kawarthaNOW. “Now, we’re trying to revitalize a lot of these things.” UIWG is a collaborative organization with representatives from the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, Peterborough Community Health Centre, Lovesick Lake Native Women’s Association, Lakelands Public Health, City of Peterborough, Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle, and...
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Indigenous leaders discuss opportunities at forum in Thunder Bay
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — Mel Hardy sees plenty of opportunity in his part of Ontario. “We have treaties, we have opportunities, and we have the land,” the Northern Superior regional chief of Anishinabek Nation said Wednesday. “And that land is what’s going to give us the opportunities and engagements with the various industries, especially mining groups.” Actors in the mining sector want to “establish a real relationship” with First Nations, he said, “so there is opportunity there.” Hardy, from Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, was speaking during the lunch break on the first day of the Anishinabek Nation Economic Development Opportunities Forum, which concluded Thursday. Anishinabek Nation economic development director Jason Laronde stressed that economic development is “critical” to First Nation communities’ future. “What’s really...
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Treaty No. 6 First Nations Welcome Alberta Referendum Result to remain in Canada
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News The Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations is welcoming the result of Alberta’s separation referendum, saying the majority decision represents Albertans abandoning the path of separatism. In a release issued Oct. 20 and signed by Grand Chief Joey Pete, the Confederacy expressed gratitude to First Nations members who participated in the vote, as well as community organizers and Get Out the Vote team leads who worked to ensure Indigenous voices were heard. Treaty First Nations throughout Alberta have opposed the separatist movement and challenged the legality of provincial separation and the referendum process through the courts, according to the Confederacy. The organization criticized the United Conservative Party government, alleging that it changed regulations and manipulated the electoral process to...
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Howie Miller Turns Comedy into a Platform for Indigenous Representation
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News For Howie Miller, comedy is more than a punchline. It is a way to confront racism, challenge stereotypes and make space for Indigenous people in an entertainment industry that has often reduced them to narrow roles. The Edmonton comedian has spent decades turning personal experience into material while encouraging a new generation of Indigenous performers to step into the spotlight. His goal is not only to see more Indigenous comedians onstage, but to see Indigenous people represented across mainstream media as doctors, lawyers, scientists, astronauts and artists. “We need our faces in mainstream media more and more, and not so much riding around on horses or drunk on a reservation,” Miller said. “We need to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, astronauts,...
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Belfountain Heritage Society hosts plaque unveiling and book launch
By Kathryn Fraser, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Caledon Citizen On October 17, the Belfountain Heritage Society held a special plaque and a book launch at the Belfountain Community Hall. The event started with a new plaque unveiling at the Healing Canoe Garden, located in Belfountain. Chief Margaret Sault Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation unveiled the new plaque. It contains detailed information about Treaty 19, ReconciliACTION and a map of the area, including Belfountain, Cataract, Brimstone, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, Credit River, West Credit River and Dufferin Lake. One portion of the plaque speaks about the phrase, “As long as the river flows,” which is an Indigenous phrase that was historically used in the oral traditions of treaty-making to signal that the agreements were to...
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Feds investing $1 billion for road to Ring of Fire in Ontario: Carney
By Liam Casey The federal government will put down $1 billion to help build a controversial road to the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday. The region is said to be rich in nickel, chromite, copper and gold and Carney said its development will secure Canada’s critical mineral supply chain. “Canada is matching Ontario’s $1-billion investment to build road infrastructure to reach the Ring of Fire,” Carney said as he and Premier Doug Ford announced in Ottawa an $8.7-billion joint plan to help Ontario’s tariff-affected industries, including steel and automotive sectors. The Ring of Fire sits partially in the James Bay lowlands, part of North America’s largest wetland, and is home to a number of remote, fly-in First Nations. Its mineral development has...
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