Paul St-Pierre Plamondon to meet with First Nations leaders this week
By Patrice Bergeron Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador on Wednesday. St-Pierre Plamondon was criticized for his absence from a summit on Monday in Ottawa between premiers and Indigenous representatives. A spokesperson for the new PQ government announced the planned meeting. Last week, St-Pierre Plamondon’s team had suggested that he would not attend the federally organized meeting due to scheduling issues. The Quebec government is in transition after the Oct. 5 election that gave the PQ a minority rule. In a social media post, the leader of the official Opposition Liberals, Charles Milliard, criticized the premier for leaving Quebec’s seat empty, even though he had promised to collaborate with the rest of Canada. But the...
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Chief Joey Pete to Boycott First Nations–First Ministers Meeting, Citing Treaty Rights Concerns
By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Chief Joey Pete has announced he will not attend the First Nations–First Ministers Meeting scheduled for October 26 in Ottawa, citing concerns about the federal government’s legislative agenda, the role of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and the exclusion of sovereign Treaty Nations from decisions affecting their rights and territories. In a statement released October 25, Pete said he had chosen to remain with his Nation rather than participate in a meeting he believes could legitimize federal government decisions and processes that may affect constitutionally protected Treaty and inherent rights. “I made the deliberate decision to stay home with my people rather than attend a meeting that is not ours, that we did not organize, and where the federal government and...
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Cowichan Tribes to propose solution protecting private property in January: lawyer
By Wolfgang Depner The lawyer for the Cowichan Tribes said they will make a proposal in January that protects private property rights in the landmark Aboriginal title case that the B.C. Conservatives have said calls into question who controls British Columbia. Lawyer David Rosenberg said that if it has “the right attitude,” the incoming Conservative government will find it easier to resolve the Cowichan case than to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, known as DRIPA. The 2025 Cowichan ruling on a portion of Crown, city and private land in Richmond, B.C., found that Aboriginal title is a “senior interest” compared with fee-simple title, and sections of B.C.’s Land Title Act that establish fee-simple title as “indefeasible” do not apply to Aboriginal title. It has triggered...
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Wasauksing education director speaks to the role of NNDB Indigenous board trustee and call out for candidates
By Shania Tabobondung Local Journalism Initiative reporter for ParrySound.com. Wasauksing First Nation is calling for nominations for the Indigenous Trustee position on the Near North District School Board. It is a four-year role that represents the interests of Indigenous students and families across eight First Nations communities. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. All eight First Nation communities connected to the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) are invited to participate and submit candidate nominations. According to Dave McDougall, director of education at Wasauksing First Nation, which has approximately 40 to 45 students attending NNDSB schools, the position is crucial for Indigenous students and families. Dave McDougall is the Director of Education at Wasauksing First Nation. Credit: Dave McDougall photo In an interview, he explained...
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Rock the Indigenous Vote: Treaty Chiefs, grassroots mobilization and the fight for Indigenous voices
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Cara Currie-Hall, a political organizer from Montana First Nation in Maskwacis, Treaty 6 territory, is the founder of Rock the Indigenous Vote. Her experience in political organizing includes serving as chief of staff to former Assembly of First Nations National Chief Matthew Coon Come and helping mobilize Native American voters during Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. In 2015, she brought that experience to Canada by founding Rock the Indigenous Vote, continuing her work to organize and encourage Indigenous people to participate in the political process. Her work has also included Indigenous sport. In 2023, she was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions as a multisport builder. Treaty Chiefs respond to the separation debate...
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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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