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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Foundry Fort St. John takes part in Montréal conference at Observatory of Indigenous Public Administrations
By Energeticcity Local Journalism Initiative Reporter FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Foundry Fort St. John was represented at a recent conference in Montréal at the Observatory of Indigenous Public Administrations. Community development and project lead for Foundry, Asuncion Sta. Maria presented alongside co-authors Dr. Tareq Hardan and Dr. Giuseppe Amatulli on Aug. 27 at the conference hosted by École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP). Themes of the presentation focused on youth mental health, connection, culture, and community in the development of Foundry Fort St. John and engagement with the community and regional First Nations. Northeast B.C. has seen youth-related tragedies in 2026. The deaths of Lexi Waldie Siemens and another youth occurred within days of one another during the Christmas break, prompting discussions from public officials and health organizations about going...
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First Nation demands stop to construction of gas plant
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner New Brunswick’s biggest First Nation wants the provincial government to stop the construction of a controversial gas plant in southeastern New Brunswick, arguing no preparation work should happen until it reaches an accommodation agreement with the builder. Elsipogtog First Nation posted on its Facebook page last week a statement from the chief and council about the Holt government’s decision to give the Tantramar gas plant conditional approval. They are concerned about the plant disturbing critical moose habitat, a migratory corridor for wildlife and a “documented family trapline and camping area.” But the First Nation is unlikely to get its way, based on the provincial government’s response. The Mi’kmaq community near Miramichi is about 100 kilometres north of Centre Village, a...
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Only known woolly dog pelt returns to B.C. after more than 160 years
By Nono Shen When Coast Salish artist Atheana Picha ran a gloved hand through the thick white pelt of an extinct woolly dog that has returned to British Columbia for the first time in more than 160 years, her thoughts turned to how her ancestors might have used the fur. Perhaps they would have made a blanket or maybe a headband. “And I thought, oh, it’s so amazing because this delicate material could make such beautiful blankets with the right hands,” said Picha. “As a weaver, that really resonated with me.” The pelt belonged to Mutton, a canine companion of American naturalist George Gibbs, and had been in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., since Mutton died in 1859. It’s now on display at the Museum of Anthropology at the...
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After 9/11 in 2001, TIFF dropped its glitz and glamour and put the focus on film
By Kathryn Mannie Zacharias Kunuk watched the Twin Towers fall in the same way many across the world did: huddled in front of a TV set, not quite sure if he could believe his eyes. But unlike others, the acclaimed filmmaker was watching the horror unfold from a hotel lobby in Toronto, awaiting the Canadian premiere of his debut feature “Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner” at the Toronto International Film Festival. “I thought it was a documentary,” Kunuk recalled as he watched the stream of images come in from New York. “We were at a festival … I thought first it was a commercial.” Kunuk had flown about 15 actors and elders from the remote Arctic hamlet of Igloolik, where his Inuktitut-language film was set, to attend the premiere on Sept....
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With no time to spare, Michigan hatches a Great Lakes whitefish rescue plan
By Kelly House/bridge Michigan With time running out to save the Great Lakes’ whitefish from a deadly mussel invasion, Michigan officials have a moonshot plan to pluck fish from Lake Michigan and breed them in captivity. With sustained money, effort and luck, the fish’s offspring could one day help repopulate the lake after humans quell the mussels that have pushed the lake’s wild whitefish to near-collapse. “It’s really about saving those genetic stocks right now,” said Doug Craven, natural resources director for the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians. “If we don’t do it this year, there may not be enough wild fish in those stocks” to do it in the future. Armed with $350,000 from the recently passed state budget and nearly $900,000 from the Great Lakes Fishery...
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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. Republicans will descend on Dallas this week for a two-day convention dreamed up by Trump to rally his supporters for this year’s midterm 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...
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