Weaving a red march through Ohsweken
By Alex Murray Writer Over 100 Six Nations community members put on their red clothes and came out to commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and their families at Ganohkwasra’s Red Dress Day march on Tuesday (May 5). Flanked by Six Nations Police, the community walked about 600 metres up Chiefswood Road from Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services to Veterans’ Park. As the group marched, holding up signs with slogans and pictures of Murdered and Missing loved ones, they sang and chanted things like “Stop the Violence, No More Silence.” Six Nations Public Works and Flowers By Leenie were among the buildings along the route that showed their support with red dresses displayed outside their doors. Red Dress Day began in 2015 when Metis artist Jamie Black displayed an installation...
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USW Local 1998 BIPOC Committee Learns About Impact of Residential Schools At Woodland Cultural Centre Event
By Alex Murray Writer After a long bus ride through Toronto rush hour traffic over two dozen members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1998 from the University of Toronto arrived at the Woodland Cultural Centre on Six Nations land in Brantford for a tour and workshop. The event, which was organized by USW 1998’s BIPOC Committee, was named, “Experience Truth, History, and Dialogue at the Woodland Cultural Centre.” The trip included a tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential School followed by lunch and a workshop on stereotypes and racism in the afternoon. Amanda Andrews, co-chair of the Local 1998 BIPOC Committee founded in 2020, said the event has been in the works for about two years. Andrews said it’s important to educate people on what really happened at residential schools...
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Six Nations Celebrating Community Awareness Month
By Alex Murray Writer The month of May has finally arrived, and at Six Nations of the Grand River, that means Community Awareness Month. Events are hosted nearly every day in May by businesses and organizations throughout Six Nations. Community members were treated to a pair of events last Friday (May 8). In the parking lot of Six Nations Housing, a prize draw and afternoon barbecue event was hosted by Six Nations Housing and Lands & Resources. Lonny Bomberry, a fixture of the community and long-time Lands & Resources Director, came out to show his support and enjoy some of the food being cooked up by Housing and Lands & Resources staff in purple shirts. “I’m trying to support all the community events, go to the free barbecues and associate...
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Gov. Gen. Mary Simon reflects on five years of reconciliation, Indigenous diplomacy
By Alessia Passafiume Nunavik, where Gov. Gen. Mary Simon grew up, is a long way from Ottawa and farther still from Buckingham Palace. That never stopped her mother Nancy May, a unilingual Inuk, from keeping a photo of Queen Elizabeth on prominent display in their family home, or from filling young Mary Simon’s mind with stories about the Queen’s activities and travels. In 2021, at the age of 73, Simon’s relationship with the Queen became something more personal when she was named her official representative in Canada — making her the first Indigenous person to be appointed to the role. “I really always loved the Queen,” Simon told The Canadian Press in the drawing room of Rideau Hall. “The Queen was always there.” Simon, who has for years championed Canada’s...
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Editorial: Community has to be included about its future
Six Nations land claim is about to enter the courts. The multi-billion dollar claim to a huge swath of Ontario will start this October. But no one should start gleefully rubbing their hands together in expectation of any settlement. Nor should anyone claiming their great, great, great granddaddy was from Six Nations be rushing to get on the membership list. The court case, if it goes ahead, could take years. If Canada has its way it certainly won’t be looking to settle it any time soon…it’s just too large. But Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is starting to prepare. SNEC is creating an ad hoc committee to plan for any and all potential results of any settlement or court decision. The action will start this fall and councillor Dayle Bomberry...
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Today in History
May 11 In 1885, the Metis under Louis Riel were defeated by the militia at Batoche, Sask., during the North-West Rebellion. Riel surrendered a few days later and was charged with treason and convicted. He was executed in Regina on Nov. 16th. In 2022, a federal study revealed that the U.S. government supported more than 400 Native American boarding schools that for over a century sought to assimilate Indigenous children into white society. It also identified more than 50 associated burial sites, a figure that could grow exponentially as research continues. The investigation had so far turned up over 500 deaths at 19 schools, though the Interior Department said that number could climb to the thousands or even tens of thousands. May 12 In 2023, it was announced that the...
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UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY: First Nation Youth Speak At The United Nations
By Xavier Kataquapit I was proud to see First Nation youth representing our northern homelands on the international stage this past month at the United Nations. Jeronimo Kataquapit, Ramon Kataquapit, Kohen Mattinas and Ryan Fleming participated in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Twenty-Fifth Session, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York from April 20 to May 1, 2026. This year, the event brought together more than 1,000 participants, including Indigenous peoples and political representatives of member states and United Nations entities. The forum was developed by the United Nations to address the concerns and rights of the world’s indigenous peoples. The forum is meant to give indigenous people a voice on the international stage. It is estimated that there are more than 370 million...
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Rivermen thump visiting Cruise
By Sam Laskaris Writer After jumping out to a 5-0 first-period lead the Six Nations Rivermen were able to cruise to victory in their latest contest. The Rivermen downed the visiting Collingwood Cruise 17-8 in an Ontario Series Lacrosse contest held this past Saturday at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA). With the win the local Senior B squad is now undefeated in its first two regular season matches. Rivermen captain Rodd Squire was not surprised to see his club register a convincing triumph against Collingwood. “In warmups, it was a fresh-looking kind of team, with not too many guys (we knew),” he said. “So, we knew they did a little revamping. Their effort level is there. They have a lot of speed and young guys. Just give them a couple...
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Six Nations member joins Akwesasne Bucks’ Senior B lacrosse squad
By Sam Laskaris Writer Six Nations member Justin Martin is hoping to win another national lacrosse championship this year. But it won’t be with the Six Nations Chiefs, the three-time defending Mann Cup champs. That’s because Martin, who was part of the Chiefs’ 2024 and ’25 Canadian Senior A winning squads, has decided to leave the Six Nations organization and sign with the Akwesasne Bucks. The Bucks, a Senior B squad, compete in the four-team Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League. The circuit also includes the Ottawa-based Capital Region Axemen, Kahnawake Mohawks and the Snake Island Muskies, who captured the Presidents Cup, the national Senior B title, last August. Martin, who is 27, said he was the one who was looking for a change for his 2026 spring/summer lacrosse season. “I...
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Québec solidaire proposes an inflation-linked cap on rent increases
Québec solidaire members adopted a motion on Sunday that would apply if the party were to form government, to support a cap on rent increases tied to inflation as the party wraps up its convention in Montreal. Delegates argue that an inflation-linked cap would better balance tenant protections and housing stability. The party has made housing a central issue, focusing on affordability and tenant protections. Members also unanimously backed measures to expand housing for vulnerable people, including women fleeing violence, people experiencing homelessness, and Indigenous communities. Housing affordability has become a major political issue across Canada as rents continue to rise in many cities. Members are also debating proposals on the environment and Quebec independence before the convention concludes. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10,...
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Man charged in White House correspondents’ dinner attack pleads not guilty
By Michael Kunzelman WASHINGTON (AP) — A man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who tried to stop the attack. Cole Tomas Allen was handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orange jail uniform when he appeared in federal court for his arraignment. Allen didn’t speak during the brief hearing. One of his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf. Allen’s lawyers are asking U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to disqualify at least two top Justice Department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential...
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Economic growth now tops environment as priority in energy policy, poll suggests
By David Baxter More Canadians now say economic growth should be a bigger priority in Canada’s energy policy than protecting the environment, a new Angus Reid Institute report suggests. The pollster released a report Monday indicating 61 per cent of Canadians now see economic growth as the biggest priority in energy policy. The question offered two options on the top priority shaping federal energy policy: economic growth or environmental protection. That’s a shift in public opinion since seven years ago, when the same question had 55 per cent of Canadians saying the environment should be the top priority in energy policy. Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid Institute president, said climate change was a top issue for voters in both the 2019 and 2021 elections, but opinion research shows the sense of...
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Searchers ‘desperate’ to find pair who disappeared two weeks ago
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — The search is intensifying for two friends who met up on the south-side of the city two weeks ago and have not been seen since. “The situation is very concerning at this point,” said Jeff Saunders, missing person coordinator for the Thunder Bay Police Service. Noden Skunk, 25, and Ashlynn Bottle, 23 were last seen on April 26. Saunders said that they are believed to be together and were last seen near the Fort William grain elevator adjacent to Syndicate Avenue South. The two are known to be friends, he added. “Noden Skunk is actually from Ignace,” said Saunders. “He had come up to Thunder Bay to visit his son.” He said that Skunk and Bottle had made plans...
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Legacy of smǝlqmíx Elder cewel’na Leon Louis honoured at syilx water gathering
By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Like his ancestors before him, cewel’na Leon Louis was committed to upholding syilx laws and responsibilities that ensure future generations have the same access to clean lands and waters as he did. The late smǝlqmíx Elder from the Lower Similkameen Indian Band regularly attended and led water ceremonies on both sides of the international colonial border; at different creeks, rivers and lakes throughout the vast territory of the cross-boundary syilx Okanagan Nation. It was at these ceremonies where he prayed for the health of siwɬkʷ (water); for the tmxʷulaxʷ (the land); for the tmixʷ (all living things) — such as ntytyix (Chief Salmon) — and for his own people, including those seven generations from now. “The ones that are not yet born...
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New research highlights how wildfires are harming fish
By Philip N. Owens, Professor , Ellen Petticrew, Professor, , Jason Raine, Adjunct Professor, Kristen Kieta, As we transition into spring, wildfires are on the minds of many Canadians. In fact, wildfires have already started in some parts of the country. Over the last decade, the land burned in Canada and many other parts of the world has increased, resulting in more socially and economically disastrous wildfires. Predictions indicate the Canadian situation could worsen over the next few decades as the climate warms and soils and forests get drier. While the impacts on humans, forests and the animals that live in them are the most observable effects, wildfires also have devastating impacts on aquatic life, especially fish. Many of these occur during and shortly after the fire is out, but...
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Honduras arrests powerful ex-mayor accused of masterminding killing of environmental defender
By Marlon González And Megan Janetsky TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduran authorities on Tuesday arrested three people, including a powerful politician, accused of masterminding the 2024 assassination of an environmental leader, which became a symbol of government corruption and the ongoing perils of protecting the environment in the region. Adán Fúnez, former mayor of the city of Tocoa, was captured at his home on Tuesday for being considered the intellectual author of the killing, following years of accusations by religious and environmental leaders. Juan López was an anti-corruption crusader who led a fierce community effort against an iron oxide mining project in Colon, a rural region of northwestern Honduras, which activists said put at risk the zone’s dense jungles and crystalline waters, including protected reserve areas. López was one of...
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Former minister says energy project review changes could cause further delays
By Nick Murray The former environment minister who helped to create the Impact Assessment Agency eight years ago says the federal government’s proposal to change how pipelines are assessed risks delaying those projects even further. “I’m not saying you couldn’t improve the process. But trying to jam through projects and making major changes, similar to what we saw under Stephen Harper, isn’t going to do that. It’s not,” Catherine McKenna told The Canadian Press. McKenna was the environment minister in 2018 when the federal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced Bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act, to overhaul major project reviews. The goal of the legislation was to expedite project reviews and provide confidence and clarity for both Indigenous consultations and environmental impact reviews. C-69, which passed in 2019,...
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Prophet River First Nation institutes fire restrictions in community
PROPHET RIVER, B.C. — Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) has released details of fire restrictions within the community. Issued on Tuesday, May 5th, and signed by PRFN Chief Valerie Askoty and councillors Beverly Stager and Shanee Tzakoza, it outlines several regulations in the First Nations community south of Fort Nelson. It includes that fires must be contained within a fire-containment fixture, such as a fire pit or outdoor fireplace. Fire pits must also not exceed 1 metre in diameter, must be 4.5 metres away from any building or property line, and only clean dry wood, charcoal briquettes, or propane can be used. The restriction document outlaws the use of fireworks and large-scale burning permits will only be approved for special events. In 2025, a smattering of wildfires prompted the community...
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UN, First Nations leaders say Liberals must pass Indian Act changes as ‘priority’
By Alessia Passafiume A United Nations panel is calling on Ottawa to make it a priority to eliminate the second-generation cutoff in the Indian Act. In a technical advice paper published last week, the United Nations’ Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples said the federal government has an opportunity to address “forced assimilation” inherent in the legislation, along with sex- and race-based discrimination. Current law uses a formula to determine whether an individual qualifies for “full” or “half” First Nations status, and some First Nations leaders say the formula punishes people over their choice of marriage partners. Changes to the Indian Act introduced in 1985 prevent the transfer of status to a person who has at least one grandparent and one parent who don’t have status — a...
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Magnitude 4.0 earthquake strikes off coast of northern B.C.
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake was recorded off the coast of northern B.C. and was lightly felt in the villages Port Clements and Masset on the east side of Haida Gwaii. Earthquakes Canada says it struck around 1:35 p.m. on Tuesday at a depth of nearly 10 kilometres. It says the quake hit about 31 kilometres from Daajing Giids, another village on the archipelago of the Haida Gwaii. The agency says that despite it being felt in some locations, there were no reports of damage and none are expected. Earthquakes Canada says no tsunami was expected. It comes after a 4.1 quake struck off the west coast of Haida Gwaii, about 52 kilometres from Daajing Giids, on Sunday. The agency says earthquakes between a magnitude of 3.5 and 5.4 are often...
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