Michelle Good makes Giller Prize short list for 100K award for Canadian fiction
By Kaitlyn McGrath Order of Canada member Michelle Good is among the five finalists for Canada’s richest fiction award. The Giller Prize announced the short list for the prestigious award on Monday. Good is nominated for “Eliza Sunshine,” a multi-generational family saga that follows three generations of Cree women and the storytelling tradition that connects them. The Cree author, lawyer and activist had previously been longlisted for her 2020 novel, “Five Little Indians.” Also shortlisted are Tara Gereaux for “Wild People Quiet” which explores the repercussions of a woman’s decision to hide her Métis identity while living in a small prairie town in the 1940s and Nazanine Hozar for “The Small Ones,” which is about children caught up in a military insurgence along the Iran–Iraq border in the early 1980s....
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Tusaajiapik elders home residents being relocated to Montreal
By Daron Letts, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Residents of Kuujjuaq’s Tusaajiapik elders home are being relocated to private facilities in a Montreal suburb 1,500 kilometres south. The move, in response to technical issues with the building, was announced in a joint statement issued Wednesday and signed by Larry Watt, Ungava Tulattavik Health Center’s executive director, and Jennifer Munick-Watkins, Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services executive director. “Transfers have begun and will continue until all residents have been safely relocated,” the release stated. The relocation is part of a three-way agreement that also includes Argyle Inc.’s long-term housing and care centre, a private seniors home in the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Claire. “The agreement aims to provide for a safe, caring and culturally sensitive living environment, including occasional...
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NWT Metis Nation elects Garry Bailey for sixth term
By Kody Ferron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yellowknifer Garry Bailey, who has been president of the NWT Metis Nation for 14 years, has reclaimed the organization’s top job. Bailey’s election win marks his sixth term, earning him another four years. The Metis National Council (MNC) congratulated Bailey on his win in a Sept. 21 social media post. “The MNC congratulates President Bailey on his re-election as NWTMN president,” reads the post. “Earlier this year, MNC and NWTMN signed a historic memorandum of understanding to strengthen our relationship, better understand priorities and explore more opportunities to work together. MNC looks forward to continuing this work with President Bailey while respecting the distinct rights, mandates, priorities and decision-making authority of Metis governments.” The NWT Metis Nation declined to provide NNSL Media with...
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Re-elected NWT Metis Nation President Garry Bailey eager to secure land claim
By Kody Ferron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yellowknifer Recently re-elected NWT Metis Nation President Garry Bailey says despite being left out of historic treaties, the Metis Nation will continue working towards equality. “The cause is worth it for me. I think I was meant to do this,” Bailey said in an interview. “I love what I do.” The NWT Metis Nation represents roughly 2,700 members across three areas of the territory: Fort Resolution/Deninu, Fort Smith/Thebacha, and Hay River/Xatlo Dehe. Bailey was returned as president in September, earning him a sixth term after already serving in the role for 14 years. He said he’s feeling good about re-election and honoured to have been chosen to continue his work. “It’s been what I’ve been doing for most of my life,” he said....
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Nunavut non-profit welcomes Greenlanders, Americans, and anyone who wants to make a kayak
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News More than 20 people from Greenland, the U.S., Nunavik and Iqaluit came to the Qajakkut Society’s open house at the Inuit Heritage Trust building in Iqaluit on Sept. 29. The qajaq (kayak) building non-profit organization brought experts from around the world to work on the boats in Iqaluit. Kuluk Jensen Poulsen, 20, who grew up in Nuuk, Greenland, finished in fourth place in his country’s qajaq championships this year. Nunavummiut should take up qajaq as a sport, like Inuit in his country do, Jensen Poulsen said. “I wish they can start taking it as a sport and try to attend Greenlandic championships. They can attend as an international competitor. They can be there every July, every year,” he said. Jensen...
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Michelle Good makes Giller Prize short list for 100K award for Canadian fiction
By Kaitlyn McGrath Order of Canada member Michelle Good is among the five first-time finalists for Canada’s richest fiction award. The Giller Prize announced the short list for the prestigious award on Monday. Good is nominated for “Eliza Sunshine,” a multi-generational family saga that follows three generations of Cree women and the storytelling tradition that connects them. The Cree author, lawyer and activist had previously been longlisted for her 2020 novel, “Five Little Indians.” Also shortlisted is Toronto-based Patmeena Sabit for her debut national bestseller “Good People,” which tells the story of how a family’s private tragedy thrusts them into the court of public opinion. Patmeena Sabit’s novel “Good People” is shown in this handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout-Giller Prize (Mandatory Credit) Prince Edward Island-based author Nicholas Herring is nominated...
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Six Nations Police investigating armed robbery
OHSWEKEN, ON, October 5, 2026 – Six Nations Police Service (SNPS) are investigating a robbery that saw three armed suspects wearing masks make off with merchandise and cash after entering a Highway 54 business just east of Chiefswood Road in the early morning hours of October 5, 2026. SNPS said at about 6:00 a.m., three suspects entered the business wearing masks and carrying firearms. The suspects stole a large amount of merchandise and cash from the business before fleeing east off the Territory towards Caledonia. Police said after fleeing the area, shots were fired from the suspect vehicle. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident. There is no danger to public safety. SNPS are currently working with Haldimand OPP to investigate this incident. Police are asking...
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Two First Nations members dead in northern Labrador boating accident
Two members of a First Nation in northern Labrador are dead after an accident on the water yesterday. The Mushuau Innu First Nation said in a social media statement Sunday that two of its members had lost their lives in an accident near Nain, N.L. RCMP say a distress signal came from a vessel Sunday afternoon. Police supported local ground search and rescue volunteers and the Canadian Coast Guard, which led the response. The Mounties said two people were found dead and the chief medical examiner’s office is involved. The First Nation’s statement thanked first responders and said the tragedy will have a profound impact on the community. “We also echo the (First Nation’s) call to avoid speculation and discussion online, out of respect for all those impacted,” the RCMP...
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Iqaluit’s low-barrier shelter to open in January
By Daron Letts, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Uquutaq Society’s new $40-million low-barrier shelter is slated to open in Iqaluit in January. The new building is located downtown at 158 Nipisa St., near The Snack Restaurant. “This is a low-barrier site, meaning you don’t need to be sober or unimpaired [to enter],” said society CEO Laurel McCorriston in an interview in September. Named by elders as Ullivik, which means “the place you wait for the tide,” the three-storey, 44-bed facility will offer 16 beds for women, 24 beds for men and two rooms for couples, which can also serve as private space for individuals in need of quiet or privacy. The building includes an additional 13 single-occupancy transitional housing units on the top floor. Currently, the only other low-barrier...
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Does Jordan’s Principle need reform, or just reliable funding?
By Mikaela Kassar, PhD Student in English, McGill University; and Phoebe Friesen, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Ethics, McGill University The House of Commons of Canada adopted Jordan’s Principle in 2007 to ensure First Nations children have equitable access to government services. In February 2025, Ottawa tightened the rules on what qualifies and the effects were swift. Figures filed at a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearing in January 2026 show that in Ontario, funding for educational supports under the principle was drastically cut after the change. In a six-month period, it fell from $122 million in 2024 to $1.2 million in 2025. The number of approved requests dropped precipitously, from 2,608 to 66. Families, service providers and communities across the country have been scrambling to pay for essential services such as educational...
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Yukon government hands new policing priorities to RCMP
By Noah Korver, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News The Yukon government delivered an updated list of policing priorities to the RCMP’s M Division last week, outlining key focus areas for the territory over the next two years. According to a Sept. 25 Justice Department news release, the government has set three main priorities for police in the territory: Enhancing public safety and community confidence. Targeted policing of organized crime, drug trafficking and serious offenders. Policing in communities through strong relationships. The release says the priority list was developed after a lengthy consultation process between the government, RCMP, communities, First Nations Governments and other stakeholders across the Yukon. Speaking in a phone interview, Yukon minister of justice Laura Lang said that in engaging with communities across the territory, her government...
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Grassy Narrows River Run brings demands for mercury justice to Tkarón:to
By Daniel Opasinis, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews On the front lawn of Queen’s Park in Tkarón:to stands a tall statue of Sir James Pliny Whitney, Ontario premier from 1905 to 1914, whose government promoted mining and forestry development in northern Ontario. Over a century later, Glenn Cameron, councillor for Wabaseemoong First Nation (Whitedog), stood below that same statue. Holding a microphone connected to a portable sound system, he addressed a crowd gathered to demand action on the mercury contamination that continues to affect his community. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, members of Grassy Narrows First Nation, Whitedog, and organizers in Tkarón:to came together for the annual Grassy Narrows River Run. They are calling on Ontario and “Canada” to fairly compensate people in Grassy Narrows for the mercury crisis and stop...
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Don Boddy honours family past through reconciliation
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader For Don Boddy, participating in reconciliation events is not just a professional commitment, but a deeply personal duty rooted in his own family history. Boddy, who works with the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO), serves as an active ally and supporter across Indigenous, newcomer, and non-profit sectors in Portage and across Manitoba. His personal connection to the legacy of residential schools stems from his late stepfather, a Mohawk man named Carman “Jack” Stock, who survived the Mohawk Institute Residential School in Brantford, Ont., also known as The Mush Hole. Speaking to reporters at the National Indigenous Residential School Museum (NIRSM) on Long Plain First Nation at Keeshkeemaquah, Boddy shared how his stepfather was taken to the institution at...
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‘Silence could be consent’: Alberta First Nations push to get out vote for referendum
By Lisa Johnson Angel Houle says she’s never voted in an Alberta provincial election, but this month’s referendum is different. Not only is she casting a ballot, Houle is helping outfit First Nations’ leaders with everything they need to get out the vote on Oct. 19. That’s when Albertans decide whether the province should stay within Canada, or hold a second, binding referendum on breaking away. Houle, along with other staff at the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, has been organizing workshops to build teams among member nations. Those teams are boots on the ground, spreading the word on where and how to vote. It’s about fighting for a united Canada and for the treaties and agreements that underpin and secure that unity. “The decisions being made in this...
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Local resident shares personal experiences of infamous Sixties Scoop
By Brenda Sawatzky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prairie News Network On the eve of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, students at the Niverville High School learned a little more about one of Canada’s dark historical events: the Sixties Scoop. While some saw the event as a means to assimilate the Indigenous peoples into white culture, others saw it as a form of cultural genocide. According to the Canadian department of Indigenous Affairs, somewhere around 20,000 First Nation, Métis and Inuit children were removed from their homes between 1960 and 1990. Many were sent abroad, some as far away as New Zealand. According to some sources, about 50 percent of them were sent to the United States. In Manitoba, around 3,400 Indigenous children were adopted by primarily non-Indigenous families between...
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Thomas re-elected as chief on Walpole Island
By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice Walpole Island First Nation Bkejwanong Territory Chief Leela Thomas has been re-elected to a second term. With nearly 1,000 ballots cast on Sept. 19, Thomas, as the incumbent, outpaced five opponents vying for the chief’s chair by capturing 504 votes. The race saw Kennon M.L. Johnson finish second with 208 votes; Daniel Miskokomon third with 143 votes; Ronald A. Ron Sayed fourth with 90 votes; Cody Miskokomon fifth with 32 votes and Hussein Sayed in sixth place with five votes. Following the vote, Thomas posted on social media thanking the community for returning her to office. “Chimiigwech from the bottom of my heart for your encouragement, your support, and your trust in me to serve the nation again,” she wrote. “Also,...
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Denialism Protects the Status Quo
By Carol Baldwin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Wakaw Recorder Each year on September 30, Canada honours Survivors and the children who never returned home, their families and their communities through the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the lasting negative impacts residential schools and colonialism have left on generations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The news on Sunday of Second Sons Canada’s appearance in Kamloops cannot be coincidental. At the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc announced in May 2021 the discovery of 215 potential burial sites detected by ground-penetrating radar. This finding shook the country and the world as headlines appeared on the newswire. It also helped accelerate the creation of the National Day...
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Haldimand County OPP seek public’s help in locating missing man Kyle Laforme
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – Haldimand County OPP are asking the public for help in locating a missing man. Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigated a report of an abandoned vehicle on Ouse Street in Cayuga September 27, 2026, at about 12:30 p.m.,. The vehicle belonged to Kyle Laforme, 35, of Hamilton, who had abandoned his vehicle. OPP, concerned for his well-being, began a missing person’s investigation immediately. The West Region OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Haldimand Fire conducted an initial search in the immediate area and waterway. Extensive searches continued for the next several days with assistance from OPP Marine Unit, OPP Underwater Search Rescue Unit (USUR), and OPP Aviation Services. A missing person bulletin was shared on OPP West Region social media platforms. Investigators are releasing...
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From Conversation to Action: Indigenous Policing Summit Highlights Community-Led Approach
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News For members of Maskwacis, attending the Indigenous Policing Summit on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary provided an opportunity to listen, learn and bring new ideas home. Several members attended the summit, which brought together speakers and policing representatives from across Canada to discuss Indigenous policing, community safety and the importance of meaningful relationships between police and First Nations. For Cst. A/Cpl. Catlin Chiasson of the Maskwacis RCMP, the summit reinforced an important message: conversations about Indigenous policing need to lead to action. “It was phenomenal that we had the opportunity to send several members there,” Chiasson said. “From what I’ve heard, the speakers from across Canada were speaking about not only having conversations, but conversations that come to fruition. So,...
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UCalgary students decry residential school denialism debate
By Sarah Palmer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, LiveWire Calgary University of Calgary students are calling on the school for answers after a controversial on-campus debate. Social media posts have surfaced from Sept. 29, when a national student-led organization set up a debate table in the Science Theatres area, posing the question of whether the residential school system should be considered a genocide. The organization, Canadian Students for Free Speech, describes itself as a “movement defending open debate, viewpoint diversity, and free expression on Canadian campuses,” according to its website, which also serves as a place to report censorship. Tom Flanagan, a current political science master’s instructor at UCalgary who has been employed by the school as a professor for decades, and journalist Drea Humphrey were the featured debaters, according to...
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