Six Nations Public Works battling watermain breaks
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- Six Nations Public Works crews were out in force today ( Jan 22, 2025) after frozen water lines burst on Chiefswood Road filling the ditch and running onto nearby yards and roadway. (Photos by Jim C. Powless) Six Nations Public Works is battling the two watermain breaks that require immediate repairs and are causing a loss in water service on Chiefswood Road between 5th and 6th Line and on 5th Line from Chiefswood Road and 1983 5th Line that is expected to continue into this evening. Six Nations Elected Council’s staff said the disruption is also expected to continue tomorrow (Thursday) morning as public works employees work to complete the emergency repairs. In addition the band’s “Truckfill” will be out of service to...
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Brant OPP arrest man in theft of Ninja juicers
(BRANT, ON) – A 34-year-old Brantford man has been arrested and charged after Brant County OPP responded to a theft at a retail store on Grand River Street North St., in Brant County January 14, 2025, at about 10:41 a.m.. OPP said a store manager spotted a male suspect shopping in the store and interacted with him shortly before the man left the store with two stolen items. The suspect had exited through the store’s entrance and fled the scene. The stolen items included: Ninja Slow Juicer valued at $219.99 Ninja Portable Juicer valued at $99.99 Total value (including tax): $361.60 Following an investigation, Brant County OPP charged, shortly after midnight Jan. 16, 2025, a Brantford man. Charged with Theft under $5,000 was Brandon D’Antonio, 34, of Brantford. The accused...
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Brantford Police charge two in trafficking and firearm seizure
BRANTFORD, ONT-Two men are facing firearms and drug charges after the Brantford Police Service (BPS) Drug and Firearm Enforcement Unit launched a drug investigation in Nov., 2024 involving a suspected drug dealer believed involved in trafficking fentanyl and hydromorphone in the city. BPS executed a search warrant at an Albion Street residence in the city Jan., 21, 2025 with the assistance of the BPS Emergency Response Team and the Forensic Identification Unit. As a result BPS said Canadian currency, a digital scale, and a loaded 12-guage sawed off shotgun were located along with the following illicit drugs : Approximately 32.8 grams of suspected fentanyl 68 suspected hydromorphone pills BPS said neither of the two suspects possess a valid firearms license. One of the suspects is bound by a Firearms Prohibited...
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NAPS will grow ‘exponentially’ in coming years: police chief
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source THUNDER BAY — Nishnawbe Aski Police Service’s top cop says the force is poised to expand “exponentially over the next five to 10 years” thanks to provincial funding. NAPS is on track to add 80 new uniformed officers to its current 260 this year, Chief Terry Armstrong told Newswatch this week. The 80 new officers would swell the NAPS rolls to about 320 once you subtract 20 or so leaving the service in the course of the year, he said. NAPS is projected to eventually have about 520 officers plus more than 100 civilian employees, he said. Armstrong was the NAPS chief from 2013 to 2018 and then returned from retirement last March after Roland Morrison was suspended as police...
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Construction completed at Kivalliq Long-Term Care Centre in Rankin Inlet
By Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News -CP-A special ceremony was held in Rankin Inlet on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to mark the completion of construction on the Kivalliq Long-Term Care Centre. The $194-million facility, paid for through federal and territorial funds, is a cornerstone of the Katujjiluta mandate priority Aging with Dignity, according to the Government of Nunavut. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to provide specialized care for Elders with complex health needs, including dementia. Featuring 24 beds, it will ensure Elders can receive top-quality care close to home while honouring and celebrating Inuit culture. The building boasts a hair-dressing salon, sewing room, workshop, lift-assisted private washrooms, kitchen, sitting rooms and meeting rooms. The centre will undergo a commissioning phase for the next few months to prepare for...
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University of Guelph to lead national network focused on agri-food innovation
By Rosa Saba -CP-The University of Guelph is leading the creation of a network meant to spur investment in Canadian agri-food innovation, including developing new technologies to address pressing issues like climate change. The university received an almost $16.3 million government grant over five years to support the platform, called Sustainable Food Systems for Canada, or SF4C. The platform is designed to help agri-food entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Canada’s agriculture industry is facing several major challenges, in particular climate change, said Rene Van Acker, interim president and vice-chancellor at the University of Guelph. He says technology can help farmers face that challenge. “Agriculture has always been an adapter of technology, whether that was mechanical or genetic or chemical, and now data,” he said. He said anything that can accelerate that...
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Lil’wat seeking building for new healthcare staff and services
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Pique Newsmagazine In Ucwalmícwts, “es zúmin’” means “to care for.” It’s a name befitting Lil’wat Nation’s new and expanding primary care centre (PCC). But after only a few months of operation, Lil’wat Nation officials are seeking a new building to merge its two existing es zúmin locations to accommodate new staff and account for future upgrades in service. “Our communities are growing in this area and our current system isn’t able to provide services to all our First Nationscommunities,” said Lil’wat Health & Healing director Jessica Frank. “We also want to have these new services closer to home, and [offer] outreach services to the community and other places.” Discrimination in healthcare The es zúmin’ PCC is one of 13 new primary care facilities...
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Wolf transfer from B.C. to Colorado complete, but state wildlife staff ‘threatened’
By Brenna Owen Colorado wildlife officials say the capture of 15 grey wolves in British Columbia and their release in the U.S. state is complete, an operation they say led to unspecified threats against staff. The operation that began in B.C. on Jan. 10 and wrapped up on Saturday follows Colorado voters’ approval of a 2020 ballot initiative to reintroduce grey wolves to the state, where the animals are listed as endangered. But the program has stirred opposition, and a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Sunday says its staff have been threatened over the relocations. It says its offices were “watched” and targeted by threatening phone calls and social media posts. The department says it did not share details while the wolf release was underway due to the...
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Whale Sanctuary Project almost ready to welcome first residents’ Representatives make presentation to St. Mary’s council
By Joanne Jordan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Guysborough Journal SHERBROOKE — After five years of work, the first whale and orca sanctuary in North America Whale Sanctuary Project (WSP) is almost ready to welcome its first whale residents. During the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s committee of the whole (COTW) meeting Jan. 15, WSP chief executive officer Charles Vinick and Nova Scotia project manager Alexandra Vance updated council on its progress. Marino and Amy Simon – WSP community liaison officer and coordinator – took part via Skype. “It has been a long road,” Vinick said, “[but] we are finally ready to move forward expeditiously.” He explained that the WSP team is focusing on bringing a mother and son to the site – Wikie and Keijo – whales living...
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Intimate doc ‘Endless Cookie’ takes two Canadian brothers from Shamattawa to Sundance
By Alex Nino Gheciu -CP-The initial concept for “Endless Cookie” seemed straightforward: two half-brothers — one Indigenous, one white — tell stories about their different upbringings, brought to life through animation. Making it work, however, proved anything but simple. Seth and Peter Scriver say they began recording sessions for their documentary nine years ago, but things quickly descended into “chaos,” thanks to the lively energy of Peter’s house in Shamattawa, a First Nations reserve in northern Manitoba. “It was impossible to find silence,” recalls Peter on a virtual call from Toronto. “There’s seven kids living in Pete’s house and he’s got 12 dogs,” Seth laughs. “We literally got interrupted one million times. And then it was kind of just like, ‘I think we have to just go with what is...
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Mattagami chief empowering the next generation
By Marissa Lentz-McGrath, Local Journalism Initiative TIMMINS – Leadership is deeply rooted in Jennifer Constant’s family. The Mattagami First Nation Chief spoke at a virtual leadership lunch on Monday (Jan. 20), sharing her experiences, her vision for sustainable and inclusive mining practices, and her commitment to community empowerment. The event, hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce and Trimeda Consulting, brought together industry and community stakeholders. Constant, recently recognized as the 2024 Indigenous trailblazer at the Sudbury Women in Mining Awards, discussed her leadership journey. She began her political career in 2003 and served nine consecutive times as a councillor before being elected chief. “My mother, my grandfather, my uncle, and my great-grandfather were all chiefs,” she said. “Not begrudgingly, but knowingly, I grew up in my own territory feeling...
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‘He’s my main motivation,’: We’koqma’q’s Steven Michael Googoo developing ‘glamping’ destination following brother’s passing
By Meghan Dewar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post A new business is clearing the way for increased tourism on the northwest side of the island, despite its sad beginnings. We’koqma’q’s Steven Michael Googoo, along with members of his family, have begun a business venture called L.A Getaway Luxurious Glamping following the sudden passing of Googoo’s brother Ryle. “It’s a family project, it was me and my siblings. We were talking about it for a couple of years now, we were looking to get into the tourism industry where we could provide a glamping service,” Googoo said. “We all love glamping and the outdoors, we all have campers and love to camp. With me being out of politics, that was a good springboard to get into the tourism industry.”...
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Pentagon to send up to 1,500 active duty troops to help secure US-Mexico border, officials say
By Lolita C. Baldor And Tara Copp WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will begin deploying as many as 1,500 active duty troops to help secure the southern border in the coming days, U.S. officials said Wednesday, putting in motion plans President Donald Trump laid out in executive orders shortly after he took office to crack down on immigration. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses was expected to sign the deployment orders on Wednesday, but it wasn’t yet clear which troops or units will go, and the total could fluctuate. It remains to be seen if they will end up doing law enforcement, which would put American troops in a dramatic new role, not done in recent history. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been...
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Don’t buy American: B.C. Premier David Eby asks Canadians to think carefully about spending money in U.S.
By Marcy Nicholson -CP-British Columbians should rethink trips to the United States and purchases of American products, as the province establishes a task force to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs, Premier David Eby said. Trump’s proposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports would be a “deliberate economic attack” on B.C. families and people should think carefully about spending money in a country that wants to do them economic harm, Eby said during a news conference in Vancouver on Tuesday. Metal cranes and piles of sea containers at the busy Port of Vancouver could be seen in the background where he spoke at the Vancouver cabinet offices. “It feels very strange to say but I really do think that for Canadians right now, when you’re planning your...
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Feds sign deal with First Nations for Ontario’s Ring of Fire mining-related assessments
By Matteo Cimellaro, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer A road map for an environmental assessment of northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire mining region was announced Monday by the federal government and 15 First Nations. But questions remain about the provincial government’s role moving forward. The Ring of Fire, about 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, is set to play a pivotal role in Ontario’s ambitions for a robust electric vehicle supply chain. A road to the region and transmission lines has been proposed to access potential mining areas for chromite, cobalt, nickel and more. The federal and First Nation-led assessment will review the transmission lines, road and all development in the region, including future mines. The assessment will consider cumulative and interactive impacts of a developed North, and...
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Mississaugas of Credit First Nation members hold vigil protesting employee treatment
Mississaugas of Credit First Nation brave cold to protest By Joshua Santos Writer Community members are demanding the immediate resignation of a senior official accused of ‘verbally assaulting’ a female staff member after an employee conflict. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) council house on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, pushing Sergey Hovasapyan, chief financial officer, to step down. “There have been many formal complaints against him to the chief and council table,” said Jai King-Green, former special events and culture unit assistant for MCFN. She helped organize exhibits and events that share the community’s culture and history. It is alleged that Hovasapyan was in an undisclosed dispute with a female employee on Jan. 15. He was told he needed a motion or...
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Jordan’s Principle forcing Six Nations woman to foot bill for daughter’s autism services
By Joshua Santos Writer A Six Nations mother is frustrated as a federally funded program has not reimbursed her for money she has to spend on autism services for her daughter, fearing progress made will be for nothing. Jennifer Morey, who lives in Brantford, has had to pay $3,000 out of pocket for her four-year-old daughter Everley to attend speech therapy services from Speech Pathways and occupational therapy from That’s Life! Occupational Therapy Services. She submitted an application for assistance under the Jordan’s Principle program and was approved. A program navigator told her to submit receipts for remuneration, which she did, but she has yet to receive even a dime back. “She was doing good with her speech therapy,” said Morey. “The thing with autistic kids is that when they...
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SN Elected Council gives $60,000 to Farmers’ Association
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) revised the funding source for the Six Nations Farmers Association’s Community White Corn Crop. SNEC approved a motion to revise the funding source from the Six Nations Development Management Agreement Funding to the Ontario First Limited Partnership Funding at its General Finance Committee meeting on January 20. Jennifer Court, acting CEO and CAO said in March of 2024 the funding source identified wasn’t the most appropriate one. “We’re just replacing OFNLP from the Ec-Dev [Economic Development] funds,” she said. “Ec-Dev funds are allocated to the council.” Councillor Helen Miller questioned the amount being approved for the Six Nations Farmers Association (SNFA). SNEC approved $60,000 for the White Corn Crops project in March 2024, but Miller b said in previous years SNEC approved about $15,000. SNFA...
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SNEC to hold community meeting on black mould
Black mould continues to plague Six Nations’s buildings and homes. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) passed a motion to host a public meeting addressing the issues with community members at its General Council Meeting on January 14. Councillor Helen Miller raised the issue saying she had been contacted by community member Alex Jamieson before Christmas asking for a public meeting on mould in the community. “I thought it was a good idea because there’s been so much talk about mould lately,” she said. “If we had a public meeting we could turn it into an education session.” Miller said she hoped SNEC could update the community on the status of the buildings in the community as well as give people some tricks and tools to deal with mould and how...
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Six Nations Elected Council donating $45,000 to help local business mark 50 years
Six NationsElected Council (SNEC) may have the chance to show off its many talented community members this spring by joining in celebrating the 50th anniversary of a local business. Erin Montour, CEO of Grand River Employment and Training, is involved with local dance instructor Michelle Farmer’s Studio of Dance and Modelling and wants to help celebrate the business’s 50th anniversary but needs SNEC’s help. Montour gave a presentation at SNEC’s General Council meeting on January 14th seeking financial support to rent the Sanderson Centre in Brantford on May 17th to honour Farmer and host an entertainment night that would showcase dancers,and is adding other community members to the bill. The rental cost for the Sanderson Centre for one night is $46,000. “We do share a common goal,” Montour said. “The...
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