Trump order seeks to change the name of North America’s tallest peak from Denali to Mount McKinley
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump issued an executive order Monday calling for North America’s tallest peak — Denali in Alaska — to be renamed Mount McKinley, reviving an idea he’d floated years ago and drawing a rebuke from Alaska’s Republican senior senator. The order came hours after Trump, who took office for a second time Monday, said he planned to “restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs. President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent.” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in a statement said she disagrees strongly with Trump wanting to change Denali’s name. “Our nation’s tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known...
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Man facing murder charges in triple homicide in Lloydminster
-CP-Mounties have charged a man with murder in a triple homicide in Lloydminster, a city straddling the Saskatchewan-Alberta boundary. Police were called in September to do a wellness check at a home on the Saskatchewan side of the community. They found the bodies of Brent Peters, 66, and his sons Matthew Peters, 32, and Brennan Peters, 23. Investigators said the men had been shot and the killings appeared to have been targeted. Nakota Rayne Pooyak of the Sweetgrass First Nation in Saskatchewan was arrested Saturday. The 31-year-old faces three counts of second-degree murder. Pooyak was to appear Monday in court in Lloydminster. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025. ...
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‘Milestone’ deal reached with 15 First Nations on Ring of Fire mining development
By Jon Thompson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Canada will announce today that it has reached a “milestone” agreement with 15 First Nations over the terms of reference for an environmental assessment process in the proposed Ring of Fire mining development. The agreement, finalized by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, establishes the terms under which the regional assessment will be conducted, a required environmental study that applies to all new resource developments and expansions. That process analyses the potential economic and environmental effects of proposed industrial activity or expansion of existing resource-extractive projects. According to Canada, the regional assessment process has been underway since February 2020. The Ring of Fire is a mineral deposit spanning 5,000 square kilometres in the James Bay lowlands, located 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay....
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Brant OPP investigating minors sharing inappropriate images
BRANT, ON – The Brant County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating several recent incidents of minors sharing inappropriate photos with both known and unknown recipients. OPP said the situations, were a serious concern invoving minors that could quickly escalate into scams, extortion, or even grooming. Grooming occurs when individuals build trust with minors to exploit them, often leading to requests for inappropriate content or meetings in person. OPP said the incidents highlights the importance of vigilance in monitoring online interactions to protect our youth. Scammers and predators may exploit explicit images by threatening to distribute them unless demands, often financial, are met. Once shared, these images are out of the sender’s control and can have long-term, devastating consequences. Tips for Parents and Guardians: Talk early and often with children...
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Cree Knowledge Festival celebrates the Nation’s accomplishments
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The second Cree Knowledge Festival held in Ouje-Bougoumou December 6-7 showcased the Nation’s wealth of talented artists, gifted storytellers and passionate land defenders. With the theme “Bringing People Together.” this year’s event was divided into three segments spotlighting Cree culture, nature as an intrinsic part of Cree identity and the people’s adventurous spirit. “I was really proud to be Cree and inspired by everyone’s contributions,” said COTA executive director Robin McGinley. “We tried to highlight the connection to the land, the importance of language, and what people could do in the region. It’s fun when everyone pulls together to highlight Cree culture and Eeyou Istchee.” According to early viewership numbers from production company Webdiffusion, over 1,000 checked in from as far away as...
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FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims Trump made during his inaugural address
-AP-In his first address after being sworn in on Monday, President Donald Trump repeated several false and misleading statements that he made during his campaign. They included claims about immigration, the economy, electric vehicles and the Panama Canal. Here’s a look at the facts. Trump repeats unfounded claim about immigrants CLAIM: Trump, a Republican, said that the U.S. government “fails to protect our magnificent, law-abiding American citizens but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world.” THE FACTS: There is no evidence other countries are sending their criminals or mentally ill across the border. Trump frequently brought up this claim during his most recent campaign. Inflation did not reach record highs under Biden CLAIM:...
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Biden commutes sentence for Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, convicted in killing of FBI agents
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just moments before leaving office, President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, who was convicted in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents. Peltier was denied parole as recently as July and wasn’t eligible for parole again until 2026. He was serving life in prison for the deaths of the agents during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He will transition to home confinement, Biden said in a statement. Biden issued a record number of individual pardons and commutations. He announced on Friday that he was commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. He also gave a broad pardon for his son Hunter, who was prosecuted for gun and tax crimes. On...
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Inauguration Day Latest: Trump promises a ‘golden age of America’
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, was sworn in Monday as the 47th U.S. president taking charge as Republicans claim unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions. Trump’s swearing-in ceremony moved indoors due to intense cold and began at noon ET. Festivities started earlier when Trump arrived for service at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Here’s the latest: Former President Joe Biden departs Capitol as President Trump moves swiftly to implement new agenda Leaders of Israel, Egypt congratulate Trump on his inauguration Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi were among those wishing Trump well in his new term in the White House. Netanyahu predicted...
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Investigation finds dozens of potential unmarked graves
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter GRASSY NARROWS – He was just three years old when authorities put him in the McIntosh Indian Residential School, away from his home in Grassy Narrows, in December 1943. Less than eight months later, he drowned in a lake near the school and was buried by the Catholic missionaries who ran the institution southeast of Grassy Narrows and northwest of Vermilion Bay. Paul was, according to a witness, buried “under a big pine tree,” but the exact location of his interment is not known. The Wiikwogaming Tiinahtiisiiwin Project is trying to find his remains and the remains of many other children who attended, often under duress, the Catholic-run school. This week, project leaders delivered an update on what they’ve found so far. By...
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Laurier to foster cultural diversity and inclusion through film
By Kimberly De Jong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus kicked off its Winter 2025 International Film Series on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Held in collaboration between the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions, the City of Brantford and Laurier International, students, staff and community members are invited to attend a total of six free film screenings throughout the months of January, February and March. Christina Han, Director of the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions, said the idea behind the series is to provide the community with an opportunity to share, reflect and celebrate different cultures and languages through cinematic art. Going into its third season, the series was first launched back in January 2024 after the City approached the Hub for ideas to help support the Brantford...
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‘Enormous disconnect’: As rural women face more abuse, Ontario shelters fear cutbacks
By Rianna Lim -CP-When Anna began planning to leave her husband, she never expected how complicated it would be. In her rural, eastern Ontario town, there weren’t any resources available nearby for survivors of intimate partner violence. There wasn’t any public transit or any legal aid, either. She also had a daughter and a medical condition that kept her from driving. A hospital connected Anna with Brianne Luckasavitch, a victim advocate with a women’s shelter called Lanark County Interval House in Perth, Ont. Luckasavitch helped Anna and her daughter safely leave their home. She supported Anna as she gave a statement to police and navigated the legal system, eventually leading to charges against her ex-husband. Most importantly, she helped Anna feel less alone. The shelter’s victim advocate program has helped...
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Icebreaker journey along St. Lawrence River sparks hopes for winter cruise industry
By Joe Bongiorno -CP-An icebreaker cruise ship set sail on Friday for a frosty journey that will bring passengers along the St. Lawrence River, a new route that tourism officials hope will usher in a new era of winter cruises in the province. Ponant, the French company that owns the vessel, says it will be the first international passenger cruise ship to venture onto the St. Lawrence River during the winter. With a capacity of up to 245 passengers and 215 crew members, the Commandant Charcot has previously sailed to Antarctica, but this winter it’s embarking on its first trip through the Quebec waterway. “Now the dream is coming true,” said René Trépanier, executive director of Cruise the Saint Lawrence, an association that aims to grow the province’s cruise industry. About...
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‘Horses are my world’: Advocates decry Alberta plan to control wild horse population
By Fakiha Baig -CP-Maverick, Radar and White Spirit mostly gallop in the confines of the Rocky Mountain foothills, but they are known among equine enthusiasts around the world. “They are loved,” said Joanne King, a retired teacher who lives near Sundre, Alta., where the rolling hillsides northwest of Calgary contain the highest concentration of Alberta’s 1,500 wild horses. “Those horses are my world.” She said she goes out to photograph the horses multiple times a week and talks to them from a distance. “The more I got to know the individual stallions and their bands, the more close I got. Every time I go out there, there’s always someone else pulled over, watching them, photographing them, too.” Thousands of people around the world follow the animals’ exploits in a social...
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First Nation says it wasn’t consulted on Wonder Valley AI data centre proposed for thousands of hectares of land
By Angela Amato, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter As Canadian entrepreneur and television personality Kevin O’Leary takes to the U.S. to promote his proposed Wonder Valley AI data centre, one First Nation says it has been left out of the conversation. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation (SLCN) Chief Sheldon Sunshine said he learned about the project through social media at the same time the public found out, despite the project being proposed for the Nation’s traditional lands. “It seems like it was all worked on well before us, and then we’re an afterthought, and it should never be that way,” said Sunshine in an interview. “A little bit of respect goes a long way, and we feel completely disrespected with the development of this project.” On Jan. 13, SLCN issued a cease...
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Jury convicts man in bold scheme to steal $700,000 from Michigan casino
By Ed White DETROIT (AP) — A Chicago man has been convicted in the theft of $700,000 from a Michigan casino, a brazen scheme in which an employee was tricked over the phone into stuffing the cash into a designer bag and driving 85 miles (137 kilometers) to deliver it. “This case underscores the need for businesses, organizations and citizens to be diligent and cautious about phone and internet scams,” U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said. The crime occurred in 2023 at the Four Winds Casino in Hartford in southwestern Michigan, which is operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The FBI said a key employee who handles cash received a phone call and text messages directing her to immediately gather $700,000 for a tribal official. No one stopped the...
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Unmarked graves: Supreme Court won’t hear Mohawk Mothers appeal over McGill expansion
By Sidhartha Banerjee -(CP)-The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal from Indigenous elders who were seeking greater oversight over a university construction site in Montreal where they suspect unmarked graves of children are located. An application for leave to appeal was dismissed Thursday by the country’s highest court, which gave no reason for its decision, as is custom. The group called Mohawk Mothers alleges there are bodies of Indigenous child patients buried on and around the grounds of the former Royal Victoria Hospital, which has been vacant since 2015 and which McGill University is renovating to transform into a new research and teaching hub. The group said their claims stem from interviews with survivors of mind-control experiments that took place in the 1950s and 1960s at...
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Victor Branco sentenced to 12 years for fentanyl trafficking in N. Ontario
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter SUDBURY—A man once known for his skills on the soccer field has now become a symbol of greed and indifference in the midst of Northern Ontario’s opioid crisis. Victor Branco, 25, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison at a Sudbury courthouse after pleading guilty to trafficking fentanyl and other crimes that have devastated families and communities in the region. Mr. Branco, who briefly represented Canada in youth soccer, abandoned any promise he might have shown in favour of pursuing what he described as “easy, fast money.” That pursuit led him to become a prolific drug trafficker, dealing lethal amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in Greater Sudbury and First Nations communities on Manitoulin Island. “The number of people dying from fentanyl...
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Wiikwemkoong launches comprehensive, muscular community drugs approach
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor WIIKWEMKOONG — The Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory is taking a bold stand against a growing drug crisis that has devastated communities across Northern Ontario. In the face of rising opioid-related harm, the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service (WTPS) has launched an updated Comprehensive Drug Strategy, positioning the community as a leader in addressing one of Canada’s most pressing public health emergencies. “This isn’t just a Wiikwemkoong issue—it’s a regional and national crisis,” said Chief of Police Ron Gignac. “Our community is committed to safeguarding our people, preserving our way of life, and becoming a model for proactive, culturally grounded approaches to the drug epidemic.” As the year drew to a close,WTPS, alongside the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) K-9 unit, conducted a...
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Missing woman, Juanita Migwans, tipline established
Juanita Migwans, 30, was last seen on October 2 in M’Chigeeng First Nation. (Supplied photos) By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, MANITOULIN—The search for 30-year-old Juanita “Winnie” Migwans has entered a critical phase as police launch a dedicated tip line to gather new information. Ms. Migwans, a resident of M’Chigeeng First Nation, was last seen on October 2 walking near Highway 551 and Oakhill Drive around 10:30 am. She was wearing a light-colored jacket and dark pants. Her disappearance, reported on October 7, has sparked widespread concern, with the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM) Anishnaabe Police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) leading an extensive search operation. Despite thorough efforts, including community searches and investigative...
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Manitoba school division to bring ‘God Save the King’ back to classrooms
By Brittany Hobson MANITOBA-(CP)-A school division in western Manitoba has decided to once again include “God Save the King” in its schools’ morning announcements, a move that has some questioning whether it promotes reconciliation efforts with Indigenous staff and students. The Mountain View School Division, which oversees 16 schools near Dauphin, Man., recently put forward a directive that the royal anthem must be included in announcements, along with O Canada and land acknowledgments. Board chair Jason Gryba, in an email, said the inclusion of “God Save the King” aligns with existing provincial legislation. “Good governance is about adhering to laws and regulations that are in place, regardless of how often they may have been previously observed,” Gryba said Thursday. “While some legislation may become less prominent over time, it remains...
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