Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill discusses relationships between First Nations and municipalities at ROMA conference
By Sam Laskaris Writer Six Nations chief Sherri-Lyn Hill believes some progress is being made. But Hill believes there is still plenty of work required in order to improve First Nations relationships with municipal and provincial government officials. Hill was a panelist at the three-day Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference being held this week at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. The conference began Sunday and wraps up Tuesday. At a Monday session, Hill was one of several chiefs that spoke on various topics, including a plan put out by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). The session was titled Indigenous and Municipal Relationships – Actioning AMO’s Indigenous Relations Action Plan in a Meaningful Way. “I want to be clear that First Nations and municipalities have similar realities,” Hill...
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RCMP officially launches National High Risk Child Sex Offender Database, public gains access
By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Orangeville Citizen. The public now has access to a centralized, accessible database on child sex offenders nationwide for the first time, as part of a bill passed through parliament. This bill, the High-Risk Child Sex Offender Database Act, was brought into force on Dec. 31, 2024. This bill outlined a requirement to establish a publicly accessible database of people convicted of sexual offenses against children and who pose a high risk of committing similar crimes again. The online database officially launched on Thursday, Jan. 15. The database was described by Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, as an important move to protect children across Canada. “Children are amongst the most vulnerable members in our society, and our government is committed to keeping them...
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Cannabis retailers reject SNEC’s bylaw amendments
A representative for four licensed cannabis producers operating on Six Nations formally rejected recent amendments to the Six Nations Cannabis Control Law and regulations. George Doxtator, a Six Nations member, addressed Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) at the General Council meeting on January 13 on behalf of Cryo Can, Legacy Farms, Green on Six and Gas Gang, stating the group’s position clearly and collectively. “We want to be absolutely clear,” Doxtator said. “All four licensed producers categorically reject the November 2025 amendments to the Six Nations Cannabis Control Law and regulations. This is not a request for minor revisions. This is a rejection of the amendments in their current form.” Doxtator told council the amendments fundamentally alter the regulatory framework that licensed producers originally agreed to operate under. He said...
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Six Nations fire department is growing
Six Nations is purchasing three new trucks and look into renovating its fire stations. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) approved early planning work for future fire station development and moved ahead with the replacement of three frontline fire trucks during its General Finance meeting on Jan. 19. The decisions were brought forward by SNEC’s Community Committee. Councillor Alaina VanEvery, who chaired the meeting, focused on long-term infrastructure needs for Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services, including feasibility planning for fire stations and the purchase of a new pumper truck to replace aging equipment. SNEC approved a recommendation allowing Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services to proceed with a single-source bid to K.L. Martin and Associated Corp. to conduct an initial feasibility study and draft floor plans related to fire station...
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SNEC objects to West Brant development
Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) says it will oppose a development in West Brant due to environmental and treaty concerns. SNEC voted at its Jan. 13 General Council meeting to formally oppose a proposed LIV Communities development on Shellard Lane in the City of Brantford. SNEC cited concerns about environmental impacts, species at risk and Six Nations harvesting and hunting rights. The decision followed a recommendation from the Lands, Resources, Wealth and Economy Committee. The committee said the Consultation and Accommodation Process team has provided written comments and letters expressing concern about the development that is located within the Shellard Lane Special Policy Area 20. SNEC said future meetings are expected where “continued concerns on behalf of Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council will be expressed.” The resolution...
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For being there…
They have often been called the Unsung heroes of winter”. You may not know them but you certainly see them. They man the plows that clear the roadways when winter storms hit. They jump on firetrucks in freezing temperatures to respond to calls to save homes and families. You hear their sirens when they fly by in cruisers heading to what we all know is an emergency and secretly hope it isn’t someone in our families. They are the men and women who hit the roadways no matter what the weather or emergency or what they may see or come upon. During winter months the sight of them pulling up to your home, your driveway or your neighbours to help is relief that they have come…that they exist…that these men...
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Today in History
January 26 In 1984, the federal government announced a land claims settlement with Yukon natives worth $620 million. The deal also gave them title to 20,000 square kilometres. In 1990, a royal commission report exonerated Nova Scotia native Donald Marshall — nearly 19 years after he was falsely convicted of the 1971 Sydney murder of Sandy Seale. The report said Nova Scotia’s justice system was riddled with racism, ineptitude and unfairness. It added Marshall was victimized, at least in part, because he was a Mi’Kmaq. Marshall was later compensated with a lifetime pension worth $1.5 million. He returned to the headlines in 1999, when a legal challenge he launched produced a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling on native fishing rights. Marshall died in August 2009. January 30 In 2020,...
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Chiefs select two players in Major Series Lacrosse draft
By Sam Laskaris Writer Some new faces have joined the Six Nations Chiefs’ organization. Despite being the least active team on Saturday, the local Senior A men’s box lacrosse squad selected a pair of players in the Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) draft, which was held this past Saturday in Whitby. The Chiefs, the three-time defending champions of the Ontario-based MSL circuit who have also won three straight national Mann Cup titles, had previously dealt away the majority of their picks in this year’s draft. As a result, the brass of the Six Nations squad had to sit by idly until the third round when it was able to make its first selection. The Chiefs utilized that pick, 21st over-all on David Peterkin, a Kawartha Lakes native who was a key...
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Ironmen winning streak snapped with loss in Strathroy
By Sam Laskaris Writer The longest winning streak of the season for the Six Nations Ironmen came to an end this past Friday. The Ironmen, who had won five consecutive matches, were downed 7-5 by the host Strathroy Jets in a Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL) contest. Ryan Davis, the head coach of the Six Nations squad, was not overly upset Friday’s loss concluded the recent Ironmen winning ways. “It came to an end but I’m still pleased with the team and how we’re trending in the right direction getting ready for the playoffs,” he said. The Ironmen, a senior men’s club competing in its first NPHL campaign, have just two regular season matches remaining. They will host the Orangeville Blitz this Sunday in a contest that will be held...
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Record number of participants at this year’s Rez Hoops tourney
By Sam Laskaris Writer A record number of 26 clubs will be participating at this year’s local Rez Hoops Basketball Tournament. This year’s event will run from Feb. 6-8. The Dajoh Youth & Elders Centre in Ohsweken will be home for the majority of the tournament matches. But because of the tournament’s growth, organizers have also been forced to rent out the Six Nations Polytechnic gym in Brantford. The tournament has been held annually since 2016, except for a couple of years when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tournament director Kevin Sandy is not surprised that the tourney continues to grow. “The kids at the grassroots level are really looking for something that they enjoy and can participate in,” he said. “Obviously basketball is low cost. It’s...
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Claims process opens for ‘Indian hospitals’ settlement
By Alessia Passafiume The claims process for a landmark “Indian hospitals” settlement opens today, nearly one year after the federal government reached an agreement with survivors on compensation. The federal government ran 33 such hospitals for Indigenous people between 1936 and 1981. Former patients, some of whom spent years in the segregated facilities, filed a lawsuit against the government in 2018 alleging the hospitals were rife with abuse and unfair treatment. Under the settlement reached last year, the federal government agreed to pay compensation to individual survivors in the range of $10,000 to $200,000. Class members have until July 2028 to submit a claim. You may be eligible for compensation if you were admitted to an Indian hospital and experienced any form of abuse there, including psychological, verbal, physical or...
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Canada sending Coast Guard vessel to Greenland for opening of new consulate: Anand
By Dylan Robertson Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Canada’s “principled pragmatism” in foreign policy will be on full display next week in Greenland when she opens Canada’s new consulate in the Danish territory with Inuit representatives attending and a coast guard vessel in the background. “We will continue to be principled and we will be pragmatic at the same time,” Anand told The Canadian Press during a Monday interview in her ministerial office, where her desk was covered by a circular map of the Arctic. The opening of the new consulate in Greenland’s capital Nuuk was originally planned for last November but was postponed due to bad weather. Since then, U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his threats to acquire the Danish territory. The White House refused to rule...
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‘It’s been a wonderful run:’ Chic Scott wraps up over a decade of Fireside Chats at Banff’s Whyte Museum
By Leah Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Rocky Mountain Outlook BANFF — In his patterned Norwegian wool sweater, Chic Scott takes a seat in front of a packed room at the Whyte Museum, setting the stage for one more great story. It’s the end of an era for the Banff mountaineer and historian, who, for over a decade has preserved tales from over 20 Bow Valley mountain people during his Fireside Chat interview series. “There are stories everywhere and everybody has a story. It’s not all about the big famous names. Sometimes the best stories are sort of hidden in the grass,” Scott told the crowd filling the Heritage Gallery on Thursday (Jan. 15), noting that his knit sweater has become a staple outfit at almost every chat over the...
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Mark Critch takes ‘Trump’ to Greenland in timely ’22 Minutes’ sketch
By Alex Nino Gheciu Mark Critch says he’s wondered what would happen if U.S President Donald Trump actually visited the countries he planned to invade. So he flew to Greenland to find out. In Tuesday’s episode of CBC’s “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” the Canadian comedian takes his now-familiar Trump impersonation to Greenland, interviewing locals, politicians and protesters as the president threatens to seize the territory. The segment, titled “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Greenland,” was filmed last week and airs as Trump’s comments continue to reverberate through global politics. Critch says his frustration over Trump’s Greenland remarks led him and a small ‘22 Minutes’ crew Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, where he stayed in character as Trump while speaking with residents, Indigenous community members and elected officials — including the city’s mayor,...
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Calgarian’s podcast highlights Indigenous voices and rising hate in Alberta
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News “I am Red Thunderwoman, my colonial name is Michelle Robinson. I am a Sahtu Dene, a mother, wife, activist, political organizer, podcast host, and have ‘Indian Status’ imposed by the Canadian Government,” Michelle Robinson says. “I have been involved in the political world on the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. I was the first First Nations woman to run for Calgary City Council, and I ran to be a provincial MLA. I have also been a very active volunteer for numerous non-profit events and organizations, school and community events, and politics at the federal level.” Michelle is also the host ‘Native Calgarian Podcast’ (https://www.nativecalgarian.com/), a platform she launched over eight years ago to amplify Indigenous voices in Calgary and beyond....
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First Nation leader urges B.C. to maintain DRIPA as Eskay Creek mine deal is signed
By Wolfgang Depner The president of the Tahltan Central Government said British Columbia shouldn’t change its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, just as the First Nation and the provincial government celebrate a landmark agreement based on the legislation. Kerry Carlick said it is not a “good idea to take anything away from DRIPA,” adding that “if anything, it should be strengthened.” Carlick was speaking at an event on Tuesday in Vancouver with deputy premier Niki Sharma where they co-signed an agreement to share mineral tax revenue from the Eskay Creek mine. The ceremony in Vancouver came after the provincial government on Monday issued an environmental assessment certificate to Eskay Creek Mining Ltd. to restart gold and silver mining at the site in northwestern B.C. after a first-of-its...
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Magnitude 3.7 earthquake gently rocks Southern Ontario
By Rob Westgate If it felt like the earth moved beneath your feet late Tuesday night, it did, if you were in Southern Ontario. Earthquakes Canada recorded a magnitude 3.7 quake north of Toronto just before 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The agency noted the tremor was centred near the community of Orillia and occurred at a depth of five kilometres. The site’s “Did you feel it?” link had at least 2,000 reports of people feeling the rumble, from as far west as Kitchener, through Toronto, and east to Belleville, and as far south as Niagara Falls. There was no immediate word on any damage or injuries, but according to statistics, the same area has experienced two earthquakes of similar size in the last 25 years. Social media was abuzz with...
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Housing N.W.T. and Acho Dene Koe formalize housing partnership
By Claire McFarlane, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio Housing N.W.T. and the Acho Dene Koe First Nation have signed an agreement to formalize their cooperation on housing projects in Fort Liard. Under the terms of the agreement, announced this week, a housing working group will be created featuring members of ADKFN, the First Nation’s economic development corporation – ADK Holdings – and the Government of the Northwest Territories. The working group will advance planning for social housing, plan for construction and repair of housing, and explore joint housing service delivery, a news release stated. “It’ll give us a forum for talking directly about the housing situation in the community,” said ADKFN general manager Boyd Clark. Like many places across the territory, he said, the existing housing stock in Fort...
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Winnipeg’s Red River College Polytechnic to grant staff bereavement leave for non-blood relations
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press Red River College Polytechnic employees can now take paid time off to mourn a non-blood relative who is akin to family to them. Union and post-secondary leaders celebrated that change, among others that came out of their new, reconciliation-forward approach to contract talks, on Monday. “There’s a Western view that your family is who you’re related to by blood and that’s all — and that’s not how it works, at least not in my community,” said Monica Lytwyn, co-chair of RRC Polytech’s truth and reconciliation working group. “Your relatives aren’t always blood relatives and sometimes, your cousin is raised as a sibling or someone who lives next door to you might become like a sibling.” Lytwyn, a member of Norway...
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More urgency needed to help homeless as cold snap persists: leaders
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal As below-normal temperatures persist in Thunder Bay and areas close to the city, Indigenous leaders have been calling on their city counterparts to declare a state of emergency over homelessness, as many are forced to endure the bitter cold outdoors. On Friday, Fort William First Nation Chief Michele Solomon and Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler appealed directly to Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff in a joint letter. “This crisis has gone on long enough,” the letter says. “There will be people sleeping outside . . . as temperatures reach dangerous levels people are dying in the streets, in public parks, in bus shelters.” The letter adds: “The lives of many of our people are at stake, and this needs...
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