Carney meeting with cabinet, premiers to discuss latest U.S. tariffs
By David Baxter and Kyle Duggan Prime Minister Mark Carney is holding virtual meetings with his cabinet and the premiers today, less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump hit Canada with a baseline 35 per cent tariff. This latest trade war escalation applies only to goods not covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement on free trade, better known as CUSMA. The latest levy took effect on Friday after the two countries failed to hit an Aug. 1 deadline to secure a new trade agreement. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday he had a “good conversation” with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday that was “positive.” He also said he was frustrated by the impacts of high U.S. tariffs on his province’s economy. Ford warned Trump’s “decision to...
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Haudenosaunee taking on climate in annual meeting Haudenosaunee Climate Action Conference
Seed singer teaches conference attendees how to sing while working in corn field (Photo by Jim C. Powless) By Lynda Powless Editor Sitting outside of the Sour Springs Longhouse a group of women are teaching how to make jams and preserves. Across the yard others are learning about planting, pottery and even fish skin tanning. In nearby fields a Seed Singer is teaching the importance of Haudenosaunee connecting with the seeds and plants Meanwhile inside the longhouse Haudenosaunee are talking about the effect colonialism has had on the earth and on the Haudenosaunee connection to it. The third annual Haudenosaunee Climate Action Gathering was held for the first at Six Nations of the Grand River and the first time on the Canadian side of the international border. The weekend event,...
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First Nation Youth hold protest walk from Timmins to Queen’s Park
By Xavier Kataquapit Writer Photos by Xavier Kataquapit First Nation youth are continuing the push to make themselves heard with the actions of Mahmo Inninuwuk Wiibuseegostamok, a James Bay Cree phrase that means ‘Uniting the People to Stand Together’. The group has started a protest walk to travel from Timmins to Queen’s Park in the city of Toronto to bring awareness and attention to their dissatisfaction of Ontario’s Bill 5 and Canada’s Bill C5. “This protest is a call to the provincial and federal government to repeal Bill 5 and Bill C-5 as it has destroyed indigenous and government relations and trust,” said Tristan Ashishkeesh, one of the lead founders of the movement. He is the former Executive Director of the Ojibway and Cree Cultural Centre in Timmins. After having...
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Supreme Court won’t hear case of Ontario man who fatally shot Six Nations’ man
The case of an Ontario man found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man has come to a close after Canada’s top court declined to hear it. The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected a leave to appeal request from Peter Khill, who shot and killed Jonathan Styres after finding the man breaking into his truck in the early morning hours of Feb. 4, 2016. As is its standard practice, the high court did not give reasons for its decision to not hear the case. Khill was charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty, testifying that he acted in self-defence and in accordance with his military training. In 2022, a jury found him not guilty of second-degree murder but guilty of the lesser offence of...
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Six Nations Development Trust marks 20 years of funding projects
The Six Nations Community Development Trust (SNCDT) is marking two decades of funding community projects. The SNCDT has funded over $21.4 million in community projects since it began, Kevin Martin, chair of the trust said during a presentation at the Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) General Finance meeting on July 21. The update, delivered by Martin and Melanie Bomberry, trust coordinator, outlined the trust’s origins, operations, and financial impact over the last two decades. The trust was established in 2003, with the formal agreement signed in 2004, to manage and grow long-term assets derived from casino revenue agreements. It was intended to ensure sustainable benefits for the Six Nations community through investment returns. “Our mission is to help create, reinforce and sustain conditions to improve the quality of life for...
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Manitoba wildfire evacuees visit Six Nations
By Lynda Powless Editor Six Nations held out a welcoming hand last Tuesday to Manitoba First Nations people forced from their homes as a result of wildfires. Three bus-loads of evacuees from the Pukatawagan First Nation and Sandy Bay in Manitoba have been living in hotel rooms in Niagara Falls for more than two months after Manitoba declared a State of Emergency. They were helicoptered out of their community as wildfires began raging in northern and eastern Manitoba in late May. In a gesture of good will and to “uplift them” Six Nations Elected Council, (SNEC) invited them to visit Six Nations Tuesday July 9th. A variety of activities entertainment and a lunch were available at the Six Nations community hall. Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill welcomed the group saying she...
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Six Nations’ fiber optic projects are on track
Six Nations’ fiber optic projects are on track for completion by the end of 2025. Jeff Thomas from First Nations Cable gave an update on the long-awaited project at Six Nations Elected Council’s General Council meeting on July 22. “I can see big changes happening,” Thomas said. “The data is there, the connectivity is there, and all the stuff that we brought forth is happening. So, we’re quite pleased with the direction it is heading.” Troy Cider, manager of Solo Cable, the contractor installing the fiber lines, said the team has about 40 kilometres of fiber left to install. “We are down to about 40 kilometres left,” he said, adding, “That sounds like a lot. It really isn’t that much because of what the entire project encompassed.” Crews have pulled...
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Six Nations Polytechnic to engage in new funding application
Six Nations Polytechnic will have formal support from Elected Council to participate in Indigenous Services Canada’s new funding application process for education. Matt Ferlin, director of advancement at Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP), requested a letter of support on July 22 at the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) General Council meeting as part of a funding application to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Ferlin said ISC replaced its usual funding application model with a survey and asked education organizations to submit their needs and as well as a letter of support from their elected council. “This has led us to today’s meeting,” Ferlin said. “To place that formal request from the Council in support of that ask.” SNEC passed a motion agreeing to provide the letter following questions from Councillors about timelines,...
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First Nations protest walk reaches Queen’s Park after trek
By Diane Johnston, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temiskaming Speaker TEMISKAMING SHORES – Just over two weeks ago, a small group of First Nations youth protesters set out on foot from Timmins for Queen’s Park. They’re calling for the repeal of provincial and federal legislation aimed at speeding development of major infrastructure projects in response to the trade dispute with the U.S. Anger over Bill 5 and Bill C-5 – Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act and the One Canadian Economy legislation, which includes the Building Canada Act– spurred Tristan Ashishkeesh, a founder of the walk, to take action. The legislation and governments’ responses echo previous governments’ approaches to First Nations’ concerns, said Ashishkeesh in an interview on the side of Highway 11 last week. “We’re getting pushed, and no...
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A simple question..
Both Canada and Ontario are suddenly in a hurry. They want to put shovels in the ground and steel everywhere and to make sure they could do it suddenly Bill C5, Ontario’s Bill 5 and even B.C. has joined the rush with its own Bill 15. What they all have in common is a theme to speed up development whether its a highway or what they call clean energy they are in a rush. So why? Now it may all be simply that the new Prime Minister wants to make his mark and coming from a banking background sees the development fees, land fees…fees, fees, fees that will come to governments and of course the huge movement of cash needed to build national and provincial projects will see banks smiling!...
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Lowest goals-against average wins Chiefs’ netminder league award
By Sam Laskaris Writer Warren Hill is the one who ending up winning a league-wide goaltending award this season. But Hill, a star netminder for the Six Nations Chiefs, believes several others should also be receiving some recognition. It was announced this past week that Hill is this year’s recipient of the Harry Lumley Award, for having the lowest goals-against average in the seven-team Major Series Lacrosse (MSL). Hill appeared in 10 regular season games this year for the Chiefs and had a league-leading 5.51 goals-against average. Doug Jamieson, the Chiefs’ other goalie, had a 6.12 GAA, the second-best in the league. “I think the award is a great testament to our team and defence as a whole,” Hill said. “We have a great defence that allows both Dougie and...
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MontHill Golf & Country Club once again hosts Indigenous Ontario championship
By Sam Laskaris Writer Six Nations golfers will once again be competing for provincial bragging rights rather close to home. That’s because for the fourth consecutive year the Indigenous Ontario Golf Championship will be staged at the MontHill Golf & Country Club, located in Caledonia. Opening ceremonies as well as a practice round will be held on Aug. 10. That will be followed with a 54-hole competition during the next three days, Aug. 11-13. “We have 110 golfers,” said event chair Steve Tooshkenig. “It’s going to be a good event – a good three days of championship golf.” Tooshkenig estimates around 30-35 per cent of the field will be comprised of golfers from Six Nations. “The rest are from all over Ontario,” he said. “So, that’s a good that’s a...
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Attack looking for positive results at season ending championship tournament
By Sam Laskaris Writer Tim Bomberry is hoping that members of the Grand River Attack continue to improve and have some positive results at their season-ending tournament. Bomberry is in his first season as serving as the head coach of the Six Nations-based Attack, one of 10 clubs that participates in Women’s Major Series Lacrosse (WMSL). All entrants in the Ontario-based circuit are now gearing up for their provincial championship, the WMSL tournament, which will be held Aug. 15-17 in Peterborough. Matches will be staged at a pair of Peterborough venues, the Memorial Centre and Healthy Planet Arena. “We’re going to give our best effort there,” Bomberry said of his squad, which posted a regular season record of 5-4, good for sixth place in the league standings. Bomberry is encouraged...
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Carney pledges $150M boost to ‘underfunded’ CBC
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mark-carney-cbc-funding-1.7501902...
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Saskatchewan health policy requires consent to cut hair of Indigenous patients
Saskatchewan’s health authority is requiring staff to get consent before cutting the hair of Indigenous patients, nearly a year after a Métis man’s ponytail was cut without his approval. A message sent to health employees says the new policy aims to respect the spiritual and cultural significance of hair to Indigenous people. It says staff must not cut the hair of Indigenous patients unless they have consent from the patient, family or decision-maker involving their health. The policy says hair should only be cut when medically necessary, such as for head trauma and brain or head surgery. The direction comes about a year after Ruben St. Charles’s ponytail was cut before he received hip surgery at a Saskatoon hospital. Bonnie Marwood, a patient advocate for St. Charles, says the policy...
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Doig River among investors in First Nations Bank of Canada’s $9m equity raise
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca SASKATOON, SK. — Indigenous groups from Treaty 8 were among five parties to invest in the First Nations Bank of Canada (FNBC). According to a release on August 5th, Doig River First Nation (DRFN) and its economic arm, Úújǫ Developments, joined groups from Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Yukon in the investment, which was announced on Tuesday, August 5th. The total investment from the parties totals $9 million, and the release says the money “will support the bank’s continued loan book expansion, particularly in response to rising demand in its core commercial lending business, as well as new programs.” Headquartered in Saskatchewan, the FNBC is the first independent financial institution to be controlled by Indigenous shareholders and began in 1996. President and chief...
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Blaze near Cathedral Grove, but B.C. fire service says ancient forest not at risk
By Nono Shen Vancouver Island photographer Colby Rex O’Neill has had restless nights as a wildfire burns less than a kilometre from his home. That’s a worry, but he also fears the Wesley Ridge fire could reach what he called a “national treasure” — Cathedral Grove, a temperate rainforest with trees that are about 800 years old, located in a park on central Vancouver Island. Rex O’Neill said he was closely watching the fire burning east of MacMillan Provincial Park, which contains what he described as “one of the most beautiful forests in the world.” “I feel like, if it ever really was being threatened, that we would need to do something as a country to protect it. That forest is a very special place,” he said. Madison Dahl, a...
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Grizzly Bear Art Show calls on local artists to channel creativity for conservation
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Pique Newsmagazine Artists from across the Sea to Sky region are invited to submit their creative interpretations of one of British Columbia’s most iconic and threatened species: the grizzly bear. The Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative and Pemberton Arts Council are set to host a Grizzly Bear Art Show on Oct. 17 at the Pemberton & District Community Centre. The juried exhibition aims to raise awareness of the cultural, ecological and emotional significance of grizzly bears through visual art. “For thousands of years in the Sea to Sky area of southwest B.C., grizzly bears [have been] prominently connected to First Nations Culture & History and are an important species significantly contributing to the health and vitality of ecosystems,” said organizers on social...
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19-year-old driver killed in crash outside Caledonia
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator A driver was killed in a single-vehicle collision along the banks of the Grand River northwest of Caledonia just before 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The motorist, identified by police as a 19-year-old from Wilsonville in neighbouring Norfolk County, died at the scene. The crash happened on Highway 54 between Onondaga Townline Road and Harrison Road, said OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk. Investigators have determined that the car left the roadway, hit a guardrail and rolled over, ending up in a ditch. That stretch of highway follows the river between Caledonia and Brantford. The fatal crash happened on the border of Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. Investigators closed the road and were expected to be on the scene until...
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