Yellowquill School celebrates end of school year with powwow
By Renee Lilley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Portage Graphic Leader A local elementary school’s annual cultural celebration is drawing greater recognition as it expands into a major division-wide event promoting education and reconciliation in the Portage area. Yellowquill School recently hosted its third annual powwow, an initiative organized by a dedicated committee of school staff. Unlike traditional competitive gatherings, the non-competitive, community-based event is designed to bring people together, celebrate students, and marks the approaching end of the school year. Kelly Gretsinger, a grade one teacher and powwow committee member at Yellowquill, said this year’s celebration marked their largest turnout yet, featuring a record number of registered dancers and drummers. The event drew broad regional participation, attracting students from nearly every school across the Portage la Prairie School Division. It...
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Alberta NDP urges Smith to fire senior aide over diatribe against First ations
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says Premier Danielle Smith should fire her office’s executive director for posting a social media diatribe criticizing First Nations chiefs. The senior aide, Bruce McAllister, said in his Thursday post that First Nations chiefs should fix their own communities instead of accusing the premier of treason over her fall separation referendum He describes First Nations as entrenched in poverty, drugs and violence. Nenshi, speaking in Calgary on Friday, said McAllister’s commentary echoes bullying behaviour from Smith and a pattern of disrespect from her United Conservatives. Nenshi said when challenged, Smith lashes out at her opponents. He said if the premier wants to send a message that she respects Albertans, she should start by firing McAllister. “These are dog whistles,” says Nenshi....
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Ford unsure about jail future after ‘fancy-dancy’ new facility opens
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com Content warning: This article addresses suicide and mental health. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or in need of urgent support, call 911. The CMHA also provides crisis response services across the region, including a 24/7 helpline at 807-346-8282 or toll free at 1-866-888-8988, or text 988 for immediate mental health help. THUNDER BAY — Amid calls to permanently shutter the century-old facility, Premier Doug Ford won’t commit to closing the Thunder Bay District Jail. While in Thunder Bay earlier this week, Ford said the Thunder Bay Correctional Complex, currently under construction, looks like “the Four Seasons hotel.” “I’m not sold on that,” he said. “When people commit crimes, they shouldn’t be in this fancy-dancy jail.” The province...
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Kingston’s Indian Road to be renamed Aki Road
By Meaghan Beavis and Stefan Strangman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporters, YGK News Kingston City Council voted to rename Indian Road to Aki Road on Tuesday. After an 8-5 vote in favour of the renaming, Aki, the Ojibway name for land, was chosen from several options, including Binesi (large bird) and Nookomis (grandmother). Indian Road Park will also be renamed to Odamino Park, which means ‘to play’. The name change comes after the completed report on the renaming process was read to Council yesterday. The city of Kingston began exploring a change to the road in June 2025, when Council passed a motion to engage with the residents of the approximately 62 addresses on the road, Indigenous organizations, and multiple Indigenous Nations in the region. According to the city of Kingston,...
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Bid to narrow transparency law ‘a move in the wrong direction,’ info watchdog says
By Jim Bronskill Information commissioner Caroline Maynard says a federal proposal to narrow the scope of the Access to Information Act is a move in the wrong direction that could exclude “entire swaths of government-held records” from public scrutiny. Maynard makes the blunt warning in a newly published submission to the Treasury Board Secretariat’s latest review of the access regime. The department issued a policy document in March that set out possible changes to the Access to Information system and solicited feedback from interested parties. The policy paper acknowledges shortcomings in the access system, including poor federal information management, a lack of systematic declassification of historical records and difficulties with obtaining documents related to Indigenous affairs. “The review must not become a justification for further secrecy,” Maynard says in her...
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Na-Me-Res strives against all odds to house Indigenous men in Toronto
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Steve Teekens believes he is facing increasingly more difficult challenges. Teekens has served as executive director of Na-Me-Res in Toronto for the past 15 years. It’s an Indigenous-led organization that provides shelter space and housing developments to unhoused Indigenous men. “I think we’re among the few male-serving Indigenous organizations in the country,” said Teekens. It’s no secret that when it comes to homelessness in Toronto, Indigenous men face this challenge at higher rates, as emphasized in the city’s 2024 Street Needs Assessment. “It highlighted that of all the Indigenous homelessness, Indigenous men are disproportionately affected among that group with 59 per cent,” Teekens said. And things are not getting better. “It feels like climbing up a huge mountain,” Teekens said. “While climbing...
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Farmers turn to tech to thwart thieves
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun MACGREGOR — A growing number of farmers are bidding farewell to the days of unlocked homes and car keys stored in the car near MacGregor because of repeated thefts targeting their rural properties. A transformation has taken place in the rural community in the last 10 years, with technology such as live-feed cameras and alarms, lane monitors and GPS tags installed as a response to what farmers in the area say has been continuous thievery. The security measures are a break from years past, and farmers are trying today to balance their ideals of country living with their increasing need for self-protection. MacGregor-area resident Heather Stone described the changing mood in an interview at her home. “I think people are just...
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Quebec town of Terrasse-Vaudreuil recognizes trees as living beings with rights
By Morgan Lowrie A small town west of Montreal has decided to officially recognize trees as living beings with rights of their own, in what an environmental organization describes as a first in Quebec and Canada. A resolution adopted by Terrasse-Vaudreuil city council on June 9 declares that trees are worthy of protection, “including the right to life, to natural growth, to integrity and to regeneration.” Mayor Michel Bourdeau says Quebec filmmaker André Desrochers inspired the community to take action. He said Desrochers’ film, called “Des arbes et des arts” convinced citizens that trees are living entities that live, breathe and communicate with each other through their root systems. “A tree is like a human being,” Bourdeau said. “It breathes, it lives, it takes in water. It protects us from...
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Wildfire still burns near B.C. village of Lytton, as deadly anniversary looms
A B.C. wildfire is continuing to burn, out of control, near the village of Lytton, where, almost five years ago, a similar blaze destroyed much of the community. Emergency officials say the Saw Creek wildfire has triggered dozens of evacuation orders and watches in the area, affecting more than 230 properties, while also shutting down a more than 115-kilometre stretch of Highway 1. The Lytton First Nation has also issued an evacuation order for some of its residents. Based on the most current information available, the fire is burning approximately six square kilometres of woodland, just south of the village. The wildfire broke out on June 19, a couple of weeks shy of the fifth anniversary of the June 30, 2021, inferno that had razed the town and claimed two...
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Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami releases new poverty reduction strategy
By Miriam Bosiljevac and Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has released a poverty reduction strategy for Inuit Nunangat and recommended changes to how Nutrition North Canada operates in the region. “The strategy is really grounded in an Inuit-defined whole person approach that considers culture, well-being, family, community, livelihoods, leadership, and self-determination,” said Lauren Goodman from the national Inuit organization, also known as ITK. “We’re hoping that it will be a roadmap for governments, Inuit organizations, industry, and others to partner with us to reduce poverty in Inuit Nunangat.” The strategy identifies three action areas: economic participation, cost of living and income security, and social services and community infrastructure. “With renewed national interest in Arctic development, Canada must invest in Inuit communities and finally bring...
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Elks president says CFL club still recovering from ‘disaster’ of name change
By John Korobanik As the Edmonton Elks prepare for their home opener Saturday, team president Chris Morris says the fallout from the club’s 2021 name change remains one of the biggest obstacles in rebuilding support among fans. Morris, who spent 14 seasons on Edmonton’s offensive line and won three Grey Cups with the club, said the franchise continues to deal with fallout from its 2021 name change. “It was a disaster in so many ways,” Morris said of the transition from the Eskimos to the Elks. The club changed its name after years of criticism from Inuit leaders and organizations who said the former name was offensive and outdated. The move came amid broader pressure on sports teams to abandon names viewed as racist or stereotypical. Morris said the decision...
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CP NewsAlert: Manitoba appoints first associate chief judge for reconciliation
Manitoba provincial court Judge Jerilee Ryle has been appointed the province’s first associate chief judge for reconciliation. The announcement was made by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe. Wiebe calls it a historic step toward building a court system that better reflects Indigenous traditions and values. The role is also to strengthen relations with Indigenous Peoples and ensure their perspectives are better reflected in court. Ryle is a member of Lake St. Martin First Nation. She was appointed to the bench last year after working as a Crown prosecutor and founding the Manitoba Prosecution Service’s Indigenous advisory council. More coming. ...
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Former Nunavut TV star on what National Indigenous History Month means to her
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Ooleepeeka (Rebecca) Veevee was born in a camp outside Pangnirtung in 1950, but considers Iqaluit her home community. Living in a traditional sod house made of whale bones and animal skins called a qammaq, she didn’t have access to technology growing up. “My grandma, she played music and danced a lot. Then people starting laughing. I want the people to be happy and laughing. That’s why I wanted to be a comedian,” Veevee said in a modern community centre called the Iqaluit Elders Qammaq on June 10. She is well known as ‘The Laughing Chef,’ host of the Inuit Broadcasting Company’s TV show ‘Niqitsiat,’ where she made variations of country foods like caribou pizza, goose soup, char casserole, seal pie,...
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Elder shares what National Indigenous Peoples Day means to her
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Annie Shappa was born in a camp outside Arctic Bay and says integrating into the community was very difficult. When she lived on the land, it was only with immediate family members. “It was so hard to move to the community because it was kind of prejudice, discrimination. All of that, we have to face it,” Shappa said. She said Elders like her are important because they can provide a bridge between Inuit and non-Indigenous people, who she referred to as “Qablunaat,” a term commonly used for non-Inuit residents. June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and Shappa said she wants to see investments in Inuit education realized. “I want to see in Nunavut, a university. We need a school...
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Nunavut Law Society unveils resource handbook for Nunavummiut in Yellowknife
By Dylan Follett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yellowknifer There’s a new resource handbook for Nunavummiut trying to access support resources while in Yellowknife. The “Access to Justice for Family Violence Yellowknife Resource Handbook,” created by the Law Society of Nunavut (LSN), was unveiled on June 11. About a dozen law professionals from across Alberta, the NWT and Nunavut gathered in the atrium of the NWT legislative assembly in Yellowknife for the release of the handbook, which is part of the LSN’s larger “Access to Justice” initiative. The handbook itself is a three-fold pamphlet which lists contacts and information on organizations that provide legal, health community, basic needs, and family assistance. “Today we honour, love and remember those who have left us and those who are still here with us,” said...
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Wildfire evacuees returning to their homes in northern Ontario First Nation
Residents of a northern Ontario First Nation are returning to their homes as fire crews have declared a wildfire south of Timmins to be under control. Mattagami First Nation Chief Jennifer Constant and council members say residents are retuning to the community this week after being away from their homes for almost two weeks. Community leaders issued a mandatory evacuation order on June 3 based on the advice of the Ministry of Natural Resources. Residents were allowed to go back home this week after Ontario Forest Fires classified the wildfire as “being held” before it was declared to be under control. Ontario Forest Fires says the fire known as Timmins 9 is had reached 3,151 hectares in size as of Thursday. It said the fire is located seven kilometres west...
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A conflict over cattle in Brazil’s Amazon highlights tensions for Indigenous peoples
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa FORMOSO DO ARAGUAIA, Brazil (AP) — On a vast island in northern Brazil, an unusual debate about cattle and conservation is taking place. Federal authorities last year ordered the removal of herds from protected Indigenous territory on the world’s largest river island, Bananal Island. They argued the land was reserved for Indigenous peoples and conservation, and that the herds kept there by outside ranchers were illegal and contributed to habitat degradation. To comply with the order, wranglers drove more than 100,000 cattle from the island when the rivers were low enough. But the removal has created new problems for Indigenous residents who had come to rely on money they earned leasing the land to ranchers. The events underscore the challenge of balancing conservation, Indigenous interests and...
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Five years after a Navajo elder vanished, the man who robbed her was released from prison
By Savannah Peters EDGEWOOD, N.M. (AP) — Five years to the day that Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay disappeared from her home in a remote corner of Arizona, the man who acknowledged beating her, stealing her truck and leaving her on the roadside is free from prison. Preston Tolth pleaded guilty to robbing Begay and was sentenced on May 8 to five years in prison with credit for three years already served. He was released Monday, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Begay’s relatives, who expected Tolth to remain in custody until at least 2028, said they were shocked when they heard Monday. The eldest of her three children, Gerald Begay, learned of Tolth’s release while wrapping up his workday on a construction site and reflecting on the somber...
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MPs head home for summer break after Liberals pass contentious lawful access bill
By Nick Murray and Sarah Ritchie Members of Parliament have wrapped up a spring sitting in the House of Commons that stretched over six months and saw the Liberals use their new majority powers to limit debate and push through contentious legislation. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government began the sitting in late January in a minority position. After courting five opposition members to join the Liberal benches and winning three April byelections, the government was able to take control of House committees and pass bills without the help of opposition parties. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon said Thursday the Liberals have been focused on the economy and “protecting Canadians from crime.” He defended the government’s decision to limit debate this week on its “lawful access” bill, legislation that received widespread...
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Senior aide of Alberta premier urges First Nations chiefs to fix squalid communities
By Lisa Johnson The executive director of Premier Danielle Smith’s office says that instead of criticizing her, First Nations chiefs should fix their own communities, describing them as entrenched in poverty, drugs and violence. Bruce McAllister, in a post on social media Thursday, says the chiefs should focus on their own problems rather than having “the gall” to accuse the premier of treason over Alberta’s looming separation referendum. McAllister accused the chiefs of engaging in “childish nonsense” and said their misaligned priorities make him wonder if they’re taking orders from someone else. “People are sick and tired of hearing unrealistic demands from them,” McAllister writes. “It might be tolerable if their communities were beacons of prosperity, safety, strong families and real accountability, but sadly, they’re anything but.” He said they...
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