Federal government to apologize for Nunavik dog slaughter
Canadian Press-The federal government will apologize to Inuit in Nunavik for the killing of sled dogs between the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. In opening remarks at the Inuit-Crown partnership committee meeting in Ottawa on Friday, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the government is preparing to deliver an apology in Nunavik, the Inuit region of Northern Quebec. The actual date of the apology is still being finalized but could come as early as the end of the month. Anandasangaree told the room the apology won’t erase the past, but will hopefully give some solace to remaining survivors “as we rebuild this very important relationship.” For years, Makivvik — which represents Inuit in Nunavik — pushed for an acknowledgment from the federal and provincial governments on the harm the dog...
Register
Hesquiaht members recall shelling of Estevan Point during dark days of WWII
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Hesquiaht, BC – It was late in the evening on June 20, 1942, when the Japanese submarine I-26 shelled the Estevan Point Lighthouse and the Dominion government’s radio telegraph station. The incident occurred on the Hesquiaht First Nation’s former main village on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Nobody was hurt and no damage was done to the lighthouse, but the incident marked the first time enemy militants attacked Canadian soil since the War of 1812, according to official reports. Yvonne Lucas recounts the story her late husband Harry Lucas, who was a newborn at the time, heard from his mother: “The whole reserve was so panicky and scared. They all ran into the bushes. Harry said his mom ran in there with...
Register
Children’s book by chef Jamie Oliver is withdrawn after criticism from Indigenous Australians
The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A children’s book written by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been withdrawn from sale after it was criticized for causing offense to Indigenous Australians. The Guardian newspaper reported Saturday that the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation blasted “Billy And The Epic Escape,” which was published earlier this year, for employing a series of tropes and stereotypes about Indigenous Australians, including their relationships with the natural and spiritual worlds. The group criticized one of the fantasy novel’s subplots, which tells the story of an Indigenous girl living in foster care, for contributing to the “erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences.” In a statement, Oliver, 49, said he was “devastated” to have caused offense and apologized “wholeheartedly.” “It...
Register
Quebec First Nation says government, Hydro-Québec left it out of wind projects
A First Nation near Quebec City says the provincial government and Quebec’s hydro utility have ignored their constitutional duty to consult about four planned wind projects south of the St. Lawrence River. The claim is part of a long-running territorial disagreement between the Huron-Wendat Nation, the Quebec government and neighbouring First Nations, and it comes as Hydro-Québec looks to triple the province’s wind power capacity in co-operation with Indigenous communities. The dispute has its roots in a treaty, signed in 1760, that protected Huron-Wendat rights but didn’t define their territory. More than 260 years later, that uncertainty could have consequences for a new era of energy development in Quebec. The Huron-Wendat Nation filed an application in June asking the Quebec Superior Court to order the provincial government and Hydro-Québec to...
Register
Statement by the Prime Minister on Indigenous Veterans Day
November 8, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Indigenous Veterans Day: “Today, on Indigenous Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis who have served in Canada’s Armed Forces. We honour their courage and commit to sharing their stories for generations to come. “Indigenous Peoples are etched into Canada’s military history. They fought alongside British troops in the War of 1812. They served as snipers and scouts during the First and Second World Wars. They put their lives on the line – from Korea to Afghanistan. And today, with more than 2,700 Indigenous members serving in the Armed Forces, their contributions have been both numerous and invaluable. “We are increasing our supports for Indigenous Veterans and their families. Earlier...
Register
Replacement-worker ban, machete sale rules are among the new laws in Manitoba
Bills to ban employers from using replacement workers, enact tax changes, and set new rules around the sale of machetes were among those passed into law Thursday as the yearlong session of the Manitoba legislature wrapped up. But the NDP government, elected with a solid majority last year, did not get some bills through, including ones to further limit rent increases and require new judges to undergo training on sexual assault and racism. The biggest legislation for the NDP was its omnibus budget bill, which enacts tax changes announced in the spring budget. The government added several non-budget items to the bill. One bans employers from using replacement workers during strikes or lockouts. Another makes it easier for workers to join a union without holding a formal vote. A third...
Register
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico is set to reopen
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico, which closed in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, is reopening later this month. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Cochiti Pueblo announced Thursday the monument will reopen Nov. 21. Visitors will be required to make reservations online. The tribe will be taking on day-to-day operations of the monument, a popular geologic hiking spot midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The bureau and Cochiti Pueblo jointly agreed to maintain the closure after pandemic restrictions were lifted to renegotiate operations of the monument. The monument was created in 2001 with a provision that said it will be managed by the federal government in close cooperation with Cochiti Pueblo. The agreement comes as the federal government looks for...
Register
National Indigenous Veterans Day, Nov 8
Since the War of 1812, Indigenous people have fought by the side of non-Indigenous, despite the prejudice and discrimination they faced here in Canada. At war, they stood on a more equal footing, where their skills on the battlefield were more important than the colour of their skin. Veterans Affairs Canada estimates that more than 12,000 Indigenous people served during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. They voluntarily enlisted in an army to fight as a representative of a country that was actively attempting to erase them as a people and it was not until 1994, with the establishment of National Indigenous Veterans Day, that there was public recognition of their service. Indigenous soldiers were among the first to enlist during the First World War. While...
Register
B.C. gender justice groups call for repeal of Name Act changed over child killer
Gender justice groups in British Columbia want the government to repeal recent provincial legislation that prevents people convicted of serious Criminal Code offences from changing their names. The call for the repeal of the Name Amendment Act comes from groups that include Gender-Affirming Healthcare, the Canadian Bar Association’s BC branch and the Trans Legal Clinic. The groups say the legislation was not necessary to protect the public and harms people most in need of legal name changes, including transgender and Indigenous people and survivors of gender-based violence. B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix, who introduced the amended legislation last May, said then that the law will ensure people convicted of serious crimes, such as violence against other people and acts against children, cannot change their name. The Premier’s Office says in...
Register
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico is set to reopen
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico, which has been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is reopening later this month. The Bureau of Land Management and the Cochiti Pueblo tribe announced the Nov. 21 reopening plan Thursday. The tribe will be taking on day-to-day operations of the monument, a popular geologic hiking spot located midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. BLM and Cochiti Pueblo jointly agreed to maintain the closure after pandemic restrictions were lifted in order to renegotiate operations of the monument. The monument was created in 2001 with a provision that it would be managed by the BLM in close cooperation with Cochiti Pueblo. The agreement comes as the federal government looks for more opportunities to work with...
Register
Failing bridge triggers state of emergency in Northern Ontario FirstNation
By Jon Thompson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Ginoogaming First Nation has been forced to close a failing bridge owned by a logging company, cutting off the community’s access to the neighbouring town of Longlac. A new engineering report commissioned by the First Nation shows the private bridge built for industry to access timber around the reserve in the 1940s has decayed beyond the capacity to safely support vehicle traffic. “We’re asserting ourselves in our jurisdiction and our sovereignty to the land,” Ginoogaming Chief Sheri Taylor told a virtual press conference on Wednesday afternoon, held at roughly the same time as her community members were closing the road leading to the Making Ground River Bridge. “We will do what we need to do to make sure we have a safe bridge....
Register
Saskatchewan premier says school change rooms no longer first priority, names cabinet
(Canadian Press)-Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, fresh off a challenging election campaign, announced a new cabinet Thursday while deprioritizing a change room directive he had touted as his first order of business after the vote. Moe told reporters he misspoke when he said on the campaign trail before the Oct. 28 election that his first job if re-elected would be to ban “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls.” He said he should have promised his first priorities were to meet with the lieutenant-governor, form a cabinet and set a legislative agenda. “When I was asked a question and provided a response on the change room policy here in the province, I (said) it was going to be the first order of business. I misspoke,” Moe said. “I...
Register
Inuk man shot dead by police a victim of systemic racism: Crown-Indigenous minister
The killing of an Inuk man by police earlier this week in Quebec’s Far North is an example of systemic racism, Canada’s minister for Crown-Indigenous relations said Thursday. Gary Anandasangaree said in a statement the police shooting of Joshua Papigatuk is another example of how Indigenous Peoples are impacted by the justice system, adding that change must include Indigenous-led solutions. “This tragedy underscores the deeply rooted systemic racism within our criminal justice system, which continues to disproportionately impact Indigenous Peoples,” Anandasangaree said. “Real, structural change is essential to address these injustices.” He called the death a “painful and tragic loss” for Joshua’s family and the community of Nunavik — Quebec’s northernmost region — and “for so many who have experienced much-too-familiar heartbreak.” Papigatuk was shot and killed and his twin...
Register
‘A tragedy’: Judge urges northern Manitoba sobering shelter after police cell death
A judge is urging the Manitoba government to look at establishing a safe sobering centre in a northern community to prevent in-custody deaths of people detained due to intoxication. The recommendation follows an inquest into the 2019 death of John Ettawakapow in the town of The Pas. The inquest heard RCMP arrested the 54-year-old on Oct. 5, 2019, on accusations he was causing a disturbance while intoxicated. He was detained in a police cell with two others when one cellmate inadvertently placed his leg and foot on Ettawakapow’s neck and face. “Mr. Ettawakapow died in police care from a preventable cause. He needed help but he did not receive it,” Senior Judge Brian Colli said in the report released Thursday. Colli has called for the Justice Department to work with...
Register
Canada’s Walk of Fame to honour Manitoba folk and country singer William Prince
Country-folk singer William Prince will receive a top award from Canada’s Walk of Fame. The musician from Peguis First Nation, north of Winnipeg, has been named the recipient of the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour. The annual award recognizes Canadian musicians who “drive positive impact in the music industry.” The organization says Prince’s contributions include hosting “A Day to Listen” in 2023, an event that recognizes Truth and Reconciliation Day. It also points to the song he wrote for the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle will honour Prince with a performance of one of his songs during the Canada’s Walk of Fame ceremony on Nov. 20. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024. ...
Register
Environment commissioner says Canada on track to miss 2030 emissions targets
Canada is still not on track to meet its commitments under the Paris climate agreement, federal Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco said in a new report on Thursday. Ottawa has promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to be 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, but so far they have only fallen seven per cent below 2005 levels. In a news conference after the reports were tabled in Parliament, DeMarco said it is still possible to meet those targets but the “task is much harder because there’s only six years left to do essentially 20 or 30 years’ worth of reductions.” “It’s not time to give up,” he said. While progress is “painfully slow” on some of the government’s policies, DeMarco said, “that’s not a reason to just...
Register
B.C. gender justice groups call for repeal of Name Act changed over child killer
Gender justice groups in British Columbia are calling for the repeal of recent provincial legislation that prevents people convicted of serious Criminal Code offences from changing their names. The call for the repeal of the Name Amendment Act comes from groups that include the Gender-Affirming Healthcare, the Canadian Bar Association’s BC branch and the Trans Legal Clinic. The groups say the legislation was not necessary to protect the public and harms people most in need of legal name changes, including transgender and Indigenous people and survivors of gender-based violence. B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix, who introduced the amended legislation last May, said then that the law will ensure people convicted of serious crimes, including violence against other people and acts against children, can’t change their name. The changes were prompted...
Register
Returned to sender: Qalipu member lodges appeal after numerous voters didn’t receive voter registration packages for election
By Anasophie Vallée Local Journalism Initiative reporter One of the candidates who ran for chief in the recent Qalipu First Nation election couldn’t believe her eyes when the results of the vote came in and is alleging there was a delivery issue with voter registration packages. “I didn’t believe the results, and I thought, ‘something’s really wrong,” said Laura T. White of her initial reaction when first seeing the election results. “When I got the results, I thought it was impossible, because I know on my campaign, I knew I had more voters than 490. I help 490 people a month, so for me, that was impossible.” When a letter from Canada Post began circulating on Facebook, White went to Canada Post in Stephenville and have a conversation. The letter...
Register
Housing minister announces applications open for $1B critical infrastructure program
(Canadian Press-)Applications opened Thursday for a $1-billion federal program to help municipalities and Indigenous communities build critical infrastructure. The Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund set aside $1-billion in direct funding to communities to build or improve infrastructure to support drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste. Applications opened online today, with municipalities and Indigenous communities able to apply. Those applicants will need to demonstrate how their proposals will support the building of more homes. Housing Minister Sean Fraser says he expects to distribute $1 billion from the program directly to communities by the end of the year. Fraser also announced the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Fund is accepting applications, which will see $50 million over two years to support housing construction in southern Ontario. This report by The Canadian Press was first...
Register
First Nations designer from Manitoba included in Toronto fashion show
By Renée Sylvestre-Williams Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Indigenous fashion designer Lindsay King has never had a client return a purchase. On two occasions individuals brought back items for a size change. But King, a member of Little Grand Rapids First Nation in Manitoba, has never had a return. Now people will be able to see why at King’s first runway show at the upcoming Fashion Art Toronto’s 1664 Fashion Week, beginning Nov. 14. Other Indigenous artists joining King at the Toronto event will be Jenn Harper, the founder of Cheekbone Beauty who is a member of Northwest Angle 33 First Nation in northern Ontario, and Lesley Hampton, a member of Mattagami First Nation, also in Ontario. They’ll participate in the onsite fashion and beauty retail boutique. King has carved an...
Register
