Indigenous legislation among top issues at Union of B.C. Municipalities convention
By Wolfgang Depner An annual gathering of municipal leaders from across British Columbia opens in Vancouver today with the province’s Indigenous rights legislation high on the agenda, along with housing and public safety, among other topics. The Union of B.C. Municipalities convention runs until Friday and president Cori Ramsay says the future of B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act will be top of mind for many of the nearly 2,000 expected delegates. Ramsay says local governments are highly committed to reconciliation and have been working for years to build relationships with First Nations. But the city councillor from Prince George, B.C., says uncertainty has stemmed from recent court rulings, including a successful challenge by First Nations to B.C.’s mineral tenure system The B.C. Court of Appeal ruled...
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A Christian pastor called Arapaho ceremonies ‘idol worship.’ Now the tribe wants her church gone
By Savannah Peters ARAPAHOE, Wyo. (AP) — Every Sunday morning on the Wind River Reservation, congregants gather at Foundations for Nations Church to pray while protesters outside do the same. The two rituals have unfolded in parallel since the Christian church’s pastor, Sarah Lucas, preached a sermon condemning Arapaho ceremonial ways. The Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes that share the reservation have made clear that Lucas is no longer welcome. Lucas, who is not Native American but owns the land under her church, says she isn’t going anywhere. The standoff tests the boundaries of religious freedom and the right of a tribal nation to govern according to its own values and protocols. The conflict stems from a video that circulated in July as Arapaho people surfaced from their weeklong...
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Protests planned for Carney’s investment summit in Toronto
By Kathryn Mannie Protests are planned for the prime minister’s high-stakes summit aimed at attracting new investment to Canada, with organizers saying Mark Carney is keeping company with business leaders they say are exacerbating global crises. Hundreds of executives and global asset managers are set to arrive in Toronto for Canada’s first-ever investment summit to get a look at major projects in various stages of development. The summit is a key part of Carney’s plan for stimulating $1 trillion in investment in Canada over the next five years. Demonstrators, including labour unions, Indigenous leaders and climate and housing advocates, will mobilize Monday carrying a banner reading “The Many vs. The Money,” and plan “direct intervention” with attendees. Organizers say they reject Carney’s plan to put Canada’s economic future in the...
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Coast Salish sport of war canoe racing featured in new docuseries Racing Waters
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Vancouver Island, BC – A nine-episode sport docuseries about Indigenous war canoe racing is sure to get kids pumped on canoe pulling. Racing Waters drops on APTN at 8 p.m., Sunday, September 13. The series follows Snuneymuxw First Nation’s Island Brave Canoe Club on and off the water as they compete in elite war canoe and outrigger racing while several paddlers train for the 2025 International Va’a Federation (IVF) World Long Distance Championship in Brazil. IVF is the international governing body for the sport of outrigger canoe and the Tahitian word “Va’a” is the international term for the outrigger canoe. Island Brave, an All-Native team based out of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, are four-time Canadian Outrigger National Champions in men’s division. They...
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Volunteers clear another 20 km of Goat River Trail
By Kevin Gibson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Rocky Mountain Goat Nine Fraser Headwaters Alliance volunteers spent five days clearing approximately 20 km of the upper Goat River Trail in late August. Equipped with chainsaws and brush saws, volunteers Roy Howard, Taylor Bachrach, Al Birnie, Simon Zukowski, Oliver Berger, Rob Mercereau, Bryan Lepine, Ryan Hunt and Keegan Ouest worked from two previously established campsites until the crews connected their cleared sections. The work builds on maintenance completed earlier this summer, when volunteers cleared more than 20 additional kilometres from the trail’s two ends. Participants were flown into the backcountry from the Milk River and Littlefield trailheads and returned on the sixth day. The volunteers came from Dunster, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Dome Creek, McBride, Prince George and Smithers. A new bear-resistant...
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Radio Silence Amid Lowell Reveals Critical Gap In Emergency Plan
By Kevin Dayton And Noelle Fujii-oride/honolulu Civil Beat For years it has been a mantra of emergency preparedness: Officials across the state urge Hawaiʻi residents to keep portable radios and extra batteries on hand whenever storms or other hazards pose a threat. The idea is those radios will convey urgent government warnings and updates when other systems fail. But when Hurricane Lowell battered Kauaʻi this week, electricity went out and radio communications to the public failed across much of the island. That left residents starved for information, such as which roads were safe for travel, where they could access food and aid and whether hospitals or other public facilities were open. Many were literally in the dark. “I felt really isolated for about 24 hours, but there was no electricity,...
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A community of Indigenous characters occupies the imagination in translation of Tiohtiá:ke
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Balance in his novel Ninan: Tiohtiá:ke, Montreal is important, says author Michel Jean, but it has little to do with being a former journalist or news anchor. It has to do with being Innu. “I see both sides of the fence, and I wanted to tell the story from both sides of the fence. Being a journalist helped me doing the research. But when I write a book, I don’t feel compelled to, or an obligation to, balance the story as we do in a report,” said Jean, whose roots are in Mashteuiatsh in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. “For me, I don’t exaggerate things. So if something happens in my book…my characters aren’t going to do things that normally in real...
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Northwest Métis land claim poised to return to court after two-decade stay
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com A 32-year-old lawsuit asserting Métis title across a vast northern claim area is poised to return to a Saskatchewan courtroom. It revives a legal test of whether Canada could extinguish collective Métis land rights by issuing scrip to individuals. Gerald Morin, one of the original plaintiffs and now an adviser to Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S), told Windspeaker the plaintiffs have applied to lift a stay imposed in 2005. He expects the matter to be before the Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan sometime in October. “I can’t tell you how good it feels,” Morin said. It became difficult to hold onto hope that the land claim would move forward and that the underlying land issues would be addressed, he said. “I’m very happy...
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O’Leary Digital appeal adds new front to Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation’s water license challenge
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com O’Leary Digital Limited (ODL), the company behind the proposed Wonder Valley data centre complex in northern Alberta, is appealing an Aug. 13 court ruling that barred it from blocking a legal challenge by Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation (SLCN). SLCN has called for a judicial review of a water license granted by the government of Alberta that would authorize the use of up to six million cubic metres of water a year from the Smoky River without consultation with SLCN. The Nation’s lands in Treaty 8 lie near the river where its members exercise and assert their treaty and inherent rights. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation argues those rights and interests in the watershed could be affected by the water licence granted to the...
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Ginoogaming demands increased police presence to combat violence, drugs
By Carrie Ivardi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com GINOOGAMING — Chief Sheri Taylor says Ginoogaming First Nation has secured a commitment from the OPP on addressing a public safety crisis in the community. “For too long our community has been dealing with emergencies, violence, drugs, and escalating safety concerns without the level of sustained policing support and accountability that our people deserve,” she said. The Ontario Provincial Police agreed in principle, she said, to work with her community towards a written framework to clearly “establish who is responsible for responding on emergencies, how Ginoogaming and OPP will communicate, what operational support will be available to our community, how serious and organized drug activity will be addressed.” Taylor told reporters at a press conference Thursday that she met with the OPP...
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TFN announces candidates for chief and legislature for election
By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) voters will head to the polls on Oct. 17 to elect their next government, choosing between two candidates for chief and 19 nominees competing for 14 legislative seats. Incumbent Chief Laura Cassidy is seeking a second term. Former chief Bryce Williams is challenging her in a race that will shape how the nation balances rapid economic expansion with cultural stewardship and community well-being. Cassidy, who previously served eight terms on the executive council, said her immediate priority is using TFN’s resources towards community needs, specifically member skills and educational development. “We have focused a lot on economic expansion. And I think now we can shift our focus on community needs,” Cassidy told the Optimist, adding that she...
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To bring back historic herring populations, volunteers get down and dirty
By Brooke Kushwaha/the New Bedford Light Submerged waist-deep in the Acushnet River, Marcus Hendricks let out a howl that echoed through the forest and brush. The Wampanoag tribal member and land manager had just sawed through a fallen tree 10 inches thick and stretched across the width of the waterway, spraying sawdust into the cloudy water. Two volunteers heaved the cut-up trunk aside, opening up the northern section of river to humans and fish for the first time in decades. “I’m trying not to get emotional,” Hendricks said, taking a step back. This summer, Hendricks began leading cleanups of the Acushnet River, to clear the way for herring to swim upstream to their spawning grounds at the old New Bedford Reservoir. Since 2002, state and local scientists have been working...
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Whitmer rethinks Line 5 tunnel permits, ramps up shutdown pleas after court ruling
By Kelly House/bridge Michigan State environmental regulators are reviewing permits they recently granted for the Line 5 tunnel project, in light of a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for environmental reviews. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Phil Roos, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, announced the development Wednesday in a press release. Calling the Line 5 pipeline “a ticking time bomb in the heart of the Great Lakes,” Whitmer also wrote a letter Wednesday urging outgoing Enbridge CEO Gregory Ebel to shut it down “within months.” “The Michigan Supreme Court has made clear that the state must more thoroughly scrutinize the environmental consequences of the proposed tunnel and the alternatives to it,” Whitmer said in a statement. “At the same time, Enbridge...
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Alberta’s Smith takes hands-off approach to First Nation’s trans care safe haven
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s premier is taking a hands-off approach to a First Nation defying her government by announcing it will offer safe haven for gender-affirming medical care. “I don’t have any authority over the First Nation,” Smith told reporters at an event in Edmonton Thursday. “I respect their sovereignty.” Her comments came a day after Saddle Lake Cree Nation announced its plan. The nation says the plan is within their jurisdiction and that access to health care is a treaty right. Alberta law prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to transgender and gender diverse children under age 16. Smith has said the law is about protecting children and their fertility while preserving choice. Her United Conservative government has invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to shield the...
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NLL down to 12 teams after Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings fold
The Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings have discontinued operations, the National Lacrosse League said Thursday. A dispersal draft was scheduled for Tuesday as the league prepared to continue with 12 clubs for the upcoming season. “Today is a difficult day for the National Lacrosse League and most importantly, for the fans, players, employees and partners who have supported the Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings,” NLL commissioner Brett Frood said in a statement. “These are proud lacrosse markets with passionate communities, and we are grateful to everyone who has invested their time, energy and belief in these clubs. “As we enter our 40th anniversary season, our responsibility is to provide certainty for our constituents and move forward with 12 active member clubs aligned behind the league’s collective future.” The...
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B.C. wildfire season winding down with lower burned area, but high structural loss
By Brenna Owen British Columbia’s wildfire season appears to be winding down, with more than 50 fires declared out over the last week and no major fires of note remaining as the autumn equinox approaches. Just three of about 100 blazes across the province are burning out of control, and the latest update from the BC Wildfire Service removes mention of the severe drought that has plagued parts of the Cariboo region and southern Interior. Instead, the update issued Thursday says now is a good time for people to undertake work to make their homes more resilient to wildfire. This year has seen 1,380 fires scorch about 4,750 square kilometres of land in the province, a marked decrease from totals over the last three years, particularly 2023, when a record...
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TIFF film ‘In the Heart of the South’ explores trauma and Indigenous identity
By Diana Mussina Nyla Innuksuk’s longtime love of horror — along with her own feelings of fear and doubt — serves as inspiration for her latest project exploring the uncomfortable subjects people often avoid and the complicated ways they shape friendships. A psychological thriller co-written with Ryan Cavan, “In the Heart of the South” premièred Thursday at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is the Nunavut-born filmmaker’s second feature after her 2022 debut “Slash/Back.” Innuksuk’s past work mainly involves short films and documentaries, so the transition to feature filmmaking in 2022, she said, was like jumping into ice-cold water and learning to swim. The filmmaker said “Slash/Back,” which follows a group of teen girls fighting an alien invasion in Nunavut, was “ambitious” — at a time when there was a...
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Ottawa announces $5 million for HIV self-test kits, more support staffers
By Brittany Hobson The federal government is dispatching 80,000 HIV self-test kits across Canada to expand access to HIV prevention. “HIV is a manageable condition, and people living with HIV deserve to live healthy, full lives without stigma or discrimination,” Manitoba Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson announced Thursday. “This funding is about making it easier for people to get tested, know their status, and access the care and support they need.” Ottawa will provide $5 million to increase access to the kits and to hire peer-based support workers for communities facing the highest burdens of HIV. There is $2 million for the tests and $3 million for peer support networks. The federal government says 2,300 new HIV diagnoses were reported in 2024, and an estimated 7,000 people live unaware they have...
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Indigenous businesses face another barrier as tariff war threatens already fragile supply chains
By Jacqueline St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor NORTHERN ONTARIO—For Indigenous businesses, the threat posed by the Canada-U.S. trade war does not begin nor end at the border. For many, it begins right here at home in the long struggle to get a foot inside the supply chains that keep Canadian businesses moving. As Canada and the United States continue their increasingly uncertain tariff dispute, Indigenous business owners are being warned that they could be disproportionately affected by both American tariffs and Canada’s response. But the concern reaches beyond the cost of imported goods. It is about what happens to businesses that have already had to work harder to secure capital, qualified workers, infrastructure and access to markets and, increasingly, to become recognized as viable suppliers to larger...
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Neskantaga First Nation setting up temporary school in Toronto
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com NESKANTAGA — The school-aged children of Neskantaga are a long way from their place of learning, but classes are about to commence for them. The Treaty 9 nation’s chief and council have made arrangements for JK-8 classes to start on Monday, Sept. 14, at the Toronto hotel they are staying at as evacuees. The community, 430 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, evacuated in early August after sewage backup contaminated its nursing station. Instruction at the hotel will address a need for about 90 Neskantaga children, Chief Gary Quisess told Newswatch. “They’re not happy right now, because they know the school year has started and they want to attend classes,” he said in a phone interview. Creating a means for those youngsters to...
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