Report details B.C. First Nation, Vancouver Police Board collaboration breakdown
By Darryl Greer A man who was handcuffed by police along with his 12-year-old granddaughter after being falsely accused of trying to use a fake status card to open a bank account in 2019 says the Vancouver Police Board and the officers involved have shown they don’t respect his First Nation’s culture. Maxwell Johnson said in statement Tuesday that he’s “deeply saddened” that the police board and the constables involved haven’t made their “best efforts” to attend a ceremony to offer an in-person apology for their wrongful detention. British Columbia’s human rights commissioner released a final review Tuesday, outlining details of a settlement agreement between the board, Johnson and the Heiltsuk Nation. The commissioner’s report said a lack of collaboration between the Vancouver Police Board, the Heiltsuk Tribal Council and...
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Building Indigenous Tourism: Teresa Ryder Speaks at 13th International Conference
By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News (ANNews) – Edmonton recently hosted the 13th annual International Indigenous Tourism Conference, drawing over 1,000 delegates from 14 countries. The event, organized by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), showcased the growth, innovation, and cultural impact of Indigenous tourism across the country – and highlighted the leadership of Teresa Ryder, ITAC’s Director of Partnerships. Ryder, of Musqueam descent from the Vancouver area, has more than 15 years of experience in Indigenous tourism. She began her career with Indigenous Tourism BC and now leads national programs, partnership development, and initiatives that connect Indigenous tourism operators with partners across Canada. She has also overseen the growth of the International Indigenous Tourism Conference, turning it into a global platform for Indigenous tourism...
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Trump lays out his midterm agenda at the State of the Union
President Donald Trump gave his State of the Union address Tuesday. He was slated to champion his immigration crackdowns, his slashing of the federal government, his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down and his ability to direct quick-hit military actions around the world, including in Iran and Venezuela. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger gave the Democratic Party response following Trump’s speech. California Sen. Alex Padilla, who made national headlines last yearafter being forced to the ground and handcuffed by federal agents, delivered the party’s response in Spanish. The Latest: Trump makes scant mention of his aggressive moves on immigration Immigration helped carry Trump to victory in 2024 and it has long been a signature issue for him, but he barely discussed the aggressive and highly...
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Proposed Ring of Fire mine in northern Ontario clears another regulatory hurdle
By Liam Casey A proposed mine in Ontario’s Ring of Fire region has cleared another regulatory hurdle despite a First Nation’s protest. The federal government has decided not to designate Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest project for an impact assessment, which examines the possible environmental, health, social and economic impacts of a project. There are other means to address concerns about the proposed mining project, including several federal and provincial laws and their corresponding legislative mechanisms, said Terence Hubbard, president of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. Wyloo has been “actively consulting with numerous Indigenous groups, working to address potential impacts of the project,” and is committed to transparency and ongoing dialogue to deal with any concerns, Hubbard said in a statement. Wyloo’s proposed mine has become a lightning rod and has...
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Leaders say investment at 4 Wing Cold Lake strengthens Canada’s defence
By Chantel Downes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeland This Week Political leaders, municipal officials, educators and industry representatives gathered to coordinate preparations for the expansion at 4 Wing Cold Lake and the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range. Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr said in a social media post, that the meeting focused on aligning provincial and regional readiness. “I was pleased to participate in an important strategic meeting with Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow, and Parliamentary Secretary and Military Liaison Chief Whip Justin Wright to discuss the unprecedented federal investments taking place at 4 Wing Cold Lake and the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range,” wrote Cyr. He said the project is a historic military expansion, one of the largest in decades, tied...
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B.C. moves at ‘warp speed’ to change landmark Indigenous Rights law
By Shannon Waters Premier David Eby’s plan to amend B.C.’s landmark Indigenous Rights legislation is a threat to the province’s economic stability and likely to land the province back in court, First Nations leadership organizations are warning. “It’s important to acknowledge that British Columbia is facing real economic challenges, and First Nations are essential and equal partners in addressing those challenges,” Terry Teegee, B.C. Assembly of First Nations regional chief, said in a press release last week. “We stand united in our opposition to any amendments to gut the Declaration Act, which seeks to affirm and protect our rights.” The government began the process of consulting First Nations at the end of January on proposed changes to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and the Interpretation...
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Survivors call on Ottawa to pass bill to criminalize forced or coerced sterilization
By Alessia Passafiume Parliament must pass legislation to criminalize non-consensual sterilization, survivors said Tuesday in a press conference on Parliament Hill. Bill S-228 passed the Senate last fall, and is scheduled to have its first real debate in the House of Commons on Thursday. The bill would amend the Criminal Code to make sterilizing a person without obtaining informed consent an act of aggravated assault. The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice said it’s estimated between 12,000 and 15,000 individuals have been sterilized in the country without proper consent, including cases as recently as last year. The procedure disproportionately harms Indigenous women but has also affected people with disabilities, racialized women and members of the LGBTQ community. Heather Bear said stories like hers aren’t acceptable. “It’s been hard and gruelling to...
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‘Kin, not evacuees’: inside Kingston’s support for Kashechewan Cree residents
By Michelle Dorey Forestell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kingstonist.com More than a month after arriving in Kingston, residents from Kashechewan First Nation are still living in hotel rooms far from home, adjusting to unfamiliar routines, coping with uncertainty, and navigating the emotional strain of displacement. More than 250 people from the northern Ontario Cree community were relocated to Kingston beginning Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, after a critical failure in Kashechewan’s water system left residents without safe drinking water. Many are considered ‘tier one’ or especially vulnerable evacuees, including elders, young families, and individuals with complex medical needs. At the centre of the local response is the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest (KNCLN), which has been coordinating cultural supports, programming, and community connections for displaced people. For Executive Director Brandon...
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Four more recall petitions against Alberta politicians fail as 10 reach the deadline
By Jack Farrell At least four more recall petitions against Alberta politicians have failed. But that number may increase, as 10 petitions were due in to Elections Alberta on Monday. The petitioner targeting Alberta’s Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney says the campaign gathered roughly 3,400 signatures, far fewer than the nearly 15,000 it needed. Melissa Craig said Monday she was optimistic at first, but after the campaign got underway collecting signatures became a “slog.” Craig said while she’s still proud of the result, she was disappointed in how little some Albertans are engaged politically. “A lot of people didn’t even know what a (member of the legislative assembly or MLA) was,” she said. “It’s kind of scary, actually.” “It’s really opened my eyes to what our government is looking like...
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Province, feds waive over $1.5M in town’s legal fees over Point Park
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com FORT FRANCES — Fort Frances’s mayor says he’s very thankful for help the town received over a large legal bill. In a public statement on Feb. 11, the municipality confirmed both the Ontario and Canadian governments agreed to waive over $1.5 million in legal fees Fort Frances was ordered to pay them. The ruling came as Fort Frances lost complex, decades-long litigation involving the town, Queen’s Park, Ottawa and four nearby First Nations over ownership of Point Park. Fort Frances unsuccessfully tried to establish legal title to the lands; a June 2025 ruling by Superior Court Justice J.S. Fregeau said that had no merit, and the town had entered into a 99-year lease with the federal government which ended in 2009. “The...
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FACT FOCUS: A look at Trump’s false and misleading claims ahead of the State of the Union
By Melissa Goldin President Donald Trump will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday. Priorities for the Republican’s administration have centered largely on the economy, immigration, crime, energy and national security. Trump has spent the last year touting his accomplishments while mocking the record of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. But much of this bluster is based on false and misleading claims — many of which are likely to be a part of the president’s address to the nation. Here’s a look at some of the false and misleading statements Trump has made at recent public appearances. Economy Trump often says the U.S. is now “the hottest country anywhere in the world” after years as a “dead country.” The U.S. economy was...
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Martha Jaw remembered as thoughtful, caring community leader for Kinngait
By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News Martha Jaw — a Kinngait pastor, community leader and passionate advocate for Inuit culture — died early on Feb. 18 after a long battle with pneumonia and kidney failure, her granddaughter Neevee Jaw said. She was 75. “She was a very charismatic person, and she was very thoughtful,” said Neevee Jaw. As Kinngait’s sole pastor, in 2024 Martha Jaw opened the doors of her Full Gospel church to all Christians in the community of about 1,400 people after a spree of fires destroyed Kinngait’s two other churches. Over the years, she also operated food programs to ensure people had access to country food. “Anybody who approached her needing help, she would help them without batting an eye or asking any uncomfortable...
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‘We need to act,’ health minister says as Canada seeks feedback on men’s health
By Sarah Ritchie Canada needs to take action to improve the health of men and boys, Health Minister Marjorie Michel said Monday as she launched an online consultation to inform a national strategy. Michel made the announcement in Ottawa with MPs from other parties in attendance. She said the government’s approach to the issue must be non-partisan and the solutions will require co-operation among governments and community organizations. The federal government is seeking feedback from people across the country through an online consultation that will run from March 2 to June 1. “We invite everyone, and especially men, to participate in this important conversation,” she said. Richie Bullbrook, a skateboarder on Canada’s national team and a 2028 Olympic hopeful, spoke at the event about his own mental health and the...
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Grand Erie Public Health issues cold notification
BRANTFORD, ON – A cold alert has been issued for Brantford-Brant and Haldimand Norfolk by the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for Grand Erie Public Health. Effective February 23, 2026 a Cold Notification is issued by the MOH for parts or areas of the region when temperatures are expected to drop below -15 ºC, or when wind chill values reach -20 ºC . The temperatures put everyone at risk. In temperatures of -15°C or colder, unprotected skin can freeze in less than 30 minutes and the risk of developing hypothermia is high. Some groups are particularly vulnerable to the frigid temperatures, including, older adults, infants and young children, people with chronic illnesses such as breathing difficulties or heart conditions, people taking certain prescription medication, those experiencing homelessness, people working or...
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‘It’s exciting’: Building delivery for MRI is ‘fantastic’ mayor says
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com SIOUX LOOKOUT — There’s even more visible progress towards the opening of Sioux Lookout’s first MRI scanner. SDI Canada, a medical equipment and infrastructure company, announced it delivered and set the modular structures on Feb. 18, which will house the medical device. Officials with the Meno Ya Win Health Centre have said they expect to start doing scans this summer. The company’s founding president Toufic Abiad said, from a construction standpoint, using buildings that are built elsewhere then delivered finished and installed on-site works particularly well in areas with shorter construction seasons. “As we’re preparing the site and getting all the … civil work done, the buildings are being manufactured in parallel,” he said. “That’s a huge time saver.” “You’re prepping the...
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Two more recall petitions against Alberta politicians fail as 10 reach the deadline
By Jack Farrell At least two more recall petitions against Alberta politicians have failed. But that number may increase as 10 petitions are due to Elections Alberta today. The petitioner targeting Alberta’s Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney says the campaign gathered roughly 3,400 signatures, far fewer than the nearly 15,000 needed. Melissa Craig says she was optimistic at first, but when the campaign got underway collecting signatures became, in her words, a “slog.” Craig says she’s still proud of the result, but says she is disappointed by how little some Albertans are engaged politically. The campaign against Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall also says it fell short after collecting roughly 25 per cent of what was needed. More than 20 recall petitions against members of Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative...
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Train Tracking – Cree railway consultations rolling ahead
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation The Cree Development Corporation (CDC) is consulting with land users about a proposed railway through the territory that would be Cree owned and operated. With concerns about the Billy Diamond Highway’s deterioration, initial discussions have focused on safety. “Cree will have the final say on what goes on with the railway,” said CDC president Clarke Shecapio. “It will reduce travel and transportation costs up north 30% to 50%. We’re targeting Cree workers for operations, capacity building 80% to 90% Crees. It will be a huge project maximizing Cree opportunities in construction, lowering the risks of accidents.” With three new bulk mining operations authorized to open in the territory’s north, alleviating safety issues associated with truck traffic is urgent. When in full...
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Kahnawake withdraws Chateauguay lawsuit
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door Following reimbursements from Canada and Quebec last year for costs incurred in the cleanup of a 2024 fuel spill believed to have originated in Chateauguay, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) has officially withdrawn a lawsuit against the city. Following investigation by the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO), the diesel that was found in a ditch and creek near a Zachary Road residence was attributed by the MCK to a leaking oil tanker just 250 metres from Kahnawake. That spill, at 2325 Ford Boulevard in Chateauguay, was discovered by the city on February 1, but Kahnawake was not informed. It wasn’t until after February 9, when fuel was identified by community members in Kahnawake, that MCK learned of the incident...
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Charlie Lake historical site shortlisted for top Indigenous experience award
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — A local historical site with roots dating back to the Ice Age has been shortlisted for a top honour for Indigenous tourist destinations. Tse’k’wa Heritage Society’s national historic site in Charlie Lake has been shortlisted for the honour by the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) in the ‘Indigenous operator or experience’ category. Also known as the Charlie Lake cave, the site has been owned by three northeast B.C. First Nations – Doig River First Nation (DRFN), Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) and West Moberly First Nations (WMFN) – since 2012. The cave is one of the only national historic sites in Canada to be owned by the Indigenous community, and has been a gathering site for the...
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In first interview, Canada’s envoy to Greenland says new post seeks ‘concrete’ gains
By Dylan Robertson The diplomat Canada has posted to Greenland says the new consulate should lead to “concrete” gains for Canadians, while locals urge Ottawa to expand existing trade and cultural ties with the Danish territory. “This just kicks things into a new phase, a more intensive phase, being on the ground and having presence,” said Julie Crôteau, Canada’s acting consul in Greenland’s capital Nuuk. She gave The Canadian Press her first media interview since taking on the job last November. “Working together to find common solutions to a lot of the challenges, and building jointly on opportunities that are available in the northern, Arctic context — especially in the world as it is these days — I think that will be a very, very big success,” she said. Crôteau...
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