Storybook ending for student warming hut winners
By Maggie Macintosh , Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press Manitoba’s newest student-designed warming hut doubles as a public awareness campaign for a child advocacy centre. Bison Run School has partnered with the Toba Centre for Children and Youth to create “Cozy Up With a Book.” The triangular structure, which mimics an upside-down novel, is being decorated with information about the local charity that supports young victims of abuse and their families. A QR code installed on the outside of the hut will take anyone who scans it to the centre’s website. “Toba Centre gives a kid a voice when they feel like they don’t have one,” said Arya Samim, one of the Grade 7 students who’s spent the better part of the 2025-26 school year working on the...
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International media flock to Greenland as Trump turns the Arctic island into a geopolitical hot spot
By Emma Burrows NUUK, Greenland (AP) — For several weeks, international journalists and camera crews have been scurrying up to people in Greenland’s capital to ask them for their thoughts on the twists and turns of a political crisis that has turned the Arctic island into a geopolitical hot spot. President Donald Trump insists he wants to control Greenland but Greenlanders say it is not for sale. The island is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark and the prime minister of that country has warned that if the U.S. tries to take Greenland by force, it could potentially spell the end of NATO. Greenlanders walking along the small central shopping street of the capital Nuuk have a hard time avoiding the signs that the island is near the top of the...
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Gitanyow wins court battle to restart forestry licence consultation
By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer The BC Supreme Court has set aside the transfer of a major forest licence in northwestern BC after ruling the province failed to properly consult to arrange a fair deal. The province granted the license to the Kitsumkalum First Nation in 2024 after Skeena Sawmills went bankrupt. The province’s top court ruled the province breached its duty to consult the neighboring Gitanyow, because that First Nation also wanted to buy the sawmill in 2023. In a decision released on Jan. 7, Justice F. Matthew Kirchner ordered the province to restart the consultation. The proposed transfer would have granted Kitsumkalum, another First Nation based near Terrace, the timber rights in the Lax’yip — territory that the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs are already...
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Pimicikamak faces long road to repair after havoc-wreaking power outage
By Crystal Greene, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Paige Paupanakis, a Pimicikamak Cree Nation member and community volunteer, has been working non-stop since a power outage happened in her community over the holidays. One of the 21-year-old’s first tasks was rounding up pizza donations to send to her Cree community — located about 530 kilometres north of “Winnipeg” — to feed people. It was during frigid -20 C temperatures on Dec. 28 that a Manitoba Hydro powerline broke, along a 300-metre crossing between two islands on the Nelson River. It caused a power outage that lasted four days, until electricity was restored. But the outage caused lasting infrastructure damage, such as frozen pipes, backed up sewers, and other problems. On Thursday, about 70 people gathered to drum and round-dance outside...
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Oglala Sioux president walks back claims of DHS pressure, member arrests
By Safiyah Riddle, Rebecca Santana And Graham Lee Brewer -Associated Press-The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has walked back claims he made in a memo and press release earlier this week that immigration enforcement arrested four tribal members and that the federal government tried to extract an “immigration agreement” out of the tribe in return for information about their members’ whereabouts. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it can’t verify claims that any of their officers arrested or “even encountered” members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe or found anyone in their detention centers claiming to be a tribal member. They denied asking the tribe for any kind of agreement. Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out has not responded to repeated requests for comment, including after his updated memo...
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Heavy snow in southern Ontario and Quebec shutters schools, snarls commutes
By Rianna Lim Heavy snow hammered much of southern Ontario and parts of Quebec on Thursday, shuttering schools and causing commuter chaos throughout the day. Environment Canada said some parts of Ontario, including the Greater Toronto Area, could see up to 40 centimetres of snow by Thursday evening, even as snowfall warnings for Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener were lifted by the late afternoon. Earlier in the day, the weather agency had issued orange alerts – reserved for weather that’s likely to cause significant disruption or damage – in several regions. Toronto, York, Peel and Halton Region schools closed Thursday morning, and post-secondary schools including the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University and York University announced their campuses were closed. Environment Canada said the Ottawa area would also see up to...
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N.S. government says even more cannabis dispensaries than originally estimated
By Lyndsay Armstrong Nova Scotia’s justice minister says there are more illegal cannabis dispensaries in the province than the 118 the government had initially estimated — though he won’t say how many. The real number is in flux, Scott Armstrong told reporters Thursday following a cabinet meeting. His vague comments are the latest in the series of confusing statements government members have made over the past few weeks to defend their crackdown on illegal cannabis shops. “I’m not going to give you a number …. But I can tell you it is bigger than the first number we released,” Armstrong said, adding that new illegal shops have opened since he issued a directive on Dec. 4 for Nova Scotia police to prioritize cannabis enforcement. On that day he also wrote...
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Blueberry River First Nations release election results
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca BUICK, B.C. — The election in Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) for chief and council went ahead earlier this week, and the results are out. There were 149 votes cast on January 12th out of 398 electors for a voter turnout of around 37 per cent. As required by its election code, each of the five major families in the BRFN community selects a councillor to represent them, with nominations for chief being separate. The chief was appointed by council on January 13th and 14th. Nominees for chief included former councillors Sherry Dominic and Shelley Gauthier in a field of eight candidates. Both Dominic and Gauthier were in the previous administration, which was shrouded in turmoil after the removal of former chief...
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Don’t expect spike in arrests after B.C. ends drug decriminalization: police chief
By Ashley Joannou The chief of Victoria’s police department supports ending drug decriminalization in British Columbia, but says she doesn’t expect to see a spike in arrests once the program ends this month, since it was already wound back 20 months ago. Fiona Wilson was originally a prominent advocate for decriminalization of personal possession of small amounts of drugs in 2023 when she was vice-president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, saying it had the “potential to address harms associated with substance use” as an “important part of an integrated approach.” In an interview Thursday, Wilson, who was also Vancouver’s deputy police chief at the time, said supporting decriminalization was an attempt to “move the dial” during the opioid crisis in B.C. “I think that, as important as...
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Manitoba First Nation urges province to address hotel space for evacuees
By Brittany Hobson The Canadian Red Cross says some evacuees from a northern Manitoba First Nation rocked by a severe water crisis won’t be displaced for a second time in as many weeks, as the community’s chief called on the province to do more to ensure they get priority in hotels. About 1,200 residents from Pimicikamak Cree Nation have been staying in Thompson, although it’s unclear how many are in the city’s hotels or have other accommodations. Chief David Monias had said he was concerned some would have to leave Thompson, due to a minor hockey tournament there this weekend. The Red Cross said Thursday that accommodations in Thompson have been secured for evacuees, although some may need to temporarily go to another location in the city depending on room...
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Grand Falls-Windsor asking public, Qalipu First Nation for evidence of sacred land
By Sean Ridgeley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Telegram Grand Falls-Windsor is holding a public consultation on Jan. 28 to determine whether the Louis John Hill area — a walking spot of sorts behind residential and commercial properties that connects downtown, which is named after a famed Mi’kmaq outdoorsman — has “cultural, historical, or natural significance.” Its other goal is to define its boundaries, which are presently unclear, in part to determine where it can begin development plans for an apartment building. Simultaneously, it’s taking care to respect the land and wishes of residents, as it did with an unrelated proposed development on Grand Bank Road in 2016. Residents are behind the claims of its significance; the four that spoke with The Telegram were unanimous in hoping the area is...
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2025 was the third warmest year on record. What does that mean in Canada?
By Jordan Omstead This past year was the third warmest on record and stood on the cusp of surpassing a major climate threshold globally, according to new data from the European climate agency. The Copernicus data indicates 2025 was about 1.47 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels, following the previous year’s record-setting 1.6 degrees. When 2023 is added to the mix, it’s the first three-year period on record to exceed 1.5 degrees, the data suggests. At the current rate, the 2015 Paris Agreement’s long-term global warming limit of 1.5 degrees could be reached by the end of this decade, about a decade earlier than predicted when the climate pact was signed, the agency said in a press release. Canada is warming even faster than the global average. The loss of snow...
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Almost one in three Canadians say U.S. might try to invade Canada: poll
By Catherine Morrison Following the recent U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, a new poll suggests almost a third of Canadians say the United States might attempt “direct action” to take control of Canada. It suggests one-in-five Americans think the same. The Leger poll, which was conducted online and can’t be assigned a margin of error, surveyed 1,540 Canadians between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11. The poll suggests many Canadians believe the U.S. likely will attempt to take control of other countries in the future, including Greenland, Cuba, Colombia, Panama, Iran and Canada. When asked to rate the likelihood of a U.S. attempt at direct action to take control of various countries in the future, 31 per cent of Canadian respondents said the United States likely will attempt direct action to...
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Brush burning making way for power lines
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Rural residents who live near areas of ongoing construction for Hydro One’s Waasigan high-voltage power line may occasionally see smoke in the sky as controlled brush burning for the project continues over the next few months, the utility says. “Routine burning will occur intermittently along the project route from Shuniah to Atikokan, and Atikokan to Dryden, until spring 2026,” a Hydro One spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Controlled burns along Highway 11-17 between Highway 527 and Shuniah’s MacGregor Road were recently completed, she added. Before burning occurs, local fire departments are made aware, the utility says. The $1.2-billion Waasigan project is being built in two phases. The first phase, a double-circuit 230-kilovolt line between Shuniah and Atikokan, was to be in service...
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Cold Notification issued for Grand Erie Public Health Region
A Cold Notification for the Grand Erie Public Health region ( (Brantford-Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk)) has been issued by the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) effective Jan., 14, 2026. A Cold Notification is issued, by the MOH, when parts or all areas of the region are expected to reach temperatures below -15 ºC, or when wind chill values reach -20 ºC. The notification remains in effect until a cancellation notice is issued. The MOH says the conditions expected can pose serious health risks, especially for individuals who are outdoors for long periods or without appropriate clothing, shelter or heating. Cold temperatures can make some chronic health conditions worse, and being outside in very cold weather can cause hypothermia, frostbite or frostnip. If you think you or someone has hypothermia or frostbite, seek immediate medical attention. To prevent cold weather-related...
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What’s coming for 2026: Troy Greene tells us growth, awards and by-election are coming
By Lynda Powless Editor With a new year comes new beginnings and Six Nations’ own seer Troy Green says it is going to be a busy year for both business and parents. Oil and gas investments will pay off. Another huge cannabis grow-op will cause controversy and an NHL pick from Six Nations may all be happening in 2026. Six Nations own spiritualist Troy Greene says 2026 could also ring in as a year of spirituality and awareness. “It is an awakening of the spirit, a time of awareness and wisdom. Whether you go to church or a longhouse doesn’t matter. It’s an awakening.” He said the spiritual awakening could see people discussing having experienced vivid dreams, out of body experiences or even premonitions. “People will be talking about it...
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Six Nations member hoping acting become full-time profession
By Sam Laskaris Writer As it turned out Kevin Allan Hess was eventually able to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming an actor. And the 58-year-old Six Nations member is now hoping to work full-time in the film industry. Hess said he aspired to become an actor as a child. “I always wanted to (act) when I was little,” he said. “I liked action movies. But as I got older, like in my mid 20s, I just kind of gave up on it because I didn’t know where to go, who to see. I think every kid wishes they could be in a film. But I just gave up on the idea. I didn’t think it was going to happen.” Hess, who lives in Brantford, has primarily worked as a...
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Two make off with cash and products in armed robbery
Six Nations Police (SNP)are looking for two suspects after a Mississauga Road business was robbed Friday (Jan 9.) at about 2:46 a.m. forcing a shelter-in-place order to be issued. Two suspects, one brandishing a firearm, entered the business on Mississauga Road between Highway 6 and Cayuga/Ojibway roads. A witness told SNP the two entered the store demanding cash. The suspects fled the business and area prior to the robbery being reported to SNP. SNP issued a shelter in place alert for the area of Second Line Road, Mississauga Road, and Indian Line Road, between Highway 6 and New Credit Road, in Six Nations of the Grand River. SNP said in a statement there was no immediate public threat. “There is no immediate threat to public safety, and members of the...
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Tax exemption of Kahnawa’kehró:non not being respected
By Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door Last spring, Ioronhiateka Delisle’s stepson needed a new pair of skates, so they went to Play It Again Sports in Kirkland, part of the area covered by Kahnawake’s agreement with the province to exempt Kahnawa’kehró:non from Quebec Sales Tax (QST) at the point of sale. As they went to pay, the skates already molded to the 14-year-old’s feet, staff presented a laminated sheet of paper with the store’s tax exemption policy – one that happened to be at odds with Kahnawake’s tax exemption rights. “I said ‘sorry, if you don’t accept the card, I’ll have to go somewhere else,’” said Delisle. “The employee that was helping us understood and said no problem. I’m sure management wasn’t impressed that the skates...
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‘Wouldn’t it be cool to hear a hockey game done in Inuktitut?’
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News Pujjuut Kusugak and Robert Kabvitok say they’re feeling more confident going into their second year of Hockey Night in Canada’s Inuktitut broadcast. The pair will join David Ningeongan on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. to call the Vancouver Canucks versus Toronto Maple Leafs game, then again on Jan. 31 for the New Jersey Devils versus Ottawa Senators, and finally on Feb. 28 as the Calgary Flames take on the Los Angeles Kings. The broadcasts are courtesy of APTN’s partnership with the CBC show, which will also feature Plains Cree broadcasts in March and April. “We know what to expect with these broadcasts coming up now. So it’s very exciting knowing that it’s not a huge learning curve for the three...
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