AMDSB responds to minister’s musings about the removal of elected trustees
By Kelsey Bent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Listowel Banner SEAFORTH – Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) joined the effort to protect public school trustees from elimination by the province. Similar to its counterparts across the province, AMDSB sent a letter last week to the Minister of Education Paul Calandra and Premier Doug Ford. At the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) annual meeting in Ottawa, last August, Calandra said he was considering eliminating trustees from school boards across the province. At the following Avon Maitland District School Board meeting, board of trustees chairman Trustee Michael Bannerman (Stratford) suggested local trustees focus on themselves. “I would challenge this year’s trustees … that we focus on the things we have control over,” He said. “Let’s be great trustees. Let’s remind our...
Register
15,000-plus students regularly skip school across Manitoba, leaked documents show
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press More than 15,000 students — including six in 10 children and youth in one Manitoba school division — were chronically absent from class in 2023-24. Leaked government documents expose the troubling state of truancy in elementary and high schools across the province. “Unbelievable” and “mind-blowing” were among the descriptors that came to mind for Kent Dueck when he saw the data, which an ex-NDP MLA obtained and made public on Wednesday. Dueck, the executive director of Inner City Youth Alive, has spent more than a decade advocating for interventions to address absenteeism in Winnipeg. “This should force us into action on the issue,” he said. “Now that it’s out in the open and everybody knows, I think we’re in a...
Register
The RCMP vs. the media: Bracken trial approaches its endgame
By Justin Brake, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent The lawyers are standing around, casually talking to one another. A dozen or so people in the four rows of public seating quietly chatter to each other. Then, a hefty, clean-shaven middle-aged man with short dark brown hair and a suit enters the courtroom. The room goes quiet. The man, whose tie is fastened to his shirt with a small golden pin in the shape of handcuffs, sits down two rows directly in front of me, his stiff gaze fixed on the judge’s bench as he tilts his head to the right, and then the left, as if to crack his neck. John Brewer is the RCMP’s assistant commissioner for British Columbia, and before that he was the top cop in...
Register
Winnipeg officer who shot girl was right to use lethal force: police expert
By Brittany Hobson A policing expert has told an inquest that a Winnipeg officer took appropriate action when he fired two shots at a stolen vehicle and killed a 16-year-old First Nations girl. Use-of-force expert Chris Butler testified officers didn’t have a lot of time to respond when the Jeep smashed into a truck at a busy intersection in 2020. Police had responded to a liquor store robbery and were chasing the Jeep driven by Eishia Hudson. The officer who shot the girl has said he believed the Jeep, after it crashed into the truck, was moving toward other officers. Butler says police would have wanted to stop the Jeep from moving and, if they had waited any longer, other lives could have been in danger. The inquest is to...
Register
Cape Breton conference talks about future of Bras d’Or Lake
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post The Bras d’Or Lake system in Cape Breton is in fairly good shape overall; however organizations, individuals and governmental departments must come together to develop a monitoring system that can record and compare for future generations. That was one of the messages that speaker Shelley Denny brought Tuesday to a gathering in Membertou of people committed to the well-being of the Bras d’Or Lake system. Denny’s second point was about the importance of a two-eyed seeing approach to ensuring that the Bras d’Or Lake is protected for years to come — for the next seven generations. Denny was speaking at a three-day “Listening to the People of the Lakes” workshop series presented by the Collaborative Environmental Planning Initiative. The CEPI...
Register
‘Right thing to do’: Ontario town begins renaming process for Prince Andrew Island
By Kathryn Mannie An Ontario township has taken its first official step toward renaming a pair of islands that honour Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles who was stripped of his royal titles and later arrested over his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The names of Prince Andrew Island and nearby Gordonstoun Island should be dropped as soon as possible due to the “infamy” attached to the former prince, said Selwyn Mayor Sherry Senis. The township is submitting an application to the Ontario Geographic Names Board to that effect, following a unanimous council vote on Tuesday to request the monikers be dropped before the much-longer process of finding new names can get underway. “I just believe it’s the right thing to do,” the mayor said...
Register
Métis National Council signs agreement with Northwest Territory Métis Nation
By Alessia Passafiume The Métis National Council has signed an agreement with the Northwest Territory Métis Nation to boost collaboration between the two groups, which could lead the N.W.T. nation to join the national body on a permanent basis. The agreement, signed this week in Edmonton, says the two groups will work to identify areas of shared interest, including the advancement of Métis rights in Ottawa and ensuring Métis governments are able to respond to “emerging opportunities and challenges.” “This is a new relationship for the Northwest Territory Métis Nation, but it’s really geared in supporting each other in terms of political advocacy and helping to expand the voice of the Métis National Council,” Métis National Council president Victoria Pruden told The Canadian Press. “It’s very exciting. It’s very encouraging.”...
Register
First Nation and Ontario ink historic agreement
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SNnewswatch.com EABAMETOONG — This remote First Nation has begun “a new chapter in its relationship with the province,” according to a news release it issued on Wednesday. Eabametoong First Nation and Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford have reached “an agreement to provide our community a seat at the table — a Relationship Table — where our priorities and interests can be advanced,” Chief Solomon Atlookan said. The agreement “will enable focused discussion” between Eabametoong and government ministries on priorities including community well-being, resource governance and economic development, the release stated. Key objectives identified by the First Nation include the design and construction of a youth centre and reducing local energy costs. On energy costs, Eabametoong chief and council announced Monday that they have...
Register
Winnipeg officer who shot girl was right to use lethal force: police expert
By Brittany Hobson A policing expert told a fatality inquest that a Winnipeg officer who fired two shots at a stolen vehicle and killed a 16-year-old First Nations girl was following police protocol and training. Use-of-force expert Chris Butler testified Thursday that officers didn’t have a lot of time to respond when the Jeep smashed into a truck at a busy intersection on April 8, 2020. The inquest earlier heard from Const. Kyle Pradinuk, who said he shot at the Jeep’s driver because he believed fellow officers could have been hit. Eishia Hudson was killed “If there’s an immediate … need to respond, then waiting can carry very catastrophic consequences for the officer,” Butler told court. Police had responded to reports of a liquor store robbery and chased the Jeep....
Register
Carney announces $32B for northern defence and infrastructure projects
By David Baxter Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday the government is putting an additional $32 billion into military forward operating locations in Yellowknife, Inuvik and Iqaluit and Deployed Operating Base 5 Wing in Goose Bay, N.L. The prime minister made the announcement in Yellowknife on Thursday before taking off for a planned visit to Norway. “With this plan, we are taking control of our future,” Carney said. “We will no longer rely on others to defend our Arctic security or to fuel our economy. We’re taking full responsibility for defending our sovereignty.” The $32 billion is part of Canada’s 2022 commitment to Norad’s modernization, which at the time included plans to spend $38.6 billion over 20 years. The Norad spending includes the purchase of two over-the-horizon radar modules. A...
Register
B.C. appointed them to map old-growth. Now they say province is failing to save it
By Brenna Owen Every member of a former panel the British Columbia government appointed to identify old-growth for potential protection in 2021 now says they’re concerned about continued logging in those same rare and “irreplaceable” forests. The five former panellists say in a document sent to Premier David Eby and other officials this week the proposed old-growth deferrals were meant to be an interim measure to reduce the risks of logging, allowing time for long-term planning. But the process has not worked as intended, ecologists Rachel Holt and Karen Price, landscape analyst Dave Daust, veteran forester Garry Merkel and economist Lisa Matthaus say in the document provided to The Canadian Press. Instead, the B.C. government continues to approve logging in forests the panel identified, while long-term plans have yet to...
Register
Tomson Highway elevates humour and the Divine Feminine in NAC Indigenous Theatre’s production of Rose
By Odette Auger, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Conversation with Cree playwright and novelist Tomson Highway opens in laughter. His introduction includes describing the land, people and languages that birthed him, and then he adds, “One of these days I’m going to get outed. My answer to that is ‘Yes, it’s true. I am not Cree. I’m actually half Sasquatch’.” The joke sets the tone for the conversation that follows—a mix of humour, philosophy, language and stories that circle outward while explaining the ideas behind his play Rose, which is getting its professional world premiere at the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre March 25, to run until April 4. This will be the largest production to date that NAC Indigenous Theatre in Ottawa has undertaken with an all-Indigenous cast, including...
Register
Some B.C. appraisers adding land-claims clause after Aboriginal title court case
By Ashley Joannou An organization representing about 1,200 appraisers in British Columbia says some of its members are adding clauses to their reports noting that current, past, and potential future land claims have not been considered in their valuations. Allan Beatty, president of the B.C. branch of the Appraisal Institute of Canada, says in a statement that the recent Cowichan Aboriginal title court ruling in B.C. is contributing to speculation that private property rights could be affected. Beatty says the organization is preparing advice for its members on the appropriate limitation clauses, but discourages the use of “unsubstantiated adjustments that do not reflect the most relevant market data.” In an August 2025 ruling, a B.C. Supreme Court judge confirmed the Cowichan Tribes hold Aboriginal title over about 300 hectares of...
Register
Canada pays over $654 million to First Nations children removed from their families in historic FNCFS settlement
By Alex Murray Writer First Nations children that were separated from their families by Canada’s discriminatory child welfare system are finally being compensated by the Government of Canada. One year on from the opening of the first claims period for the First Nations and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement on March 10, 2025, more than $654 million has been paid out to eligible claimants from more than 136,000 claims. T “The Compensation delivered over the past year represents meaningful progress and important recognition for many First Nations children and families harmed by Canada’s discrimination,” said Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak in a statement. “These payments are an important step towards justice and accountability. We encourage Family Class Members to submit their Claim when they...
Register
Alberta’s chambers of commerce say separation talk not helping attract business
By Fakiha Baig Alberta’s chambers of commerce say talk of the province potentially quitting Confederation is bad for business, with one saying it’s time Premier Danielle Smith’s government move on from blaming former prime minister Justin Trudeau. The Alberta Chambers of Commerce says a recent survey of members and investors suggested more than half of participants say the provincial separation issue is affecting the provincial economy and making it hard to plan. “Alberta separation is the top business issue right now,” said Shauna Feth, the chamber’s chief executive, in an interview. “The concern isn’t about ideology so much as it is about the uncertainty that that discourse creates.” The move comes as Smith’s government makes headlines with the separation question. Smith has made clear she supports Alberta staying in Canada,...
Register
Sentencing delayed for ‘Dances With Wolves’ actor convicted of sexual assault
By Jessica Hill LAS VEGAS (AP) — The sentencing for Nathan Chasing Horse following his conviction for sexual assault of Indigenous women and girls has been delayed by a week. The sentencing was scheduled to take place Wednesday, but Judge Jessica Peterson agreed to move the hearing to March 18. It will bring to a close a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country. The sentencing of the “Dances With Wolves” actor comes about a month after a Nevada jury convicted him on 13 of the 21 charges he faced. Most related to his conduct with a victim who was 14 when he began assaulting her. Chasing Horse was acquitted of some sexual assault charges. He faces a minimum of 25 years in prison. Following the trial, Chasing Horse’s...
Register
Mounties not at fault in death of mass stabber on Manitoba First Nation: report
By Brittany Hobson Manitoba’s police watchdog has found RCMP officers were not at fault in the death of a man who stabbed eight people on a First Nation then rammed into a police cruiser. The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba says the police car was parked on a highway south of Hollow Water First Nation in September, when the man intentionally drove into it at more than 180 kilometres per hour. RCMP had heard that the man wanted to die at the hands of police. Mounties identified the attacker as 26-year-old Tyrone Simard, who was from the community of about 1,000 residents northeast of Winnipeg. They said Simard killed his 18-year-old sister and injured seven others at two separate homes on the First Nation before fleeing. The watchdog agency says...
Register
University of Winnipeg program helping fill Indigenous language teacher shortage
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The University of Winnipeg is currently running Manitoba’s first degree-level immersion program for second-language learners of Anishinaabemowin, aiming to rebuild fluency, strengthen community connections and expand the number of qualified immersion teachers across the province. The Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe/Saulteaux) Language Immersion Program welcomed its first cohort of 17 students this winter. Participants will study the language year-round for approximately 15 hours per week, combining accredited university courses with mentor-apprentice learning, immersion field schools and community-based gatherings. University officials say the program is designed not only to produce fluent speakers, but also to help address a growing demand for Indigenous language teachers in Manitoba schools. Elder Harry Bone told students that language is central to sovereignty and identity, noting that a language carries...
Register
Idlout says she felt she was ‘betraying’ her constituents by staying with NDP
By Nick Murray Nunavut MP Lori Idlout said Wednesday feedback from constituents calling on her to join the Liberal government ultimately convinced her to cross the floor. In her first interview as a Liberal MP, Idlout told The Canadian Press staying with the NDP felt like she was “betraying” Nunavummiut. “It started to, every day, to feel like I was betraying the wrong people, that I was betraying my constituents,” she said. “And with leaving the NDP, I feel like I’m betraying them too, but at least I keep my focus on making sure that my constituents always come first.” Idlout was introduced as the Liberal party’s newest MP on Wednesday. She received a roaring ovation from her new Liberal colleagues, who chanted her name as she walked into their...
Register
Canada will ‘do its part’ to help IEA release of oil reserves: Hodgson
By Craig Lord Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said Wednesday Canada will “do its part” to lower the cost of oil globally as a bloc of nations looks to tame the surge in energy prices triggered by the war in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency — an intergovernmental organization representing dozens of countries, including Canada — announced Wednesday it has agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from member nations’ stockpiles. Hodgson said Wednesday Canada will support those efforts but didn’t said what form that would take. “Canada will do its part to contribute to the world’s (oil) supply. That will bring prices down for Canadians. That will keep prices affordable for Canadians,” he told reporters on his way out of the Liberal caucus meeting. Canada is...
Register
