Tsleil-Waututh Nation artist designs Vancouver Canucks First Nations Celebration logo
By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, North Shore News Ocean Hyland remembers her first hockey game well. Hyland was seven years old when her uncle brought her and her sister to Rogers Arena to see the Vancouver Canucks play. He bought them one jersey and they took turns wearing it. She remembers a blimp floating around the arena, and staff firing T-shirts into the crowd. “I remember we so badly wanted to catch a T-shirt,” said Hyland. “We were eating cotton candy and I remember it was so much fun. It was something that we got to go and do with our uncle and watch the game.” Hockey was part of family life for Hyland, she said. Her dad would often have NHL games playing on the TV, sometimes...
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Nunavut MP Idlout join Liberals, Carney edges closer to majority
The NDP says Nunavut MP Lori Idlout has crossed the floor to join the Liberals, pushing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government closer to a majority. Idlout’s move follows defections to the Liberals by three Conservatives in recent months. An early-morning statement from Idhout and the Liberal Party cited Arctic sovereignty, the rights and aspirations of Indigenous peoples, and climate change as reasons for the move. Idhout says, “That is why after much personal reflection and encouragement from my community, family, and supporters, I have decided to join the government caucus and to work alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney to build the better future that Nunavummiut are counting on.” Kirt Ejesiak, the director of the Liberal Party of Canada in Nunavut, described Idlout as a tireless champion for the territory, adding...
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The future of mining projects must overcome the past before gaining First Nations support
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com More than two decades have passed since Giant Mine, a gold mine located just a few kilometres north of Yellowknife, ceased operations, but for the nearby Yellowknives Dene First Nation its memory is fresh. The mine, which operated from 1948 to 2004, had a dark and destructive history that left lasting social, cultural and environmental impacts in the region, said Matthew Spence, CEO of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. He spoke at the recent Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference held in Toronto. The session was titled “Building social license: A role in community-led mining education.” Spence said some Yellowknives Dene remain distrustful of future mining operations in the area, and this lack of trust makes it challenging for new...
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First Nations leaders unveil items repatriated from the Vatican at History Museum
By Alessia Passafiume First Nations leaders unveiled today five items repatriated to their communities after being at the Vatican for more than a century, and unboxed another two crates of items with origins that have yet to be determined. Among the items include a birch bark sap collector from Akwesasne, leather embroidered gloves from Athabasca Chipewyan, a wooden bowl and spoon from Manitoulin Island and a model cradle board from somewhere in Ontario. Other items, unboxed in a private ceremony, include a bow and arrow, a loom, a child-sized jacket and an adult-sized dress, alongside several pairs of moccasins. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says the repatriation is emotional, and represents years of work from First Nations leaders who advocated for their return from the Vatican....
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Looming Ontario storm raises risks of flood and widespread power outages
By Jordan Omstead The risk of flooding and widespread power outages loomed over Ontario on Tuesday with major rainfall and freezing rain set to batter a wide swath of the province. Much of the province was under yellow and orange weather warnings with the storm expected to hit Tuesday night through Wednesday. Eastern Ontario could be among the hardest-hit regions with some areas expected to endure 24 hours of potent freezing rain, Environment Canada said. Widespread utility outages were possible as up to 20 millimetres of ice buildup was expected to test the resilience of trees and power lines. The forecast looked similar to the major 2023 ice storm that knocked out power to tens of thousands in eastern Ontario, said warning preparedness meteorologist Eric Tomlinson. “This seems to be...
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First Nations leaders unveil more items repatriated from the Vatican
By Alessia Passafiume First Nations leaders on Tuesday unveiled five items repatriated to their communities after being held at the Vatican for more than a century. They also unboxed another two crates of items with origins that have yet to be determined. The returned items include a birch bark sap collector from Akwesasne, embroidered leather gloves from Athabasca Chipewyan, a wooden bowl and spoon from Manitoulin Island and a model cradle board from somewhere in Ontario. The items that have not yet been traced back to their communities of origin — which were unboxed in a private ceremony on Tuesday — include a bow and arrow, a loom, a child-sized jacket, an adult-sized dress and several pairs of moccasins. Katisha Paul, the women’s representative for the Union of B.C. Indian...
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CEO of friendship centre association emphasizes its important work as funding constraints loom
By Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com As Jennifer Rankin steps into the role of chief executive officer of the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC), the organization is facing uncertainty about its long-term funding. With no mention of the country’s more than 100 friendship centres in November’s federal budget, the NAFC is concerned that urban Indigenous people will be left behind. While the NAFC’s core funding has come from the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP) since 2017, this federal program sunsets in 2026 and nothing has been formally committed after the fiscal year ending March 31. Although Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has promised stability and continuity of services, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) has said its bracing for federal support to be less...
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Information commissioner ‘disappointed’ by lack of federal ambition on access reform
By Jim Bronskill The federal information watchdog says she’s surprised that government proposals for updating the Access to Information Act avoid “the most pressing issue” dogging the system — unacceptable delays in answering requests. Information commissioner Caroline Maynard says most of the complaints her office receives relate to the failure of federal departments and agencies to respond to applications for documents within legislated timelines. The access law allows people to request files such as memos, reports and internal emails from federal agencies. Organizations are supposed to respond to an access request within 30 days, or provide reasons why more time is needed. Many users complain of lengthy delays and exemptions in the law that keep many federal records under wraps. Exceptions related to national security, legal advice, ongoing investigations, advice...
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Expanded Immunization Effort Targets Hepatitis A Clusters
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun Manitoba is reporting additional cases of hepatitis A linked to an ongoing provincial outbreak, as health officials expand vaccine eligibility and urge residents to remain vigilant. As of Feb. 2, 2026, there have been 350 locally acquired cases of hepatitis A associated with the outbreak, according to provincial public health. Earlier figures showed 308 cases as of Jan. 18, with more than three-quarters diagnosed in the Northern Health Region. The largest number of cases have been reported in the Island Lake area, including Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Wasagamack and Red Sucker Lake. A cluster has also been identified in Peguis First Nation. In recent weeks, public health has reported increasing cases among people experiencing homelessness, particularly those using shelters in...
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Indigenous chiefs go to Alberta legislature, pressure province to nip separatism push
By Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson More than a dozen First Nations chiefs and even more band councillors and elders were at Alberta’s legislature Monday, calling on Premier Danielle Smith’s government to stomp out the push for the province to quit Canada. “Our rights are being minimized,” Confederacy of Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi told reporters. “Our people are being minimized at every level.” The comments came after First Nations chiefs across the province unanimously called on members of the legislature to hold a non-confidence vote against the government in part for how it has handled the budding separatist movement. Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi tabled a motion to hold such a vote Monday, but it was promptly shut down by Smith’s majority United Conservative Party government....
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Six Nations man facing firearm charges
OHSWEKEN, SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER-A Six Nations man is facing firearm charges after Six Nations Police (SNP) received reports of gunshots being fired in the area of Chiefswood Road and Second Line Road Monday, (March 9, 2026) morning . SNP Detective Sergeant Rob Monteforte said police found an adult male, with a hunting rifle outdoors on his property, who appeared to be intoxicated. The man was arrested and SNP seized the firearm. SNP had issued a notice to the public at about 2 p.m. warning of an increased police presence in the area but added there was no threat to public safety. The scene was cleared by 3:30 p.m. The man is facing weapons possession for dangerous purposes and careless use of a firearm charges. He was being...
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‘You’re the ones who make it real’: Packed forum hears highway horrors
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWOnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY — Tannis Smith says routinely driving on area highways is so dangerous, she’s taken out extra life insurance. Smith, from the Red Rock Indian Band, was one of well over 100 people who filled the restaurant space at the Slovak Legion Monday night for an open forum on northern Ontario highway safety. It was led by Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles and four of her MPPs — all from northern ridings. “I travel on the highway a lot for my work,” Smith told the room. “I lost a cousin near Pearl, Ontario due to a car accident, and I kind of feel emotional, but I’m scared to travel on the highways for work.” “I bought extra life insurance so my...
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Wildlife Federation Urges Pause on Proposed Seal River National Park
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is urging the federal government to halt progress on a proposed national park in northern Manitoba’s Seal River watershed, citing concerns about transparency, governance and potential impacts on public access. In a letter to Julie Dabrusin, the federal Environment and Climate Change Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the federation called for the proposal to be put on hold until stakeholders are given an opportunity to review and comment on detailed plans. Managing Director Carly Deacon said that key elements of governance, management and implementation remain unclear and that stakeholders have not been presented with a comprehensive proposal. The Seal River watershed spans roughly 50,000 square kilometres of provincial Crown land in northern Manitoba, stretching from the Nunavut...
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The federal government’s Musqueam agreements raise questions about who truly owns land
By Daniel Sims Canada’s federal government recently signed three agreements with the Musqueam First Nation that, among other things, recognize the Musqueam People’s Aboriginal title to their traditional territory — which includes most of Vancouver. For that reason, it’s surprising that rather than making headlines immediately, most media outlets didn’t report on the agreements until a week after Ottawa’s announcement. The situation was reminiscent of how the Cowichan case in the summer of 2025 didn’t make news until the City of Richmond started informing residents in October that it might affect their fee simple title, a term referring to ownership of full, permanent property rights. Given how many residents not only in Richmond and Vancouver, but also the rest of British Columbia, have responded with concern about what this...
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Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston reverses some budget cuts amid public backlash
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston apologized Tuesday as he reversed a portion of $130-million in cuts to government grants amid a public outcry over his latest budget. The premier announced Tuesday that he would reinstate $53.6 million in cuts to grants and programs for people with disabilities and seniors, as well as African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students. “On some of the (budget) decisions, I got it wrong, and I’m sorry,” Houston told a news conference. After Houston’s Progressive Conservative government tabled its cost-cutting budget last month, the provincial legislature has been the scene for a series of boisterous protests. Houston and his ministers have also been booed and heckled at other public events. “Nova Scotians have spoken,” he said in a statement. “These are grants that help people meet...
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U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers
By Kyle Duggan An American medical museum has returned the partial human remains of 12 Canadian soldiers from the First World War. The Department of National Defence says the remains were collected originally for medical study after the war but ended up on display at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia after being sent there in 1919. The department says the Canadian Armed Forces has been taking part in an international effort led by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to reclaim soldiers’ remains. The collected remains will be interred in the individual soldiers’ graves, most of which are in a cemetery in Le Tréport, France. The museum, which features a prominent wall of human skulls, has attracted controversy over its displays of the remains of Indigenous people and of soldiers from...
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‘A better place for our children’: Jim Tovey Conservation Area set to open this spring
By Anushka Yadav, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Pointer “The most important work we can accomplish is to leave our community a better place for our children,” late Mississauga Ward 1 councillor Jim Tovey said. His words have since become the guiding principle for the Lakeview community he loved dearly and for the Jim Tovey Conservation Area that is set to welcome kids and families starting May 30 — more than eight years after his death. Born in Malton and raised in Victory Village in Mississauga to World War II veteran John Tovey and his wife Joan Munn, Tovey’s life was stitched together by creativity and community. After spending 15 years as a vocalist, he sought refuge in carpentry, the local arts community and heritage restoration. It was in 1989...
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Breakwall upgrades in the works in Wallaceburg, Ont.
By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice Preliminary work to upgrade a section of breakwall in Wallaceburg’s river basin is set to begin. Chatham-Kent council approved the Sydenham Fork Breakwall Assessment project in the consent agenda at a recent meeting, awarding the $414,337 contract to Delta Science and Engineering Inc. According to a staff report, the area to be assessed is located between the Lord Selkirk Bridge and the forks where the north and east branches of the Sydenham River meet. The project includes inspecting approximately 800 metres of breakwall and 650 metres of pedestrian infrastructure in the designated area, as well as the camera inspection of all adjacent storm and sanitary sewers. The assessment project is in line with Wallaceburg South Side Secondary Plan, which council approved...
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RCMP in N.S. continue cannabis crackdown with more searches at First Nations stores
Nova Scotia RCMP have continued their crackdown on unlicensed cannabis stores, with most of the targeted sites having Indigenous ties. The Mounties say they inspected five operations last week, four of which were on First Nations territory. They include searches in the communities of Eskasoni, Waycobah, Potlotek and Paq’tnkek. Another store was searched near Digby, N.S., where the Indigenous-owned Peace and Friendship Trading Post has seen several raids in recent months. RCMP say some of the cannabis seized resembled candy, which “increases the risk that children could accidentally consume the cannabis.” Police say they issued six summary offence tickets and seized cannabis and hash as part of inspections that took place last Tuesday. They say they issued notices to three people to appear in court at a later date on...
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Tse’k’wa cave wins B.C. tourism award for Indigenous experience
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — Charlie Lake’s national historical site has taken home an award for being an outstanding Indigenous experience. Last month, Tse’k’wa Heritage Society was on the shortlist for nominations for ‘Indigenous operator or experience’ in industry awards presented by the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC). The announcement of its win came during TIABC’s conference, which took place from March 4th to 6th in Kelowna. The site, which is one of the only Indigenous-owned and operated heritage sites in Canada, was purchased by three Treaty 8 nations – Doig River First Nation (DRFN), Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) and West Moberly First Nations (WMFN) – in 2012. President of the Tse’k’wa Heritage Society, Garry Oker, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about being...
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