Ruling in North Dakota case erases path for people in 7 states to sue under the Voting Rights Act
By Jack Dura BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal appeals court that already has said private individuals and groups cannot sue under a key part of the federal Voting Rights Act went even further Wednesday toward blocking lawsuits over alleged racial bias in voting in seven Midwest states. But its decisions may not be the last word, because another appeals court has ruled differently, and the U.S. Supreme Court might have to resolve the conflict. The latest ruling reversed a legal victory for two tribal nations in North Dakota that challenged a legislative redistricting plan. The ruling shuts off a route to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act through a federal civil rights law known as Section 1983, which allows people to sue state officials to vindicate their federal...
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Man, woman found dead as crews battle wildfire in Manitoba, police say
By Steve Lambert and Brittany Hobson The bodies of two people were found in an area northeast of Winnipeg as fast-moving wildfires spurred by dry, hot and windy conditions prompted hundreds to evacuate Wednesday. RCMP said the bodies are believed to be of a man and woman, and that it may take days to confirm their identities. It is believed they died from injuries sustained during the fire, Supt. Chris Hastie told a news conference. Loren Schinkel, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, a popular lakefront cottage area northeast of Winnipeg, said the whole community is grieving. “This is a truly tragic event,” said Schinkel. “We’re a very close-knit community here, and certainly the family, friends and loved ones that have been impacted by this have our...
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Alberta government amends referendum bill in effort to placate First Nations’ concern
By Lisa Johnson Alberta’s government has made 11th-hour changes to controversial proposed legislation, declaring that no separation referendum question could threaten First Nations’ existing treaty rights. Premier Danielle Smith’s government is working to considerably lower the threshold to allow for citizen-initiated referendums, including whether the province should separate from Canada. Her government’s proposed bill has yet to become law, but it’s faced backlash from Indigenous leaders since its introduction in the house more than two weeks ago. Justice Minister Mickey Amery said Wednesday the United Conservative Party government has heard concerns from First Nations on how such a referendum might affect treaty rights. “We are listening,” he said. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Chief Sheldon Sunshine and Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro were quick to release a statement saying...
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Quebec coroner to release report into Innu man who froze to death in Montreal in 2021
MONTREAL-A coroner is scheduled to release her report today into the death of a homeless Innu man whose body was found inside a portable toilet in Montreal. Fifty-one-year-old Raphaël “Napa” André died in January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. His body was found steps away from a shelter that had been closed by public health officials because of plumbing problems and a COVID-19 outbreak. Quebec had also imposed a nighttime curfew to curb the spread of the virus. Coroner Stéphanie Gamache is scheduled to hold a news conference in Montreal shortly after she releases her report. The coroner’s inquest on André’s death was held in May and June 2024. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2025. ...
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Two Charlotte County municipalities denied SEED funding
By Nathalie Sturgeon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Saint Croix Courier Some municipalities in Charlotte County have been denied Student Employment Experience Development Program (SEED) funding. At a recent meeting of St. Stephen council, it said it was denied funding for the first time in six years. Kev Sumner, the director of parks and community services, for the Municipal District of St. Stephen (MDSS), said the news was unfortunate. “Just after COVID, we were at nine positions, now we’re down to three,” he said during the meeting. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get anything from the province.” SEED provides employment opportunities to students for 12 weeks for non-profits, First Nations communities, and municipalities to cover wages. His report said the town does budget for a zero-funding scenario. “We should have the...
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Enbridge sells stake in Westcoast pipeline to First Nations group
Enbridge Inc. has signed a deal to sell a minority stake in its Westcoast natural gas pipeline system to a group of 36 First Nations in B.C. Under the agreement, the Stonlasec8 Indigenous Alliance Limited Partnership will invest $715 million for a 12.5 per cent stake in the system. The Westcoast natural gas pipeline system is extends more than 2,900 kilometres from Fort Nelson in northeast B.C. and from Gordondale near the B.C.- Alberta border, south to the Canada -U.S. border. Chief David Jimmie, president and chair of Stonlasec8 and chief of Squiala First Nation, called the deal a significant milestone. “Enbridge’s Westcoast pipeline system is a legacy asset that has operated within our traditional territories for over 65 years,” Jimmie said in statement. “Now, our Nations will receive sustained...
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Province wants intervenor status in case against Maine lobster fisher
By Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal A lawyer for the province is asking to be included in a constitutional challenge being brought by a Maine lobster fisher accused of fishing illegally in Passamaquoddy Bay. Erik D. Francis, 55, of Perry, Maine, faces two charges under the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act related to allegations that he illegally fished for lobster off the coast of Deer Island on Nov. 15, 2022. Francis, who is self-represented, has claimed Indigenous fishing rights as a part of the Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy) Nation, which has communities on both sides of the border but is not federally recognized in Canada. In February, Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik lawyer Paul Williams was granted status to intervene on behalf of the nation’s three chiefs. The nation argued that it...
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Māori lawmakers who performed a protest haka receive temporary bans from New Zealand’s Parliament
By Charlotte Graham-Mclay WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Three New Zealand lawmakers from Te Pāti Māori, the Māori Party, will receive temporary bans from Parliament and severe censure, it was announced Wednesday, over their protest of a proposed law by performing a haka, a chanting dance of challenge, directed at their opponents. A committee of their peers recommended the penalties, understood to be the harshest ever assigned to New Zealand parliamentarians, in findings that said the trio’s actions could have intimidated other legislators and were in contempt of Parliament. Their temporary suspensions are expected to be affirmed by vote during a sitting of all lawmakers on Thursday. The decision means that Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, who at 22 is currently New Zealand’s youngest lawmaker, will be suspended from Parliament for seven days....
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Beyond the bands: The evolution of Stó:lō governance from the 90s to today
By Grace Giesbrecht, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fraser Valley Current There is strength in numbers. But sometimes Stó:lō Tribal Council president Tyrone McNeil wonders if that strength is why it can be so tricky for all Stó:lō first nations to work together. While unity can help Stó:lō people, McNeil suggests it has historically led other levels of government to encourage First Nations to act alone. There are more than 20 Stó:lō First Nations but the communities aren’t on their own when it comes to delivering services and advocating for their members. Over the last half-century, the First Nations have formed various inter-nation organizations to support their members. But with the groups constantly evolving, it can be hard to keep those groups straight. Today, Stó:lō nations are generally represented by two...
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Baby eel poaching accusation bubbles to the surface again
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner A commercial baby eel license holder in New Brunswick says she was shocked when one of her workers told her that members of Sipekne’katik, or the Shubenacadie First Nation of Nova Scotia, were plucking the creatures from the Lepreau River. The Lepreau, a small river near Saint John that’s popular with kayakers for its white water and sightseers for its picturesque waterfall, is one of the more productive spots to find baby eels, also called elvers, that wash into the estuary during the springtime, according to Mary Ann Holland. The owner of Brunswick Aquaculture says on the night of April 25, one of her workers confronted the netters, who allegedly said they were from Sipekne’katik, a fourhour drive away in...
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Wife of Quesnel mayor claims defamation in lawsuit against city councillor
By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen The wife of Quesnel Mayor Ron Paull is suing a member of city council for defamation over the councillor’s reaction to a book that disputes the history of Canada’s residential schools. In a May 13-filed BC Supreme Court notice of civil claim, Pat Morton accuses Coun. Laurey-Anne Roodenberg of conduct that was “not only defamatory, but malicious, politically motivated and designed to publicly discredit me despite knowing or being reckless as to the truth.” Morton claims stress caused by Roodenburg made her fear for her safety and affected her mentally and physically, including her affliction with Crohn’s Disease. Morton is seeking damages, costs, a declaration that Roodenburg breached City of Quesnel’s code of conduct and an order for Roodenburg to...
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Liberal MP says Carney will run a more corporate-style government
-CP-Prime Minister Mark Carney has formed a number of new cabinet committees that reflect the government’s focus on shoring up Canada’s sovereignty and improving the quality of life of Canadians. They include a priorities, planning and strategy committee, which is chaired by Carney, and a new “Build Canada” committee, focused on strengthening Canada’s economy. Carney has also created a committee on government transformation and efficiency, aiming to reduce government spending. Other new groups include a committee on operations and parliamentary affairs, a committee for “quality of life and wellbeing” and a committee on a “secure and sovereign Canada,” which aims to reinforce Canadian sovereignty, manage Canada-U.S. relations and “advance Canada’s interests around the world.” The Prime Minister of Canada website says cabinet committees carry out most of the day-to-day work...
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Inuit village in Quebec’s Far North facing ‘severe’ water distribution challenges
By Morgan Lowrie Officials in Quebec’s Nunavik region are raising the alarm over water shortages in the Inuit community of Puvirnituq, where a frozen pipe and persistent blizzards have left residents without consistent water deliveries for nearly two months. The Kativik Regional Government says the village’s five-kilometre-long water pipeline froze during a blizzard in mid-March and has yet to thaw. As a result, the town of roughly 2,100 people has been forced to bring in water by truck in extreme weather on icy, snowy roads. Hossein Shafeghati, the Kativik Regional Government’s director of municipal public works, says persistent bad weather has left the trucks struggling through slush and snowdrifts to make deliveries. “In the past three weeks – and this might be a little bit of an exaggeration – my...
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Missing child in northern Alberta likely fell asleep in field, RCMP says
By Matthew Scace It took the efforts of 200 local volunteers, a helicopter, drones and ATVs to track down a missing two-year-old boy in the pitch-black night of Alberta’s Peace Country. And in the end, it’s likely the toddler had simply dozed off after wandering out into a field. “I’m guessing the kid just fell asleep,” RCMP Const. Lucas Lehman said Tuesday. A sweeping night-long search was triggered Sunday night when RCMP in Fairview, Alta., were called by the toddler’s family after they had searched the property for him. The child had likely left the home without either parent knowing, Lehman said, and the couple likely believed their child was with the other parent. The call prompted a search for the missing boy, bringing out more than 200 volunteers in...
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Connecticut Sun exploring all options, including sale of franchise according to team president
By Doug Feinberg The Connecticut Sun are looking at all options for the franchise’s future, including a potential sale, team president Jen Rizzotti said Tuesday. The team is owned by the Mohegan Tribe, which runs the casino where the team has played since 2003. The Tribe bought the franchise for $10 million and relocated it from Orlando that year. The Connecticut franchise was the first in the league to be run by a non-NBA owner and also became the first to turn a profit. Rizzotti, who took over in her current role four years ago, said that Mohegan’s decision was the move of “responsible business owners” and that “it’s more about being consistent about how they’re evaluating all of their businesses, the Connecticut Sun being one of them.” The news...
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Suspended Justice: Mystery of drowned fishermen reinvestigated in Tyendinaga
By Michelle Dorey Forestell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kingstonist.com In 2015, two young men went out to spearfish on the Bay of Quinte. On their return, they planned to teach a younger nephew the Mohawk way of preparing the fish. Instead, they disappeared. Matthew Fairman was 26 and Tyler Maracle just 21 when they drowned under mysterious circumstances. On May 5, 2025, the Toronto Police Service agreed to reinvestigate the 2015 drowning deaths of the two fishermen from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, a decision reached thanks to a two-year investigation by Kenneth Jackson, a journalist from Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Ottawa, and a pair of families who refused to give up on their young men. Jackson has over 20 years of experience in the journalism industry, and his work covers...
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Ohsweken woman facing dangerous driving charges
OHSWEKEN-A 38-year-old woman sustained major injuries and is facing a number of charges including dangerous driving after a vehicle was seen performing stunts in the village of Ohsweken. Six Nations Police, (SNP), while on patrol, Wednesday, April 8th, 2025, at about 1:45 AM, in the village of Ohsweken spotted a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed on Chiefswood Road. SNP began following the vehicle activating their emergency lights to perform a traffic stop. Before being able to stop the vehicle police said it was seen performing stunts at the intersection of Chiefswood Road and Fourth Line. Police said the vehicle failed to stop evading police until an officer was able to perform a de-escalation tactic to stop the vehicle. During the attempt to stop the vehicle police said the cruiser...
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Alberta separation a threat to First Nation sovereignty, say local chiefs
By Pearl Lorentzen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader “Before Alberta was Alberta in 1905, we signed treaties in 1899,” says Loon River First Nation Chief Ivan Sawan. The treaties are nation-to-nation agreements between First Nations and the Crown and Canada, he adds. “We never ceded or surrendered our land,” says Sawan. Sawan was responding to the Government of Alberta’s proposed Bill 54, part of which makes citizen referendums easier. It’s expected – according to many reports – to result in a referendum on Alberta separating from Canada. Loon River is in Treaty 8 territory, as are the other First Nations within the region covered by the Lakeside Leader. This treaty includes portions of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories. The southern border in Alberta is the Athabasca...
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5 companies selected in ‘milestone’ moment for NWMO
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source IGNACE — The selection of five major companies for design and planning work is a big step towards building a huge underground facility for spent reactor fuel in Northwestern Ontario, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s Craig MacBride said Monday. The organization wants to build a deep geological repository, or DGR, for long-term disposal of radioactive waste from Canada’s nuclear power plants. On Monday it announced that five firms have been chosen for essential design, engineering and planning work over the next three years: WSP Canada Inc., Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, Hatch Ltd., Thyssen Mining Construction of Canada and Kinectrics Inc. “This is a very exciting milestone for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and for the deep geological repository that will...
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Pikangikum water woes decades-old, chief says
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source PIKANGIKUM — Water issues in Pikangikum First Nation are the same now as 39 years ago, Chief Paddy Peters said Monday. “I was elected into office (for) my first term as chief when I was 30 years old,” he said in an interview via Zoom. “And what we’re going through right now … those (issues) were on the table when I began as chief, when I was 30 years old. “Today I’m 69 years old. I was re-elected into office in January of this new year, and the same issues are still on the table. “And, you know, I thought everything would be all worked out (by now). “I was out of office for over 10 years. I was re-elected...
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