Chiefs of Ontario takes aim at Bill 5 consultation
By Turtle Island News Staff HIAWATHA FIRST NATIONS- The three-day Chiefs of Ontario (COO) 50th anniversary meeting opened amid a call to action to descend on Parliament Hill after First Nations were hit by both Ontario and federal bills including Ontario’s Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act and Ottawa’s proposed Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy Act without consultation. Both bills are expected to hit First Nations hard.Ottawa’s proposed bill C-5 will grant sweeping powers and allowing fast-tracking of major infrastructure projects while undermining Indigenous rights, environmental protections and democratic authority, Chiefs said. The proposed law would allow a single federal minister to approve projects, bypass regulatory safeguards, and override constitutional obligations all without further parliamentary review. At the same time the bill will allow cabinet to designate certain...
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Oneida Energy Storage the largest in Canada
By Tara Lindemann, Writer The Indigenous-led Oneida Energy Storage is the first and largest battery storage of its kind in Canada, one of the largest in the world, and it’s been fully operational since April 23. The facility is located within Nanticoke Industrial Park, next door to Imperial Oil’s Nanticoke refinery, and a mere five kilometres north of one North America’s largest former coal-fired plants: and while the 250 megawatt (MH), and 1,000 megawatts-per-hour (MWh) lithium-ion battery energy storage facility is expected to be a game changer by harnessing surplus energy generated by nuclear plants and windmills at night, it wasn’t easy for the province to get on board. “Ontario, the system operator, simply didn’t have the right toolkit to harness that great value,” said Matt Jamieson, President and Chief...
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First Nations will seek to have herbicide banned from traditional territories
By Tara Lindemann, writer The herbicide glyphosate has been banned from Ontario’s lawns for more than decade, and now First Nations of Ontario are seeking to have it abolished from their traditional territories – and altogether. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in most weed killers. Ontario banned the herbicide from cosmetic uses in 2009, but has dispersed it aerially as part of weed management around hydro wires and reforestation efforts, and it’s allowed in agricultural practices. But on Day three at the All Chiefs Assembly on June 19, they voted to have it abolished from their traditional territories. “This practice of using Glyphosate is poisoning and destroying the whole ecosystem, our forestry, the animals and the plants, our medicines, are suffering,”said an unnamed representative forf longtime advocate against the herbicide,...
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Rainstorm causes flooding, evacuation and road closures
By Tara Lindemann Writer SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER – Six Nations band administration offices closed with staff working from home, the seniors’ were evacuated to a nearby lodge and homeowners all took on nature when rainfall hit Wednesday, (June 18) causing severe flooding and a “state of emergency” to be declared. While community members began clean-up of the day long downpour Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council (SNEC) announced that, in the wake of a “state of emergency,” it will be assessing support following the severe flooding. The territory and surrounding area experienced multiple heavy downpours, closing roads and delaying traffic. “Closed Road” signage blocked several parts of the territory the next day, The assessment includes “checking the status of SNGR buildings and gathering information from...
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Time to clear the air on cannabis
Nothing could be burning hotter than Six Nations Elected Council’s (SNEC) move to try to control its cannabis flop. Since it began four years ago it has been a fine example of how not to proceed. It took almost two years to develop Six Nations cannabis “law” not to mention time to appoint an on again, off again Six Nations Cannabis Commission (SNCC) who’s only consistency has been the presence of one of its members former councillor Carl Hill. Even the current elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill can’t hide from the controversy. She was a councillor through the progression of a cannabis industry here. As time went on the chair has changed, the members have changed, SNEC has changed and during those years the community decided it would not wait and...
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Today in History
June 24 In 2021, the chief of Saskatchewan’s Cowessess First Nation said the community found 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school. Chief Cadmus Delorme said there may have been markers on some at one point. June 25 In 1876, General George Custer’s U.S. army regiment was massacred in the battle of the “Little Big Horn” in Montana; 263 soldiers, including Custer, died in the engagement with several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. The U.S. military concluded Custer made several mistakes that led to the massacre. In 1968, two notable firsts accompanied a sweeping victory for Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals in a federal election. Lincoln Alexander became Canada’s first Black MP when he won a Hamilton seat for the Conservatives. Len Marchand’s victory in Kamloops, B.C., made...
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From Ceremony to Commitment: What is the meaning of King Charles
By Kinnukana, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News On May 27, 2025, King Charles III, delivered the Speech from the Throne as King of Canada, opening the 45th Parliament with words that acknowledged the historical and ongoing presence of Indigenous Peoples and their unceded territories. His speech marked an important commitment toward ongoing reconciliation and it must be seen as more than ceremony. It is a binding commitment that the Canadian Government should be held accountable to, in both policy and practise. King Charles opened the Speech with a formal land acknowledgement recognizing that everyone at the Senate was gathered on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people. King Charles also acknowledged the Indigenous peoples land he was on and where Canadian’s are fortunate to live. He said,...
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Rivermen register convincing victory against host James Gang
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Six Nations Rivermen were able to overcome several obstacles and register their most lopsided victory of the season on Sunday. The Rivermen defeated the host Ennismore James Gang 19-2 in an Ontario Series Lacrosse contest held at the Robert E. Young Recreation Complex. For starters, the Rivermen were without their head coach Wayne Hill, who was in Austria watching his son compete in an international ball hockey event. The Rivermen entered the match a bit rusty, not having played or practiced in 15 days. Plus, their team bus was rather late on Sunday. As a result, the Rivermen arrived in Ennismore way behind schedule and did not get a proper warmup in before the match started. The James Gang got off to a quick start,...
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Ironmen announce first signees for Northern Premier Hockey League season
By Sam Laskaris Writer The roster of the Six Nations Ironmen is beginning to take shape. The first 10 players that have been signed by the Ironmen to compete in the team’s inaugural season in the Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL), an Ontario-based Senior A men’s hockey circuit, were announced this past week. The Ironmen, a local men’s hockey squad, had previously primarily only competed in the Fred Sasakamoose Chief Thunderstick National Hockey Championship, the Canadian tourney for Indigenous adult clubs. The Six Nations club, however, is now also an expansion entry into the NPHL. The Ironmen will take part in the league’s Metropolitan Division. Among those who have signed with the Ironmen for the upcoming season are forwards Theo Hill, Tyler Hill and Steven LaForme. All three had played...
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SPORTS BRIEFS: Six Nations Lacrosse
By Sam Laskaris Writer Rebels sweep opening playoff round The Six Nations Rebels managed to win their first-round playoff series in the minimum three games. The local club squared off against the Hamilton Bengals in the best-of-five Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League’s Western Conference quarter-final series. The Rebels swept the series 3-0, capping it off with a dramatic 10-9 overtime victory against the host Bengals on Sunday night. That match was held at the Dave Andreychuk Arena in Hamilton. The Rebels had kicked off the series on Friday night by downing the Bengals 14-9 in a match that was held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Six Nations also edged the visiting Bengals 8-7 on Saturday. The Rebels had entered the series as the favourites. They were the conference’s third-seeded team...
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Canada Day: Resurrecting John A. Macdonald statues ignores critical lessons about Canada’s history
By Eric Strikwerda Associate Professor, History, Athabasca University “We’re freeing John A.,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced, unveiling plans to return a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald to its place of prominence overlooking the south lawn of the Ontario legislature at Queen’s Park. The statue’s return comes five years after activists, disgusted by the first Canadian prime minister’s racist policies, sprayed pink paint over the statue’s base. Ford’s announcement was welcome news to the mostly conservative historians, editorialists and assorted pundits who have decried Macdonald’s “cancellation.” Their objections have been part of passionate debates about whether racist and harmful figures from the past should be celebrated through statues, school and state institution names and public infrastructure projects. For these conservatives, the issue is simple. Dismantling statues is dismantling...
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Squamish business beat: Inclusive hiring—Addressing bias against Indigenous job seekers
By Ina Pace, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Squamish Chief Insights from a Métis career professional reveal how traditional recruitment methods may be excluding valuable perspectives from the workplace. “Diversity is, I mean, it’s Canada, right? Yes, even speaking to you—your accent there,” says HR consultant and career professional Michelle Precourt to the Squamish Chief reporter, who has a British accent. In theory, what springs to mind from these words is that diversity and hence inclusivity should be at the heart of Canada, which means organizations and companies ought to be applying these principles when it comes to seeking potential employees. In practice, however, not all employers and recruiters are informed or educated as to how to apply these principles universally. This means employment isn’t always equally attainable for some...
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Israel killed at least 14 scientists in an unprecedented attack on Iran’s nuclear know-how
By John Leicester PARIS (AP) — Israel’s tally of the war damage it wrought on Iran includes the targeted killings of at least 14 scientists, an unprecedented attack on the brains behind Iran’s nuclear program that outside experts say can only set it back, not stop it. In an interview with The Associated Press, Israel’s ambassador to France said the killings will make it “almost” impossible for Iran to build weapons from whatever nuclear infrastructure and material may have survived nearly two weeks of Israeli airstrikes and massive bunker-busting bombs dropped by U.S. stealth bombers. “The fact that the whole group disappeared is basically throwing back the program by a number of years, by quite a number of years,” Ambassador Joshua Zarka said. But nuclear analysts say Iran has other...
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As politicians fast-track extraction, Coast Salish leaders stress economic vision: ‘We need to be in these rooms’
By Amy Romer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Leaders from “Vancouver’s” top businesses got a lesson on Indigenous economics from three Coast Salish leaders last Thursday. Amid international tariff threats and colonial governments fast-tracking resource extraction on Indigenous lands, leaders from the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səl̓ilwətaɬ First Nations told a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade gathering about their visions for co-operative economic development, the evolving role of industry, and how today’s shifting economic landscape is affecting their communities. səl̓ilwətaɬ elected Chief Jen Thomas said collaboration between Coast Salish communities has been important, and that over the past five years, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səl̓ilwətaɬ “have come together like brothers and sisters.” Sḵwx̱wú7mesh councillor Sxwíxwtn (Wilson Williams) told the gathering of business leaders that Indigenous communities “used to be out of sight,...
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Two men sent to hospital after Highway 6 collision
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – The Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating a two-vehicle collision that occurred on Highway 6 between Second Line and Third Line sending two people to hospital. Emergency services responded to the collision Tuesday, (June 24, 2025) at about 9:45 p.m that saw two drivers a 28-year-old man and a 37-year-old man, take to hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Highway 6 was temporarily closed between Second Line and Third Line to allow emergency crews to respond has re-opened. Anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at www.helpsolvecrime.com or 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)....
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Senate under pressure to deal with Carney’s major projects bill quickly
By Kyle Duggan Prime Minister Mark Carney’s controversial major projects bill could be in for a speedy trip through the Senate this week. Bill C-5 will be introduced at first reading in the upper chamber today after it was fast-tracked through the House of Commons and underwent a rare pre-study by the Senate. A programming motion adopted by the chamber fixes the bill to a strict schedule, with a final vote that must take place by the end of Friday. The politically charged legislation has upset Indigenous and environmental groups who criticize the government for rushing to grant itself sweeping new powers to fast-track project permits. But Carney has said Canada is facing an economic crisis due to the trade war with the U.S. and the country urgently needs to...
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Northern Labrador in ‘crisis’ as people ration food, toilet paper, baby supplies
It’s frustrating for Rosie Harris to go to the two stores in Nain and be unable to buy essential items like toilet paper, baby wipes, cleaning supplies, ketchup, or rice, due to the Kamutik W ferry being unable to deliver to the Inuit community on Labrador’s north coast. Harris has four young children at home who are picky eaters, and without staple foods they eat, the mother has had a hard time cooking enough food they enjoy. She’s also been unable to buy the sensitive laundry detergent her daughter needs, she says. “We are in a crisis, and people need to treat it that way. If not for yourself, then think of the children and think of the elders,” Harris says. “If this was anywhere else in Canada, something would...
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Nova Scotia to fund Mi’kmaq-led climate change action on Cape Breton
The Nova Scotia government is giving the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources in Cape Breton $893,000 to fund Mi’kmaq-led climate change adaptation work. The institute that represents the five Mi’kmaq First Nations on Cape Breton on natural resources matters says it will use the money to develop climate change monitoring and action plans for these communities. Lisa Young, the executive director of the institute, said in a statement the organization’s approaches to addressing climate change are rooted in Mi’kmaq knowledge. The institute will use the funding to hire a Mi’kmaw climate change co-ordinator and project assistant, develop educational material in Mi’kmaq and English and establish a monitoring plan that uses culturally relevant indicators of climate change. Membertou First Nation Chief Terry Paul said in a statement climate change is one...
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How the Battleford Trail shaped Saskatchewan’s growth
By Shaynee Modien, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Shaunavon Standard During the growth of the province of Saskatchewan, a strong connection was developed between the north and south, much like it is today. However, it was the development of a wagon trail leading into and out of Battleford that started it all. The Battleford Trail, as it became known, was the main connecting point for supplies for those traveling to and from Battleford. The trail connected the Swift Current region in the south to Battleford and the Meadow Lake region in the north. The most famous section of the trail is the 300 km (190 mi) trail from the south, known as the Swift Current-Battleford Trail. This was an important link developed in the late 19th century for transportation and...
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