Prime Minister Carney holds his first meeting with new cabinet this morning
Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet with his new cabinet this morning. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on Parliament Hill. Carney shook up his cabinet Tuesday by moving some key players into new positions and promoting 24 new faces in a move meant to signal change at the top. While some members of his team were prominent figures in former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government — including Dominic LeBlanc, Mélanie Joly, Chrystia Freeland and François-Philippe Champagne — Carney froze out other prominent members of his predecessor’s cabinet. Carney named 28 full ministers to his cabinet and also appointed a second tier of 10 secretaries of state. The prime minister has dropped several cabinet veterans from the Trudeau years, including former natural resources minister...
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Innu-aimun Kindergarten ready to launch in Sheshatshiu, Natuashish
By Heidi Atter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent Innu students heading into Kindergarten will now have the ability to be fully immersed in their own language, following years of work since Innu reclaimed jurisdiction over education in 2009. “There’s a lot of English everywhere, so we don’t need that,” said Francesca Snow, a retired teacher and the curriculum developer with Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education (MTIE). “They need to teach the kids their own language, or they will lose the language.” Snow said she has enjoyed making the curriculum. “I focus on when I was teaching kindergarten,” she said, “and I want that teacher to know how to teach and how to set up the classroom in both languages.” Snow has prepared short sentences, picture vocabularies, workbooks and more in...
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Canadian youth struggle with making friends and bullying: UNICEF report
By Cassandra Szklarski A global study from UNICEF suggests many Canadian kids are unhappy, with social struggles such as bullying and difficulty making friends among the sources of their anguish. UNICEF’s 19th Report Card suggests one in five youth in Canada face frequent bullying, one in five are lonely and one in four struggle to make friends. It blames bullying in particular for a drop in life satisfaction reported by 15-year-olds, down three percentage points to 76 per cent since 2018. That marks Canada’s biggest slide among categories examined by the report, which compares the well-being of Canadian children to those in other wealthy countries between 2018 and 2022. Despite being among the 10 wealthiest countries studied, Canada ranked 19th out of 36 countries overall, landing toward the bottom end...
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Second dead grey whale washes ashore in B.C. in less than a week
By Chuck Chiang A second dead grey whale has washed ashore in British Columbia in less than a week. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed that the latest dead whale was reported on May 11 in Haida Gwaii near the community of Skidegate, and a marine mammal response team is working with local First Nations to co-ordinate a necropsy. The cause of death is unknown, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada says confirming what happened through necropsy reports may take up to three months. The latest case comes after Parks Canada said a dead whale was spotted floating off Vancouver Island on May 6, before it washed ashore on Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve near Tofino. The federal department has warned people to not touch the dead whales...
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Nova Scotia to lift licensing moratorium for buyers and processors in seafood sector
By Keith Doucette Nova Scotia is lifting two long-standing moratoriums on new buyer and processor licences for seafood as it looks to grow the multibillion-dollar sector, the provincial government announced Tuesday. Beginning Aug.1, the province is ending the moratorium on groundfish that was imposed in 1994, and a moratorium from 2018 on licences for all other seafood, Fisheries Minister Kent Smith said. Opening the seafood sector to new entrants will help drive the province’s economy as processors look to diversify their markets, as the Chinese government in March imposed 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian seafood products in retaliation for duties on electric vehicles. Most industry members, as well as the Mi’kmaq First Nations, are on board with the move to lift the moratoriums, he added. “Lifting the moratorium aligns with provincial...
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Prime Minister Mark Carney says new cabinet will act with ‘urgency and determination’
By Kyle Duggan Prime Minister Mark Carney shook up his cabinet Tuesday by moving some key players involved in Canada-U.S. relations into new positions and promoting 24 new faces in a move meant to signal change at the top. Carney named 28 full ministers to cabinet. While some were prominent figures in former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government — including Dominic LeBlanc, Mélanie Joly, Chrystia Freeland and François-Philippe Champagne — Carney froze out some prominent members of his predecessor’s team. Carney also has appointed a second tier of 10 secretaries of state — essentially junior ministers. On Tuesday, Carney called the two-tier arrangement a “more traditional cabinet.” Carney said that he sought to balance new perspectives with experience in picking his team, and noted that half of the ministers are...
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The Way of the Warrior
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald Warriors are often thought to be the face of battles with a powerful force, but a Siksika man found the true role of the warrior is to be a protector, not an aggressor. Ben Gavel grew up not realizing he was Blackfoot until six years ago and consequently spent much of his life trying to figure out who he was. After battling addiction and fighting to become sober, he came across the TikTok account of a warrior stationed at Camp Morgan in Manitoba, which was set up in protest of four missing women who were believed to be in a landfill. The camp was a peaceful protest by members of the First Nations Indigenous Warriors, a warrior society from Winnipeg. They...
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First Nations criticism of Danielle Smith goes national
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News The national advocacy organization for Treaty First Nations has joined the chorus of First Nations telling Alberta premier Danielle Smith that a referendum on Alberta independence would be illegitimate without consulting the land’s original inhabitants. “Any proposed separation of Alberta from Canada would be fundamentally illegitimate and unconstitutional without the explicit, prior, informed and collective consent of the First Nations whose lands and rights predate the formation of the province and of Canada,” Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak said in a May 12 news release. “The time has come for Alberta and Canada to move beyond colonial frameworks and honour the truth of their history by restoring justice and self-determination to First Nations.” On May 5,...
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Inflation cooled again even as some tariffs took effect. But economists don’t expect that to last
By Christopher Rugaber WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation cooled for the third straight month in April even after some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect, though economists and many business owners expect inflation will climb by this summer. Consumer prices rose 2.3% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Tuesday, down from 2.4% in March and the smallest increase in more than four years. On a monthly basis, prices rose modestly, increasing 0.2% from March to April after falling 0.1% the previous month, the first drop in five years. Grocery prices dipped 0.4% from March to April in what will come as a relief to many people stretching family budgets for the basics. It was the biggest decline in food costs at home since September 2020, the...
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Anishinaabe culture, traditions to be celebrated
By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal Fort William Historical Park is calling for vendors, dancers and information booths as they gear up for the 43rd annual Anishinaabe Keeshigun Powwow. Known formerly as Ojibwa Keeshigun, the event has featured dancing and drumming, hands-on activities and demonstrations that highlight Anishinaabe culture, traditions, language and technology. Patrick Morash, the fort’s general manager, said throughout the years, dancers, drummers and artisans have come from First Nation communities across Northern Ontario and Central Canada, as well as participants from the U.S. “Anishinaabe Keeshigun is a unique event that celebrates and shares Anishinaabe culture and traditions, and builds upon the daily programs on the historic site,” Morash said, adding the event draws people on the annual Powwow circuit. “Visitors from around the globe...
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Nicole Robertson’s Journey into Truth Telling
By Laura Mushumanski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News When Nicole Robertson was an iskwesis, a little girl, she knew what her calling was, “I always wanted to write”, she shared. “I knew at a very young age that writing was my path, my journey into truth telling, justice, and providing a platform all First Nations peoples to tell their stories—in our Indigenous ways and natural laws of knowing.” Robertson, founder of Muskwa Productions has been working in communications, creating space and platforms for Indigenous stories based on kinship values in everything she does, starting with her humility into understanding that, “[everyone’s] voice is just as important as my own.” As Robertson reflects over a 24-year career, she notes that, “I am community made, not self-made” – because without...
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Canada has its first Indigenous woman taking as Minister of Indigenous Services
OTTAWA-Canada has its first Indigenous person taking on the role of Minister of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) MP Mandy Gull Masty (Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou), is a brand new MP and is now minister of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed the new MP who took her portfolio after the swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall Tuesday. Alsof rom the north N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty is now the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. Gull Masty is also the first Indigenous woman to take on the role of Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, a job she held from 2021 to 2025. She won the federal riding by more than 2,000 votes. Patty Hajdu, moved from ISC Minister to the minister of Jobs and Families and minister responsible for Federal Economic...
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Afro-Indigenous mom wins case in top ‘B.C.’ court against agency that seized her kids
By Brielle Morgan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews An Afro-Indigenous mother who’s been going head-to-head with the child welfare agency that took her kids away says she feels heard after the province’s highest court sided with her. The B.C. Court of Appeal delivered a ruling in the case last week, declaring that there’s no place for stereotypes in child protection work and social workers don’t have license to discriminate. Justine — whom IndigiNews is identifying with a pseudonym to protect her children’s privacy — is an intergenerational survivor of residential “school” and the child welfare system. In 2016, social workers with Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society (VACFSS) seizedJustine’s children. (After a lengthy legal battle, the children were returned to her care in 2019). When Justine received news of...
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The Latest: Prime Minister Mark Carney unveils his new cabinet at Rideau Hall
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet is being sworn in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Here’s the latest on the events at Rideau Hall. All times Eastern. — 11:57 a.m. Eleanor Olszewski is sworn in as the minister of emergency management and community resilience, and minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada. Gregor Robertson is sworn in as minister of housing and infrastructure, and minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. Maninder Sidhu is sworn in as minister of international trade. — 11:49 a.m. Heath MacDonald is sworn in as the minister of agriculture and agri-food. Jill McKnight is sworn in as the minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence. Marjorie Michel becomes the minister of health. — 11:42 a.m. The executive vice president of the Canadian...
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Burned down Burger Barn is reopening on Six Nations. But how?
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator Burger Barn is back. There will be a food truck on the grounds of the iconic Six Nations eatery this weekend, dishing out Burger Barn’s signature burgers in the shadow of the red barn-shaped restaurant on Fourth Line, which was gutted by fire in January. The plan — at least for this weekend — is to serve burgers in the parking lot from Friday, May 16 to Monday, May 19 between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., with a second truck offering shaved ice for dessert from noon to 9 p.m. “Fair warning, our menu will be limited, and beyond those specific dates we don’t have a concrete schedule as of yet,” Burger Barn’s owners, Jason and Celeste Hill of Six...
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B.C.’s low snowpack, melt signal drought, raising concern for hydro power
By Brenna Owen Drier, warmer weather in much of British Columbia last month has contributed to an early melt, raising concern for widespread drought this summer, the province’s latest snowpack and water supply bulletin says. The drought, in turn, is curtailing B.C.’s ability to generate hydroelectricity, where most of the province’s power comes from, said former provincial environment minister Barry Penner, who now chairs the Energy Futures Institute. Penner said B.C. is on track to become a net importer of electricity in 2025, buying it from the United States, for the third consecutive year. The power gap comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening Canadian sovereignty, and after Trump slapped steep tariffs on Canadian goods, Penner said. “We have someone in the White House who’s actively threatening our country,...
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AFN chief calls for speedy return of clean water legislation
By Alessia Passafiume Parliamentarians will be “playing games with First Nations children’s lives” if they fail to quickly introduce and pass legislation to ensure access to clean drinking water, the Assembly of First Nations national chief said Monday. The Liberals under then-prime minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation that would have guaranteed the right to clean drinking water — but it failed to become law before Parliament was prorogued and an election was called. “Every member of Parliament in Canada that’s going to sit in that House has an obligation to think about all the children of this country, and shame on people that played games, pushing it down politically, kicking it to each other and blaming each other, even through the election,” National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak told a news...
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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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Gun control group urges PM Carney to ensure ‘timely delivery’ on firearm commitments
By Jim Bronskill A prominent gun control group is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to swiftly implement Liberal election promises on firearms and avoid the foot-dragging that left many pledges under the previous government unfulfilled. In a letter to Carney, PolySeSouvient says the mandate for the next public safety minister should include a commitment to “timely delivery” of planned reforms, especially the buyback of banned firearms. PolySeSouvient includes students and graduates of Montreal’s École Polytechnique, where a gunman killed 14 women in 1989. Since May 2020, the Liberal government has banned more than 2,500 varieties of what it calls assault-style firearms — semi-automatics with sustained rapid-fire capability. During the recent election campaign, PolySeSouvient said Carney’s Liberals were the ones most likely to bring in additional measures to prevent firearm-related violence....
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AFN chief calls for review of natural resource deals amid talk of Alberta separation
By Lisa Johnson The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling for a federal review of nearly century-old natural resource transfer agreements in response to Alberta’s government opening the door to a separation referendum. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has introduced a bill that, if passed, would make it far easier for Albertans to launch referendums on various topics — including splitting from Canada. Smith has pointed to growing alienation in her province and frustration with Ottawa, saying those wanting to separate “are not fringe voices.” National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak reiterated her previous condemnation of the move Monday, saying First Nations are standing firm against any discussion about separation. “Any smart province or premier would speak to First Nations directly and work with First Nations directly before...
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