Canadians remember Pope Francis for historic apology for residential schools
By Nicole Thompson Pope Francis will be remembered by Canadian Catholics as a progressive leader whose approach to the papacy helped usher in a new era of Indigenous relations and make the church more responsive to its rank and file. The Vatican says the pontiff died Monday at age 88. Francis was the global leader of Canada’s most popular organized religion. Nearly 11 million Canadians identified as Catholic in the 2021 census, second only to those without a religious affiliation. His most lasting impact in Canada is likely to be his response to one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action: that he apologize for the legacy of residential schools on Canadian soil. He did so on a tour of Canada in 2022, months after meeting with a...
Register
Waiting tables in Tofino: ‘Where are all the Indigenous servers in a town that’s half Indigenous?’
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Tofino, B.C. — With waiters pocketing between $300 to $400 in tips on a good night in this sizzling tourist town, you’d think, considering the makeup of the area’s population blends 2,516 Tofino residents and 1,200 Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (TFN), there’d be more than two local First Nations on deck taking food orders to take home a slice of that cake. But the odd thing is… there isn’t. “There are only two Indigenous servers in the Tofino area,” says TFN career server Joe Bob, a father of four who works three a shifts a week at ROAR Restaurant within Mandy Farmer’s ‘70s themed Hotel Zed. “You just know from going out and eating,” adds Bob. “I’ve worked for the old Shelter Restaurant...
Register
Amplifying delusions: How social media can negatively impact our mental well-being
By Bernard Crespi, Professor, Evolutionary Biology, Simon Fraser University; and Xingwei (Nancy) Yang, Assistant Professor, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University Imagine a tribe of uncontacted hunter-gatherers in the deepest Amazon rainforest. Anthropologists airdrop dozens of smartphones loaded with social media apps, with solar chargers, simple instructions in their native language and Wi-Fi just within the tribe. What would happen to their culture and their mental health? Such an experiment appears fanciful, but a similar one has been unfolding in our world for about 20 years. For the first time in human evolution, everyday social interactions have changed from face-to-face to disembodied experiences, from in-person to digital and from social reality to whatever someone puts online. Social media is an evolutionary novelty, like M&M’s, e-cigarettes, fentanyl and H-bombs....
Register
Harm Reduction Credited for Reducing Indigenous Fatalities
By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Toxic drug deaths for First Nations peoples decreased by 6.8 per cent in British Columbia between 2023 and 2024. This “shows us what we are doing, particularly in the area of harm reduction, is helping,” said Dr. Nel Wieman, chief medical officer of the First Nations Health Authority. Harm reduction for First Nations communities means “getting to the root wounds that make people turn to substances to cope and really undoing those harms of colonialism,” added Celeta Cook, executive director for FNHA public health response. While the decrease in fatalities offers some relief, data shows First Nations peoples are still being disproportionately impacted by the toxic drug supply, Wieman said. She spoke to the media on Monday, marking the ninth anniversary...
Register
‘Economic opportunity’: Ontario tables bill that will speed up mine development
By Liam Casey and Allison Jones Ontario tabled legislation Thursday that it says will speed up the development of mines by designating some as “special economic zones,” though Premier Doug Ford said that could also be used on other projects. The Ring of Fire, a massive area in northern Ontario said to be replete with critical minerals, will be one such economic zone. But Ford said other big projects could receive similar designations, including his plan to build a massive transit and traffic tunnel under Highway 401. First Nations have already expressed concern about the province’s wish to fast-track the development of the Ring of Fire. The need to urgently mine the province is a direct response to the threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, Ford said. “President Trump wants...
Register
VCH launches second phase of public consultation on the future of Sea to Sky health-care
By Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has developed a draft plan for delivering health-care in the Sea to Sky, and it’s looking to share with residents. In an April 7 release, the regional health authority announced public engagement sessions seeking feedback on a draft clinical services plan for the region and a series of community plans for Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton as part of “a high-level planning process to help align local health-care services with the evolving health-care needs of the region.” “These plans consider historical data and trends, industry best practices, population projections, as well as input from the Sea to Sky community, the six First Nations in the Sea to Sky corridor and staff and medical staff,” according to the release. VCH’s first...
Register
A cross-country look at where some of Hudson’s Bay artifacts are held
By Tara Deschamps Hudson’s Bay, Canada’s oldest company, is seeking court permission to auction off its artifacts, art and even the royal charter that gave the business the power to dominate the 17th century fur trade. However, thousands of items imbued with Bay history have already wound up in the hands of archival institutions. Here’s a look at where some of the Bay’s memorabilia resides. Manitoba Museum The Winnipeg museum’s website says Hudson’s Bay began to acquire historical objects to open a museum in 1920. The company wound up donating many of those items to the Manitoba Museum in 1994 and its collection kept growing over the years because of donations from the descendants of fur trading families and other Bay employees. The museum now counts 27,000 on its Hudson’s...
Register
Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn target of protest rally
By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer First Nationleaders and protesters rallied outside Aaron Gunn’s campaign office in Campbell River Saturday demanding the Conservative Party withdraw his candidacy. A crowd of about 150 people waved signs reading “Drop the Gunn” and “We Need Gunn Control,” while First Nationsleaders, residential school survivors, educators and community workers voiced their anger over Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s decision not to remove Gunn from the party’s slate. Gunn has sparked concern and anger nationwide over a collection of contentious comments and social media posts — particularly those First Nations leaders say promote residential school denialism. Gunn is also drawing fire for insisting there are only two genders, the “gender pay gap doesn’t exist” and systemic racism is a “myth”. An online petition...
Register
Cariboo school district data system allows for proactive support
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter As School District 27 (SD 27) rolls out a new system to manage and utilize data, education coordinators from Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) are excited about the opportunities it presents. “All these children, they all have the ability to be successful,” said Norma Sure, the education director at WLFN. She and Leah Briault, the nation’s education coordinator, oversee the education of all children from WLFN, whether they live on or off reserve or attend school near or far. They do so through the Local Education Agreement (LEA) which is meant to affirm First Nations’ rights to control and make decisions over the education they receive. However, since the LEA’s implementation, barriers to student information have made it difficult for them to make...
Register
‘Crown jewel’: HBC’s charter among the art and artifacts it seeks to auction off
By Tara Deschamps Hudson’s Bay will seek court approval to put the royal charter that launched the company 355 years ago on the auction block, along with its trove of art and historical artifacts. The collapsing department store chain known as Canada’s oldest company said it’s applying to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to sell the items, which would ensure some of its most valuable and historical assets get the “care, consideration and expertise required” and “can be fully prioritized through a separate process facilitated by a fine art auction house.” Hudson’s Bay has yet to detail the catalogue of items it wants to hit the auction block, but the collection traces the path Hudson’s Bay took as it transformed from a fur trading powerhouse in the 17th century...
Register
Cocaine is killing more people in Newfoundland and Labrador than fentanyl, police say
By Sarah Smellie -CP-Highly potent cocaine is circulating in Newfoundland and Labrador, and police said Wednesday the drug is killing more people than fentanyl. Cocaine seized recently by the RCMP was found to have “purity levels that we have never seen before,” reaching 90 per cent or higher, Insp. David Emberley told a news conference in St. John’s. “This is alarming and highly toxic for human consumption,” he said. Figures supplied to reporters Wednesday by the province’s chief medical examiner’s office show steep climbs in cocaine and fentanyl toxicity deaths from 2022 to 2024, compared with the previous four years. However, the cocaine deaths outpace those from fentanyl: last year, cocaine killed 43 people in the province, compared with 20 who died from fentanyl. Eight people died from a combination...
Register
First Nations health organization expanding supports
By Pearl Lorentzen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader First Nations Health Consortium (FNHC) was formed to help people apply for Jordan’s Principle and has found other sources of funding to expand its services to First Nation people in Alberta. In 2017, FNHC was founded by Bigstone Health Commission, Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council (KTC), Maskwacis Health Services, and Siksika Health, to bid to be the organization to help people in Alberta apply for Jordan’s Principle. The First Nations are from each of the three treaty areas in Alberta. Bigstone and KTC are in the region covered by the Lakeside Leader. Maswacis is south of Edmonton. Siksika is south of Strathmore. Each of these First Nations has a seat on the board, but the services are open to all...
Register
Mattawa officially extinguishes fireworks sales in the municipality
By David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BayToday.ca Mattawa has not banned fireworks; however, they are heavily regulated, and now, council has officially banned the sale of fireworks within the municipality. Specifically, the new by-law notes, “No person shall sell Fireworks or Firecrackers, either Family Fireworks or Display Fireworks, or any class thereof, within the Municipality at any time.” Mayor Raymond Bélanger made clear, “Our by-law is not suggesting a ban of fireworks, it is suggesting a ban of sales. We’re hoping the by-law will give us a tool to regulate who and when fireworks are allowed to be used in our town.” Council passed the by-law unanimously. See: Mattawa updates fireworks by-law, bans sales Before the by-law was passed, Aleem Kanji, the Chief Advocacy Officer for the Canadian National...
Register
Manitoba, Nunavut premiers hopeful for hydro project, seeking federal help
By Steve Lambert The premiers of Manitoba and Nunavut are hopeful a proposed hydroelectric and fibre optic project is moving closer to fruition and are seeking federal money. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok have signed a memorandum to work together on the project and ask Ottawa for capital funding. The proposed Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link would see a 1,200-kilometre line built through northern Manitoba to several Nunavut communities west of Hudson Bay that currently use diesel to generate electricity. It has been talked about for years and a recent estimate put the cost at $1.6 billion. Manitoba announced this week it would dedicate 50 megawatts from its Crown energy corporation to the project, which Kinew says is only a start. Kinew and Akeeagok met at the Manitoba...
Register
The Latest: Judge finds probable cause to hold administration in contempt over deportation order
A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold President Donald Trump’s administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to El Salvador. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg warned he could refer the matter for prosecution if the administration does not “purge” its contempt. Boasberg said the administration could do so by returning to U.S. custody those who were sent to the El Salvador prison in violation of his order so that they “might avail themselves of their right to challenge their removability.” Here’s the latest: Trump taps Clayton as interim US attorney for New York’s Southern District amid spat with Schumer Trump is picking Jay Clayton to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District...
Register
Debate begins with party leaders laying out how they intend to negotiate with Tru
By Nick Murray -CP-As the French language election debate got underway Wednesday night, the four main federal party leaders were asked to lay out policy priorities that have nothing with the United States. But the conversation quickly turned to the elephant in the room — Donald Trump — and how the leaders would deal with the U.S. president. The leaders began the debate by sparring over how to respond to the trade war with the United States and pitching themselves as the best one to negotiate with Trump. Poilievre said that on his first day in office, he would open negotiations with Trump on an agreement put an end to tariffs. “We can’t control Trump. So at the same time, we need to control what we can,” Poilievre said. “That...
Register
Carney, Poilievre align on pipelines as Trump and trade loom over French debate
By Nick Murray Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre aligned on support for new oil and gas pipelines as a matter of national security during the French language election debate Wednesday night. Dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump was a running theme as the four main federal party leaders took the stage in Montreal for the first of two debates. Even the debate moderator Patrice Roy cited the elephant in the room as he pitched questions on immigration, affordability and Canadian identity. During an exchange on climate change, Poilievre argued Canada needs to build a national pipeline, highlighting how Alberta oil and gas is transported east through pipelines passing into the United States. “Quebecers that buy Alberta oil, it needs to go through the United States, giving...
Register
Throne speech ignites outcry over Ford’s environmental rollbacks
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative Despite years of public outcry and widespread criticism from experts and advocates over weakened conservation laws, the Ford government doubled down on its first day back in power — vowing to slash environmental oversight to fast-track mineral and infrastructure projects. Critics warn the plan will gut crucial environmental reviews, provoke legal battles, spark First Nations resistance and further weaken protections already under strain. The backlash follows Tuesday’s throne speech, which pledged new legislation to “streamline” environmental assessment in order to fast-track major infrastructure projects and development in Ontario’s Ring of Fire. While the government frames the move as a response to US trade tensions, saying Ontario is fighting for the future of its economy, opponents call it a...
Register
On the banks of a N.S. river, elver fishers from a Mi’kmaq First Nation defy Ottaw
By Michael Tutton As night falls along the banks of the Fitzroy River, Tabitha Morrison pauses from dipping her net for baby eels, and explains why she believes Ottawa’s rules shouldn’t govern Indigenous fishers. “We’re out here trying to make a living,” said the Mi’kmaq fisher in an interview Tuesday about 50 kilometres west of Halifax, where headlamps of 15 other fishers intermittently brightened the tidal waters. “There are catch limits we follow …. We have the right to self-govern ourselves and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Morrison, 38. The member of Sipekne’katik First Nation was harvesting baby eels, known as elvers, migrating along the waterway — even as the federal Fisheries Department had assigned the harvesting rights in the river to a non-Indigeous, commercial licence holder. After chaos...
Register
Grassy Narrows grassroots hold rally in Kenora
KENORA – Grassy Narrows community members hosted a rally Tuesday afternoon in downtown Kenora to send a message to federal politicians: Respect First Nations’ right to say no to nuclear waste disposal. The rally followed an email sent “on behalf of families from Grassy Narrows First Nation” to the members of Parliament for Kenora-Kiiwetinoong, Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Thunder Bay-Superior North and three other northern Ontario ridings. That letter asks each MP “to clearly state your position on the proposed nuclear waste disposal site near Ignace during this (April 28) federal election.” The Nuclear Waste Management Organization, a federally mandated body funded by Canada’s nuclear power producers, wants to construct a deep-underground repository for spent nuclear fuel at a site west of Ignace and east of Wabigoon Lake First Nation. “Voters...
Register
