Canada takes on fentanyl but Indigenous communities left behind
By Joshua Santos Writer Canada is ramping up its fight against fentanyl, with new border security measures and the creation of a fentanyl czar, but in Indigenous communities, where the crisis is hitting hardest, the resources to fight back are still out of reach. The Ontario Chiefs of Police said fentanyl, a drug linked to organized crime, saw an increase in police seizures and overdose-linked deaths. It saids the uptick, coupled with supply issues of other drugs, may have contributed to an increase in overdoses across Ontario and Canada. “It’s bad all over the place but more so in Indigenous communities because of less resources and manpower for law enforcement,” said Six Nations Police Chief Darren Montour. “It boils down to funding.” Montour said the police’s drug enforcement unit has...
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Woman facing impaired charge after vehicle found in ditch
OHSWEKEN- A Six Nations woman is facing multiple charges after police found a vehicle in the ditch on Second Line. Six Nations Police said an anonymous caller contacted police Friday, Jan.3 at about 7 a.m. saying a vehicle was in the ditch on Second Line. Six Nations Police responded to the scene where they said they found a vehicle that appeared to have been backed into the ditch. Police spoke with the lone female driver and noticed signs of impairment. The woman was arrested and transported to another local police service to conduct a breath test. As a result of the investigation, police have arrested and charged Myka Burning, 44, of Ohsweken, with the following criminal offences: Impaired Operation Alcohol per se Offence “80 plus” Operation while Prohibited Burning is...
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No Ontario Election 2025 polling station at Six Nations
By Joshua Santos and Lynda Powless Writers If Six Nations voters want to cast a ballot in tomorrow’s ( Feb. 27) Ontario Elections, they will have to leave Six Nations to do it. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) told Elections Ontario officials, in a closed meeting, that no voting station was to be opened at Six Nations. Election Ontario sources said the reason behind the decision was a protest that occurred the last time a poll was held at Six Nations. Instead, if Six Nations band members want to cast a ballot, they will have to go to an official polling station on Feb. 27th at Burtch Baptist Church, 352 Cockshutt Rd. in Brantford. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at which point staff will count...
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SNEC hopes new office space will bring staff back to office
Six Nations band staff will now have access to two new office spaces. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) hopes making the new offices available will help get staff, who have worked from home since 2020, or those sharing desks, back into the office. Councillor Audrey Powless-Bomberry introduced a motion to continue paying for two units at the Oneida Business Park for SNEC and the Education Committee’s staff person. Councillor Bomberry introduced the motion at SNEC’s open General Finance meeting earllier this month but withdrew it when the motion didn’t receive support. “I think we think we should hold on to them. Any councillor could have office space to work or if they want to have a focus group they could take them there and for meetings. We think it just...
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Ohsweken man facing charges after vehicle fails to stop for stop sign
OHSWEKEN-An Ohsweken man is facing a series of charges after Six Nations Police spotted a vehicle drive through a stop sign last month. Six Nations Police were on general patrol, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at about 7:15 a.m. when they saw a motor vehicle fail to stop for the posted stop sign at Fourth Line Road and Onondaga Road. Police conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and spoke to the lone male driver. Police said while speaking to the driver signs of impairment were observed. The man was arrested and taken to the Six Nations detachment to provide a sample of his breath. The man refused to provide a sample and as a result of the investigation police arrested and charged the man. Charged Matthew Turner, 33, of Ohsweken,...
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RCMP Black Hawks to Patrol International Borders
By Joshua Santos Writer Black Hawk helicopters may roar through the skies as law enforcement agencies increase patrols at both the Canadian and American borders but not over Six Nations. Royal Canaidan Mout Police (RCMP) said the helicopters aren’t patrolling over Six Nations but it was included in an alert the agency sent to all communities within a certain distance of the international borders. The office of the Six Nations Elected Chief was one of several communities notified that there will be increased international border patrols on both land and air. “A Black Hawk helicopter with the RCMP logo will be utilized for air patrols,” said Caitlin Court, communications coordinator for Six Nations in a news release. “If you see this helicopter, it does not mean a specific threat or...
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What’s public and what isn’t … is a public matter
Six Nations current elected council’s decision to move into closed sessions on issues affecting the local community hit a new level this past week. The Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) decided to discuss the community’s ability to vote in elections behind closed doors. Now, whether you vote or not, or support the issue of voting. the issue isn’t putting a ballot in a box. The question is why? Why would a discussion on whether an election or vote would be held at Six Nations go behind closed doors. In the past the holding of voting polls, for provincial elections in particular, has come under fire with protesters showing up at the single voting station wherever it may be on Six Nations. But the discussion of whether to hold one at...
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Anderson completes university rookie season with Golden Hawks
By Sam Laskaris Writer Brenden Anderson is already looking forward to his sophomore year in the university hockey ranks. Anderson, a Six Nations member, was a rookie with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks this season. The Golden Hawks had their season come to an end earlier this month. The squad only managed to win five out of its 28 regular season contests. As a result, the Wilfrid Laurier squad, which failed to qualify for the playoffs, finished last in the 10-team West Division of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA). The OUA also has an East Division featuring nine squads. Anderson, a 21-year-old forward, appeared in 17 of the Golden Hawks’ games. He scored three goals and added an assist. Unfortunately, his season came to an end in mid-January. That’s because...
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Snow Snake winners announced at winter tournament
By Joshua Santos Writer Young competitors gathered to test their skills in the traditional Indigenous game of Snow Snake as winter snow blankets the landscape. The Porter Snowsnake Team organized the Snow Snake Competition at the Woodland Cultural Centre on Feb. 22 and 23. Categories include kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3 and 4, Grades 5 and 6, Grades 7 and 8, two high schools, mudcats and three men’s classes. This year’s competition featured a mix of veteran players and newcomers, each eager to make their mark. The winners are as follows: Kindergarten: Russell Scanlan Grade Grades 1 and 2 – Cayson Scanlan Grade 3 and 4 – Charles Scanlan Grade 5 and 6 – Mo John Grade 7 and 8 – Ivan Abrams High School – Pooty Scanlan...
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Raceway gearing up for 2025 season
By Sam Laskaris Writer The 2025 race schedule has been released for the Ohsweken Speedway. But officials with the local racing track continue to plan for the season, which will commence in May. That includes a pre-season information and registration meeting, which will be held this coming Sunday, Mar. 2. That meeting will be held at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Among those who will be at the meeting will be officials for the track’s Thursday Night Micro Sprints program. “Our Thursday night program is the perfect stepping stone for young racers looking to move into full-sized cars, and for veteran racers who just want to have fun,” said Clinton Geoffrey, who is the general manager of the Ohsweken Speedway. “The growth we’re seeing is incredible.” The track’s Thursday night program...
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Indigenous-owned Tse’K’wa cave spotlighted on ‘Before the Peace’ podcast
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Repatriation, history, reconciliation and the future of the Tse’K’wa cave Heritage Site was discussed for an episode of the Before the Peace podcast. The cave in Charlie Lake is co-owned by Doig River First Nation, Prophet River First Nation and West Moberly First Nations, and its history stretches to the Ice Age. Host Chris Walker was joined by the Tse’k’wa Heritage Society’s executive director, Alyssa Currie, to discuss what she described as a “busy” 2024. She says her job varies daily, but she oversees the operations of the heritage site and its governing society. “Some days, it’s running programs. Others, it’s writing grant reports so that we can continue to bring in funding to support the important work...
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Manitoba school division brings back plan to play ‘God Save the King’ in classrooms
By Brittany Hobson -CP-A western Manitoba school division’s plan to reintroduce the playing of “God Save the King” during morning announcements is back on despite being met with controversy. Mountain View School Division chairperson Jason Gryba confirmed the plan will go ahead during a school board meeting on Monday evening. “We will be following the (Schools Patriotic Observances Regulation),” Gryba said at the end of the meeting. “That will be implemented based on legal counsel that we’ve had.” Gryba did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The decision has been a contentious one within the board as the majority of trustees with the division, which oversees 16 schools in and around Dauphin, Man., voted last month to pause the plan to see whether it is legally required and...
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Feds considering Competition Bureau probe of Northern grocery pricing practices
By Nick Murray The federal government is looking to have the Competition Bureau investigate pricing practices of food retailers in Canada’s North, Northern Affairs Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Tuesday. He made the remark at a news conference in Ottawa where he announced the appointment of Inuk leader Aluki Kotierk to head an external review of the Nutrition North food subsidy program. While taking questions from reporters, Anandasangaree said he’s working with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister François-Philippe Champagne to explore whether the Competition Bureau should look deeper into the underlying costs of doing business in the North. “If there are costs that are somewhat fixed, if prices are not quite up to market conditions, it may be appropriate for the Competition Bureau to also look at this issue in...
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New Indigenous Justice Centre in Kamloops to help ‘strengthen community safety’
By Macarena Mantilla, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Wren Content warning: This article includes statistics of sexual abuse, violence, the topic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and the criminal system. Please read with care. Boyd Peters (Xoyet thet), a member of the Sts’ailes Nation, is the vice-chair for the B.C. First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC). Present at the press conference hosted to celebrate the opening of the new Indigenous Justice Centre (IJC) in Kamloops (Tk’emlúps), Peters shared his take on why these centres are vital for healthy communities. “IJCs are meant to strengthen community safety and break cycles of repeat offending in meaningful ways,” he says. “They provide a way for people to step out of the criminal justice system and return to their true selves, grounded in...
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‘This was hate speech’: Ontario drag performers win defamation case against blogger
By Jordan Omstead -CP-A Thunder Bay drag performer who successfully sued a Facebook blogger for defamation over baseless accusations of pedophilia says she hopes the case serves as a cautionary tale to those who traffic in anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and hate speech. “I want them to know that they need to be afraid to be bigots again, because we’re tired of it,” said Felicia Crichton, one of the three drag performers who won their cases against the administrator of a Thunder Bay Facebook page. Brian Webster was ordered to pay $380,000 in combined damages to drag performers and a Dryden, Ont.-area LGBTQ+ non-profit after a judge found he falsely and recklessly accused them of being “groomers” in posts about drag story time events at libraries in northwestern Ontario. Crichton said the...
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Ontario election: Here’s what the main parties are promising on five key issues
-CP-With Ontarians heading to the polls on Thursday, here’s an overview of what the Progressive Conservatives, NDP, Liberals and Greens promised on five key issues during the snap campaign. HEALTH CARE Progressive Conservatives: — Spend $1.8 billion over four years to connect two million more people to primary care. — Spend $88 million to expand the Learn and Stay grant to provide free tuition for medical students who practice family medicine in a community for at least five years. Expand medical school seats to 500 new undergraduate spots and 742 new residency positions by 2028. — Continue building and upgrading 58,000 long-term care beds and 50 hospitals across the province. — Spend $66 million to support 100,000 more patients access MRI and CT services annually, and connect 60,000 more...
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Doug Ford has big goals but cares about small stuff. It’s how he wins, colleagues say
By Liam Casey -CP-Doug Ford is a man of things. Things he can see, things he can touch and most importantly, things he can build. Big things matter to Ford. The Progressive Conservative leader is a self-proclaimed visionary who makes decisions with his gut. When he has swung and missed, like he did with opening up protected Greenbelt land that sparked public furor, he has apologized and walked it back. Little things are important to him too. He will famously find out about a small problem and try to fix it. Ford has bet big on building things. Early in the election campaign, he pledged an additional $22 billion in spending for infrastructure projects in the face of American tariffs. But that promise wasn’t contingent upon U.S. President Donald Trump...
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Media, telecom firms ask CRTC to ease up on regulation as they compete with streaming
By Anja Karadeglija -CP-As the Canadian broadcast system is upended by streaming, old-school media and telecom companies say they’re struggling to compete and they want the country’s broadcast regulator to take a lighter touch. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is holding consultations on how the Canadian broadcasting system can survive the shift away from traditional TV to international streamers. It’s a part of the regulator’s work on implementing the Online Streaming Act, which updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms. The CRTC launched a consultation in January to study market dynamics as Canadians move from traditional broadcasting and cable — which is subject to various CRTC rules and regulations — to streaming services dominated by international giants like Netflix, Amazon and Disney+. Filings were due Monday and the...
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Ottawa appoints Inuk leader for external review of embattled Nutrition North program
By Nick Murray -CP-The federal government has appointed Inuk leader Aluki Kotierk to head an external review of a northern food subsidy program. Kotierk is the former president of Nunavut Tunngavik, which represents the territory’s Inuit, and will serve as a special representative to the northern affairs minister. Nutrition North is a food subsidy program that provides money to retailers to help bring down the high cost of groceries in some 124 communities. Some retailers have faced accusations of not applying the full subsidy to items. Kotierk will be asked to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and produce a report next year. Ottawa also announced a $20-million injection into the program. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025. ...
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