New obesity guidelines for kids address when medication is an option
By Nicole Ireland -CP-A new guideline for treating obesity in children and adolescents says medication can be helpful, but that health providers should prioritize addressing nutrition, exercise and psychological needs. Obesity Canada’s first update to the pediatric obesity management guideline in almost 20 years was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal this week. The organization’s scientific director, Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, says both the scientific understanding and societal impact of obesity have since changed dramatically. Sockalingam says one of the major changes is the development of GLP-1 agonist drugs — such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro — for diabetes and weight loss. Wegovy has been studied for weight loss in adolescents 12 years of age and over. Ozempic and Mounjaro have only been approved by Health Canada for treatment of...
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Kamloops gears up to host national hockey tournament
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com The British Columbia city of Kamloops is getting ready to host this year’s National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). The event, which will feature 12 participating clubs (six female and six male), will be held May 4 to May 10. “Everything seems ready to go and falling into place right now,” said Duncan Olthuis, who is serving as the tournament’s general manager. “There are a few little things we need to button up but nothing unusual compared to any other tournament. So, I’m in a very comfortable position right now.” The NAHC features Indigenous players, ages 17 and under, representing their province, territory or region. Besides the two host squads from British Columbia, this year’s tourney will include female and male clubs from...
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Jean Sandy William to be recognized with TRU honorary degree
By Andie Mollins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune Kyé7e (Grandmother) Jean Sandy William of T’exelcemc (Williams Lake) First Nation is being recognized for her dedication to her community with an honorary degree from Thompson Rivers University (TRU). As a fluent speaker and educator of Secwepemctsín, William has been instrumental in the preservation and revitalization of the Secwépemc (Shuswap) Nation’s language and culture. “She is one of the most influential language speakers and knowledge keepers in the entire Secwepemc Nation,” said Willie Sellars, Chief of T’exelcemc First Nation. “We will be forever grateful for her contributions.” An Indigenous knowledge keeper, practical nurse, educator and cultural advisor, William has created safe spaces for residential school survivors to share their experiences and has contributed to research on Indigenous well-being. William...
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Two arrested, one sought in MacGregor robberies
By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence on Sandy Bay First Ojibway Nation last Thursday and arrested two males in connection with armed robberies near MacGregor this month. Police were still searching yesterday for a third suspect in the robberies. Jodee Roulette, 18, and a 16-year-old male were found inside the Sandy Bay residence and charged with multiple crimes. Stolen items were recovered by police on scene, including an all-terrain vehicle and a pickup truck, according to a Friday news release from RCMP. “Since the very first call, our officers have not stopped looking for the people responsible for these brazen thefts carried out with firearms,” Staff Sgt. Marcus Paddock said in the release. “The investigation involved dozens of officers...
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The Latest: Judge will order sworn testimony by Trump officials in case of wrongly deported man
-AP-A federal judge in Maryland will order sworn testimony by officials in President Donald Trump’s administration to determine if they complied with her orders to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from an El Salvador prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis issued her order after Trump officials continually refused to retrieve Abrego Garcia, saying they defied a “clear” Supreme Court order. She said the process could take two weeks and told the attorneys on both sides to cancel any vacations or appointments. “The bottom line is it was a very simple directive,” Xinis said of her own order. “I’ve got nothing. I’ve got no real response.” The afternoon hearing came a day after White House advisers repeated the claim that they lack the authority to bring back the Salvadoran...
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Gas firm says a contractor is dead in a gas plant fire near Fort St. John, B.C.
ST. JOHN B.C.-A contractor has been killed and another person hurt in a fire in a gas plant north of Fort St. John, B.C. Alberta-based Tourmaline Oil, which runs the Gundy oil and gas extraction facility in Wonowon, B.C., says the site was “immediately shut down” after the fire on Monday night. The B.C. Energy Regulator says the fire was put out shortly after midnight Tuesday. The company says in a statement that the injured worker was taken to hospital for treatment, and it doesn’t anticipate any further risk to the public or environment. The regulator says in a statement that the fire started when workers struck a pipe that sparked the blaze and Tourmaline activated its emergency response plan, isolated the area and informed everyone within the area of...
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‘It was amazing’: Prophet River First Nation on youth empowerment conference 2025
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca PROPHET RIVER, B.C. — A northeast B.C. First Nation’s youth got a glimpse of the big city during a high school conference last week. Youth from Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) were among Indigenous young people from across Canada to participate in the Soaring: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering in Vancouver. PRFN youth coordinator Lisa Wolf was a chaperone for members, and said being at the gathering on April 8th and 9th at Canada Place was “amazing.” Other Treaty 8 Nations to send youth included Blueberry River First Nations, Saulteau First Nations and Fort Nelson First Nation. Wolf has also taken PRFN youth to the Spark Conference in Edmonton earlier this year and added the invitation came from the PRFN education department. “It...
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Names sought for project honouring missing, murdered Indigenous women
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald A recent business graduate from the White Bear First Nation in Prince Edward Island is honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across North America, traditionally known as Turtle Island, through a cape with cones of names from those who have lost loved ones. Lox MacMillan-Metatawabin, lead of the project, which she named The Silent Jingle, says the idea came to her about two years ago during a brainstorming session on Post-it notes. “The vision came right there when we were just coming up with ideas and I was like ‘it could be red, it could signify missing and murdered Indigenous women and two-Spirit.” She says the name alludes to the voices which aren’t able to share what happened to...
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Names sought for project honouring missing, murdered Indigenous women
By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lethbridge Herald A recent business graduate from the White Bear First Nation in Prince Edward Island is honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across North America, traditionally known as Turtle Island, through a cape with cones of names from those who have lost loved ones. Lox MacMillan-Metatawabin, lead of the project, which she named The Silent Jingle, says the idea came to her about two years ago during a brainstorming session on Post-it notes. “The vision came right there when we were just coming up with ideas and I was like ‘it could be red, it could signify missing and murdered Indigenous women and two-Spirit.” She says the name alludes to the voices which aren’t able to share what happened to...
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First Nations Health Authority backs harm reduction on B.C. overdose anniversary
By Brenna Owen Deaths from toxic drugs may have dipped, but now is not the time to pull back on life-saving measures, especially given “misinformation” in the public discourse, the top doctor at British Columbia’s First Nations Health Authority said Monday. Dr. Nel Wieman said Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately represented among the deaths as the province marked the ninth anniversary of the toxic drug crisis being declared a public health emergency on April 14, 2016. Wieman said her team was pushing B.C.’s Health Ministry to help find a tailored approach for Indigenous-specific issues with the goal of preventing more people from dying and closing the gap with the non-Indigenous population. Wieman presented data showing 427 Indigenous people in B.C. died of a toxic drug overdose last year, a...
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Is the N.W.T.’s housing actually getting any better?
By Claire McFarlane, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio New housing data proves what most people in the Northwest Territories already know – the territory’s housing crisis persists. The data may also offer a slight glimmer of hope. Every five years, the N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics evaluates the territory’s homes based in part on three criteria: adequacy – does it need major repairs or not; affordability – do the home and associated bills like water, heat, electricity and insurance cost less than 30 per cent of household income; and suitability – does it have enough rooms for all the people trying to live in it? The last survey, in 2019, reported that 43 per cent of N.W.T. homes had at least one of those problems. The 2024 survey employed the...
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Saulteau First Nations announces dates for July’s Pemmican Days
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca MOBERLY LAKE, B.C. — A summertime tradition will continue in 2025 within the territory of Saulteau First Nations (SFN) as dates for its Pemmican Days have been announced. The annual event was started in the area by family groups who wanted to showcase traditional Indigenous culture in the Moberly Lake area. Named after Pemmican, a cultural food made of tallow, dried meat and occasionally mixed berries, SFN began managing the gathering in 1988, according to community events coordinator Carlee Westgate. “Pemmican is a huge part of the culture here,” said Westgate to Energeticcity.ca. The four-day event will feature games, crafts and sporting competitions. In a move away from previous years, the traditional community feast will take place on the Thursday preceding the...
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First Nations Health Authority backs harm reduction on B.C. overdose anniversary
By Brenna Owen Deaths from toxic drugs may have dipped, but now is not the time to pull back on life-saving measures, especially given “misinformation” in the public discourse, the top doctor at British Columbia’s First Nations Health Authority said Monday. Dr. Nel Wieman said Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately represented among the deaths as the province marked the ninth anniversary of the toxic drug crisis being declared a public health emergency on April 14, 2016. Wieman said her team was pushing B.C.’s Health Ministry to help find a tailored approach for Indigenous-specific issues with the goal of preventing more people from dying and closing the gap with the non-Indigenous population. Wieman presented data showing 427 Indigenous people in B.C. died of a toxic drug overdose last year, a...
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First Nations Health Authority backs harm reduction on B.C. overdose anniversary
By Brenna Owen The top doctor at British Columbia’s First Nations Health Authority says deaths from toxic drugs may have dipped, but now is not the time to pull back on life-saving measures, especially given “misinformation” in the public discourse. Dr. Nel Wieman says Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately represented among the deaths as B.C. marks the ninth anniversary of the toxic drug crisis being declared a public health emergency. She says her team is pushing B.C.’s Health Ministry to help find a tailored approach for Indigenous-specific issues to prevent more people from dying and close the gap with the non-Indigenous population. Wieman presented data showing 427 Indigenous people in B.C. died of a toxic drug overdose last year, representing a 6.8 per cent decrease from 2023. However, she...
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Nuu-chah-nulth queer language words celebrated at storytelling event
By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, B.C. – Ten years ago, Hesquiaht First Nation and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ elder Nicki Love McCarthy asked Nuu-chah-nulth knowledge keepers if they knew of any words that described queerness. Through a flurry of texts, emails and Facebook messages, the knowledge keepers were able to bring these words forward, and McCarthy generously shared them during a Sunday, April 13 afternoon presentation in the Sičquuʔuƛ (Sitch – KHOO – ootl) Theatre in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s Kwisitis Visitor Centre. Sičquuʔuƛ is the late Barbara Touchie’s Nuu-chah-nulth name and means “a dorsal fin coming around a point of land”. Touchie was dedicated to revitalizing Nuu-chah-nulth language and culture. Parks Canada renamed the theater after her in 2016. “I’m very grateful for the language people. Our...
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8,600 textbooks shredded: How can we avoid this happening again?
By Anasophie Vallee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Telegram PC MHA Lela Evans is questioning how long NL students were learning inaccurate information about Indigenous peoples. In early February, the Department of Education ordered school administrators to shred 8,600 Grade 7 and 8 French immersion textbooks. According to a CBC News article, the books were initially purchased back in January 2023 for $202,140; it was only recently it was determined the books contained false information about Indigenous peoples and history. The Department told The Telegram that “schools were asked to destroy the books so that they would not remain in circulation and risk perpetuating inaccurate information.” They added that it is common practice for schools to be asked to dispose of delisted resources that are outdated or no longer suitable/approved....
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Tariff response to be focus at Queen’s Park as new session begins after election
By Liam Casey and Allison Jones -CP-Ontario’s response to the escalating trade war with the United States will factor heavily in the first legislative sitting after Premier Doug Ford cruised to victory in the snap February election. Ford will outline his government’s priorities in a throne speech today delivered by the lieutenant-governor. The Progressive Conservative government is expected to table legislation Wednesday to open up interprovincial trade in another effort to combat the effects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. Ford says he wants to make trade between provinces and territories less onerous. Interprovincial trade is set up with a number of protectionist barriers that Ford says makes trade easier with the United States than the rest of the country and also makes labour mobility difficult. Ford...
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Guilty plea entered in 2022 Sheg slaying
By Jacqueline St. Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Manitoulin Expositor SHEGUIANDAH FIRST NATION—In the heart of Manitoulin Island’s tranquil landscapes, a storm brewed on June 24, 2022, culminating in a tragedy that underscored the Island’s escalating struggle with external criminal elements. Hanif Glave-Duncan, a then 20-year-old from Hamilton at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of 32-year-old Cheyenne Roy at a residence on Wiigush Miikan in Sheguiandah First Nation. Mr. Glave-Duncan, also known locally as Jordan Doe and Jordan Duncan, had embedded himself in the Island’s drug subculture. Residing with his then-partner Payton Atawish, he operated a drug trade from her home. On that fateful night, Mr. Roy, armed with bear mace, intended to confront and rob Mr. Glave-Duncan of drugs and...
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Indigenous leaders denounce UBC profs’ ‘outdated and regressive’ lawsuit against land acknowledgements
By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Indigenous leaders are condemning a lawsuit by a group of University of British Columbia (UBC) professors and one graduate student who are against the school making land acknowledgements, along with other diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. One syilx Okanagan chief described the legal demands as “attempts to erase syilx Okanagan presence and rights.” Five UBC faculty members — including three professors at the school’s Okanagan campus, as well as a professor and a graduate student at its “Vancouver” campus — filed the petition in the B.C. Supreme Court on April 7, calling for a judge to ban the province’s largest university from engaging in what they called “political activity.” Those activities, according to the petitioners, include statements that UBC is on unceded...
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US Army to control land on Mexico border as part of base, migrants could be detained, officials say
By Tara Copp And Lolita C. Baldor WASHINGTON (AP) — A long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that President Donald Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The transfer of that border zone to military control — and making it part of an Army installation — is an attempt by the Trump administration to get around a federal law that prohibits U.S. troops from being used in domestic law enforcement on American soil. But if the troops are providing security for land that is part of an Army base, they can perform that function. However, at least one...
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