B.C. paramedics union reaches agreement in principle, avoids possible job action
The union representing more than 6,000 ambulance paramedics and dispatchers in British Columbia says it has reached an agreement in principle on a new contract, avoiding the possibility of job action. The Ambulance Paramedics of BC says the deal comes after “extensive negotiations” with the Health Employers Association of BC and the provincial government. Earlier this month members voted 97 per cent in favour of strike action, putting them in a legal strike position once an essential services order was in place. Instead, the union now says it will talk to members in person and online ahead of a vote to ratify the new deal. Specifics of the deal have not been made public, but the union says in a statement that it was emphasizing the need for improvement to...
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Voyageurs in down-to-the-wire playoff push lean on Indigenous talent
By Aaron Walker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com When Portage College men’s hockey assistant coach Pierre Sparklingeyes looks back on the Voyageurs’ January exhibition series against the Chinese national men’s team, he doesn’t remember the ceremony of the event. He remembers the pace of the games and what they demanded from a roster drawn largely from northern and rural communities, including Indigenous student-athletes. “That team just came at us and at us,” Sparklingeyes told Windspeaker during an interview in Moose Jaw, Sask. on Feb. 13. The series forced his team to “keep battling through the full 60 minutes of each game.” Portage split the two-game set at the Bold Centre in Lac La Biche, Alta. winning 6–5 on Jan. 23 before dropping the rematch 3–1 on Jan. 24. Sparklingeyes is...
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History-making nine-question referendum punts Alberta into unprecedented territory
By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Macleod Gazette Editor’s Note: Light profanity appears in a direct quotation in this story. A nine-question referendum announced by the premier Thursday charts new territory for direct democracy, as the government looks to define and entrench an Alberta approach for dealing with immigration and Ottawa. The UCP initiative appears to feature the most — and most complex — federal or provincial questions ever asked on a single referendum ballot in the country’s history. The electorate’s participation will help the government shield Albertans from an intrusive Ottawa and its potentially harmful policies, Danielle Smith said during a televised and streamed address. Direct Democracy or Distraction? The Opposition, however, characterized the referendum slated for Oct. 19 as an intentionally confusing misdirection, drawing attention away...
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Joy Smith Foundation hosts annual fundraiser
By Brenda Sawatzky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Niverville Citizen The Joy Smith Foundation, soon to be headquartered in Niverville, is getting ready to launch its annual fundraising gala aimed at exposing the ugly reality of human trafficking. On March 12, the Illuminate Hope Gala will be held at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. “When it comes to human trafficking, it really is a fundamental human right to have your freedom,” says Janet Campbell, CEO of the Joy Smith Foundation. She points out that the museum is an appropriate venue, as Joy Smith herself played a role in opening the museum more than a decade ago. Today, a prominent display tells the story of how Smith paved the way to make human trafficking a punishable offence in Canada. This...
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Congress of Aboriginal Peoples excluded from national MMIWG2S roundtable
By Lucas-Matthew Marsh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) says it was excluded from the National Indigenous–Federal–Provincial–Territorial (IFPT) Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) last week in Ottawa. CAP National Chief Brendan Moore denounced the decision, calling it “political.” “Limiting Indigenous voices does real harm,” Moore said. “It leads to incomplete understanding, ineffective solutions and a continued failure to protect all Indigenous peoples.” Established in 2023, the IFPT roundtable is a collective effort that brings together Indigenous leaders and ministers from the provincial and federal governments to help coordinate a collective response to the MMIWG2S crisis. Those in attendance at this year’s IFPT roundtable include the President of National Family and Survivors Circle Inc. Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, New Brunswick’s Minister...
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Changes to Jordan’s Principle expected in coming weeks
By Claire McFarlane, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio Changes to Jordan’s Principle will be announced in the coming weeks, Indigenous services minister Mandy Gull-Masty says, though it isn’t yet clear how the changes might affect those in the Northwest Territories. Gull-Masty said she has been talking with partners and services users to inform program reform, something she previously said could be a “transformation” of the service. “The message has been very clear from users that it is challenging with the amount of paperwork that has to be done with the timelines and re-application, and we want to remove those burdens,” said Gull-Masty in a Saturday interview with Cabin Radio. Schools across the territory have been calling for greater supports since an operational bulletin, issued a year ago under the...
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Over 40,000 Nova Scotian children lived in poverty in 2023, new report finds
By Brendyn Creamer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Coast One-in-five children in Nova Scotia are living in poverty. That’s the biggest takeaway from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) 2025 report card on child and family poverty in the province, which analyzes the most recently available tax-filer data to identify gaps within our system. The report was released on Wednesday, Feb. 18, alongside partners Campaign 2000 and Fed Family Lab. This report is dropped days after Brendan Maguire, the minister of education, announced that the province will not meet it’s $10-a-day childcare deadline on March 31. According to the report, 22.7 percent of children within the province (40,210) lived in poverty in 2023—a 4.6 percent decrease from 2022, but still leaving Nova Scotia with the third-highest rate of...
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Cree educator Freda Ahenakew the subject of new documentary world premiere coming to Vancouver
By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com A documentary about a woman who spent the majority of her life saving the Cree language will have its world premiere in Vancouver next month. The film, titled A Cree Approach, documents the life of Freda Ahenakew, born in 1932 on the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation reserve in Saskatchewan. She passed in 2011. The film, written and directed by Ahenakew’s granddaughter Tristin Greyeyes, will screen March 7 at the VIFF Centre as part of the Gender Equity in Media Festival (GEMFest), which runs from March 5 to March 8. The festival will show 35 films from 13 countries created by women and gender-diverse filmmakers. Greyeyes began work on A Cree Approach in 2021. “It was a passion project for sure and very personal,”...
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The Latest: Trump says he’ll sign an executive order to enact a 10% global tariff
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs in a 6-3 decision on Friday, handing him a stinging loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda. Furious about the defeat, Trump said he will impose a global 10% tariff as an alternative while pressing his trade policies by other means. The new tariffs would come under a law that restricts them to 150 days. He made that announcement after lashing out at the Supreme Court for striking down much of his sweeping tariff infrastructure as an illegal use of emergency power. Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of justices who voted to strike down his tariffs and called the ruling “deeply disappointing.” “Their decision is incorrect,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter because we have very...
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Wall Street keeps calm after the Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs
By Stan Choe NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is keeping calm Friday after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which had triggered panic in financial markets when announced last year, and stocks are drifting in mixed trading. The S&P 500 was 0.1% higher in midday trading. It had been flipping between small gains and losses before the court’s ruling, following discouraging reports showing slowing growth for the U.S. economy and faster inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 125 points, or 0.3%, as of 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% higher. Many on Wall Street were likely expecting such a ruling from the Supreme Court, according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management. That likely led to...
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A new pathway to learning in Nunavut: Arviat chosen as Inuit-led Arctic university location
By Jill Westerman, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News A new learning pathway is opening in Nunavut as the territory prepares to welcome its first Inuit-led university – one that builds on knowledge long-rooted in the land and the language of the Nunavummiut. This is important news and a proud moment for Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr., as his hamlet of just over 3,000 residents was chosen as the main campus location out of six shortlisted sites in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. “My first reaction and my thought was for the people of Arviat, the Elders, and everyone within the community that supported us,” Savikataaq Jr. said when he learned of the decision which received unanimous support from residents. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) President Natan Obed made the...
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Large banner featuring Trump’s face is displayed on Justice Department headquarters
By Alanna Durkin Richer WASHINGTON (AP) — A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face was hung on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters on Thursday in a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him. While Trump banners have been hung outside other agencies across Washington, the decision to place one on the storied Justice Department building amounted to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control. The banner, hung between two columns on one corner of the building, says, “Make America Safe Again,” a slogan used by the administration to tout its efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime. Attorney General Pam Bondi has postured herself as...
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Inuit Child First Initiative receives $115 million in new funding
By William Koblensky Varela, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunavut News The federal government is providing $115 million to renew funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative, allowing the program to run until March 31, 2027, Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty announced on Feb. 19. “These investments reflect our commitment to addressing long-standing gaps in health and community services, while supporting Inuit-led priorities and strengthening the foundations that sustain vibrant, healthy communities in the North,” Gull-Masty said. The Inuit Child First Initiative is supposed to ensure Inuit children receive the same government funded healthcare, social programs and educational products that other Canadian children receive. Nunavut MP Lori Idlout said the money has not been budgeted for by the federal government, and is seemingly coming out of nowhere. “The amount is...
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Mother of accused killer tells trial he sent cryptic messages after shooting
By Brittany Hobson The mother of an accused mass killer testified she witnessed her son experience bouts of paranoia and that he sent her cryptic messages in the days following a shooting that claimed the lives of five people at a Winnipeg rooming house. Mary Felix told court Thursday that she provided screenshots of her conversation with her son, Jamie Felix, to police after the killings because she believed he could be involved. “I heard that he was over there, so that’s why I called the police,” she said. “Were you worried about him?” Crown prosecutor Chantal Boutin asked. “Yes, I was,” replied Mary Felix. Court heard that her 35-year-old son struggled with drug and alcohol addiction after the death of his twin brother, who was killed when he was...
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NDP leadership candidates pitch their rebuilding plans to voters in final debate
By David Baxter and Nono Shen The NDP leadership candidates began the final official debate with a general acknowledgment they agree on policies, but have different visions for how to achieve their most existential goal — rebuilding the party. At the close of the debate, each candidate was asked if they are running to rebuild the party or become the prime minister. Four of the five candidates said they are running to rebuild the party, while Ontario organic farmer Tony McQuail was the lone candidate who said he is eyeing the Prime Minister’s Office. During opening remarks in the Vancouver-area debate, Alberta MP Heather McPherson said the party needs someone who knows how to turn NDP policies and values into electoral wins. She said she has a track record of...
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Today in History for Feb. 20:
In 1725, the earliest recorded scalps were taken in New Hampshire, when white bounty hunters killed 10 sleeping natives. In 2019, the Trudeau government voted down an Opposition motion for a public inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould — who was at the heart of the firestorm — abstained from voting, explaining it was not appropriate since the matter involved her personally. Some Opposition members demanded that Prime Minister Trudeau and the current Justice Minister David Lametti also abstain but they registered votes against the motion, which was defeated 160 to 134....
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Indigenous Services minister announces new federal funding to fight TB in Inuit communities
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News The federal government will spend $27 million over five years to try to eliminate tuberculosis in Inuit communities, as Nunavik ended last year with a record number of active cases. Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty made the announcement Thursday afternoon during Kativik Regional Government’s quarterly meeting in Kuujjuaq. “This disease disproportionately impacts Inuit communities in Nunavik and across Inuit Nunangat and this must change,” said Gull-Masty, who is also the member of Parliament for the sprawling Quebec riding that includes Nunavik. Nunavik reported 117 cases in 2025, making that the highest number since the regional health board started keeping records. As of Feb. 19, 15 active cases have been reported with outbreaks in eight communities. The health board does not identify...
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Feds warn First Nations people to carry passport when crossing U.S. border
By Catherine Morrison The federal government has updated its travel advice for the United States, urging First Nations people to carry a passport in addition to a status card when crossing the border. Before this week, the government website said First Nations people could “freely” enter the United States for the purposes of employment, study, retirement, investing or immigration. As of Thursday, the website has been updated with new guidelines. The website now says First Nations people “may” be able to cross the Canada-U.S. border by land or water with their Secure Certificate of Indian Status, also known as a secure status card. The website says acceptance of all status cards is “entirely at the discretion of U.S. officials.” Status cards and secure status cards aren’t accepted travel documents for...
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Feds put up $50 million for Inuit-led university as part of funding package
By Nick Murray The federal government will provide $50 million to help develop Canada’s first Inuit-led university, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said Thursday. Gull-Masty announced the funding at an event in her home riding in the Nunavik community of Kujjuaq, Que., as part of a broader $228 million funding package for Inuit communities. As first reported by CBC News, the package includes $115 million to renew funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative for one year. The Inuit Child First Initiative provides access to health and social services otherwise unavailable in Inuit communities. Its funding was going to expire at the end of March. Advocates last year called on the government to continue funding the program, saying the loss would undermine health outcomes for Inuit families. Ottawa is also...
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Brantford Police: Dakota has been safely located
Dakota located safe UPDATE-BRANTFORD, ONT-Brantford Police have located “Dakota”. Police said Friday Feb., 20, 2026 that Dakota has been safely located and thank the public for their information and concern. Feb., 19,2026 -Brantford Police Service (BPS) are asking for the public’s help in locating missing 27-year-old Dakota reported missing February 11, 2026 . He is described as male, with a slim build, and short, dark brown hair. He was last seen at a residence located on Dundas Street near North Park Street in Brantford, on January 31, 2026. He was wearing a black jumpsuit and white Nike shoes.According to the BPS he may have travelled to the St. Catherines area. The BPS said in a statement Feb., 19, 2026, they would like to verify Dakota’s well-being and are seeking...
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